“Not so many fewer.”
Abigail hummed for a moment. “The wealthy Asiniuses. Your father was consul until recently. ‘A family destined for greatness.’” She chuckled to herself. “‘But the son is a bit intolerable sometimes. He thinks himself too good to serve as a soldier.’”
Titus did not know whether to be amused or amazed. “Where did you hear such gossip?”
Her eyes slid shut. “I read Jason’s letters to his mother sometimes.”
Her breathing was growing deeper, and Titus knew she would soon be asleep. “Abigail, did Jason not write his letters in Latin?”
“Mm. I always thought it rather rude. He knew his mother could not read it.”
Titus just watched her for a moment, smiling softly as she drifted off. “Abigail,” he whispered, knowing she would not hear, “I have never met anyone quite like you.”
He watched her a moment longer, then lifted her gently and carried her to her own room, putting Benjamin beside her after a second short trip. Bidding the two sleeping beings a good night, he went back to his pallet. Slumber did not come so easily to him.
Thinking back on it now, he was sure Jason had mentioned his parents’ rather strange decision to educate their slaves, even the girl. Until this moment, though, he had given it no thought. It had been none of his concern that they could read or write. And when he had first seen Abigail, anything beyond the charms of her body simply did not interest him. Even that time when she had spoken with them of her one God, of what his Son would be like, it had been easy to put aside her wit and knowledge the moment she closed her mouth.
Weeks ago, when she had written that note to her fellow slaves, it had struck him as odd for only a moment; after all, it had been in Greek. But apparently she was also literate in Latin, and undoubtedly in Hebrew as well, if she had the other two.
It was no wonder Jason had ceased to see her as a slave after spending so much time with her. Most of the noble women he knew were not as learned as Abigail seemed to be. But whether or not her skills would endear her to Rome he could not tell. Because the point remained that she was a Jewess, had been a servant in a Roman’s house. The families he knew would not be so eager to welcome her into their circles.
But they would not have to, after all. They would have to welcome only her son; and he would make sure they did so. He would stay in communication with Abigail even after she went back to Israel, and he would see that the boy received the education he deserved; Samuel too. He had a sharp mind, and it should be hewn. Abigail would surely see the wisdom of sending them to Rome for their schooling, and when they came, he would gladly welcome them, take them under his wing.
It occurred to him as sleep finally came that he was looking quite far into the future all of a sudden. It was an unsettling realization, for he still was not so clear on what he would be doing with his life in the next year. But, he supposed, that was one curiosity easily satisfied. All he had to do was wait and see.
*
By the time the ship arrived in port at Ostia Antica, Abigail had once again decided she liked life on the sea. Looking out in all directions and seeing the vast world of water underneath her, the edge of land just within sight, the gulls flapping overhead and crying out their complaints. She liked the salty air and the shimmer of sun upon the swells.
They arrived early in the day, but they still had a bit of a journey before they reached Titus’s home. There was a veritable entourage awaiting them, which he pointed out from the rails before they were permitted to leave the ship.
She surveyed the collection of slaves, horses, and carts that stood inland a few hundred yards, amid the bustling of the small city.“Why are there so many?”
“I am the son of the house. And a rather demanding one in the past. They would wish to anticipate my needs; and moreover, the larger the procession entering Rome, the more attention it gets. My father will wish my homecoming to be something that gains notice.”
“Oh.” Abigail held Benjamin a little closer to her and pulled Samuel back against her legs.
Titus smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “You have nothing to fear, Abigail. You are my guest, and Jason’s widow. They may look at you with curiosity, but you will be treated with respect.” He laughed outright at the look she sent him. “You are a mistress now. You must grow accustomed to being held in respect.”
“I was a slave for most of my memory, Titus. If not for Jason, I would be one still. I would have married a slave, I would have remained a slave.”
Titus snorted and looked out at Ostia again. “As Jason pointed out to me in one of our many conversation on the matter, you were born free. And you are far too good to be the wife of a slave.”
“That slave was my first and dearest friend.”