“Yes!” Titus practically roared. “To save you, Abigail, I would do anything. I will not let my father have his way with you.”
Abigail regarded him cooly. “If your father forced himself upon me, it would be his sin, not mine. It would be painful, but the world would not come to an end. If you took Caelia, the sin would be upon your head, my friend.”
He threw up his hands and spun away. “She would kill you. And you would speak to me of sin?”
“I love you!” Abigail cried in return. “Would you have me stand aside while you sacrifice yourself for me? While you give yourself to another? Am I to believe that when you are in her arms you would find no pleasure there? I have been there, Titus. Even knowing it is wrong, even trying to keep yourself pure of sin in such a situation, it is impossible. And you would put yourself into it willingly, so how could you even hope to stay free of sin? And once in its clutches, how will your motives remain untainted?”
Titus’s jaw clenched in anger. “What would you have me do? Let the old lecher ravish you?”
“I would have you find a better answer.”
“How?” He paced again, but the bitterness still caught him, swamped him. “Shall I pray, Abigail? What good will it do? I have been praying, seeking God earnestly for months, and I am rewarded with this.”
“Titus.” Her rebuke was so soft that he had no choice but to halt if he wanted to hear her. “Will you lose faith at the first obstacle? Our Lord has not abandoned us. This is surely not as big a problem as it seems to us in this moment.”
Titus sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “If this is a test, I know not how to pass it, my love. You are in my care, and you hold my heart. I cannot see you hurt. I would sooner condemn myself than see you in pain.”
“Do not say that.” She moved to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his chest. “Please, beloved. More than your protection, I need your faith. It is God who brought us together, and through serving him that we have grown so close. If you give up on him, why should he not give up on us?”
He sighed and held her close. “I will not give up. Forgive my doubt. I spoke in passion, but it is not truly my heart. I will pray and await an answer. I will not take this upon myself.”
He kissed her, kissed her again. “Just please do not dismiss this, Abigail. It is a serious threat.”
She nodded, snuggled against him. But it did nothing to quiet the worry inside him.
*
Aquilia picked up the cup of warm drink from the table before her and leaned back, surveying the two silent men with whom she dined. They would be off to the Forum soon, she knew, doing whatever it was men did all day. She took a sip of the brew, wondering if she should try to be tactful or not. Deciding it would be far more entertaining to see her husband’s irritation at her question, she turned to her son. “Is Abigail not joining us this morning, Titus?”
Titus’s head jerked up, his eyes narrowed a moment before he regained himself. “No. She did not sleep well last night. She had only just fallen into a sound slumber when I left. I already asked Antonia to make sure a tray was sent up for her a little later.”
Aquilia was tempted to smile at the annoyance that flickered over Caius’s face at Titus’s casual intimacy with the Hebrewess. “I hope she is not unwell. I was considering visiting with her a bit this morning.”
Titus put down his knife and stared at her. “I . . . know she would appreciate that.”
“Excellent.” Aquilia motioned one of her maids over to her. “Go help Antonia with the children. And when Abigail is awake and up for company, come fetch me.”
The girl hurried away, and Aquilia smiled into her husband’s scowl before looking to Titus again. “Have you heard anything more from the Visibullises?”
“No. I am not certain we should expect to hear from them again before they arrive, either. But I begin to expect their arrival any day now.”
“Good,” Caius pronounced. “The sooner that harlot leaves my house, the better.”
“You may speak of your own women that way, Father,” Titus said calmly, “but I will thank you not to attach such names to mine.”
“I have watched her with the children.” Aquilia studied her son, hoping his father would not see in his eyes what she could see so clearly. “She is a wonderful mother. Caring and patient, but firm. She will raise Benjamin to do honor to Jason’s memory.”