“Then do this for me,” Titus pleaded. “If I am truly to make a place for myself here, begin a career, then I need to establish a good relationship with the men that will be out there tonight. If the consul wants to speak with Cleopas’s daughter, then I must try to convince her.”
Abigail sighed. “If it is Cleopas’s daughter he wishes to speak with, I have no problems. If it is the slave that Jason shamed himself with, then I cannot go out. Because the slave is still too much of me, Titus, to try to hide it. And I will not injure my husband’s memory by proving to his critics that he was foolish to marry me.”
“You will honor Jason.” He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. When he eased away from her, it was with a smile. “You will be lovelier than any other woman here tonight. You cannot know how proud I am to have you with me. I remember coming to that luncheon of Jason’s, I remember seeing you beside him and feeling the jealousy burn within me.” He grinned. “I remember being the recipient of your biting rhetoric as you debated with us about God and his Son. And now here we are, Abigail, having come full circle. We have both seen that Son, we have both changed so much, and now it is my side you will be at. It will be all the others burning with jealousy.”
Because they would all think her his lover. The thought did not make it past Abigail’s lips, but it still sent a chill down her spine. Much had happened since that day he spoke of; they had indeed changed a lot. But she felt the same nervous anticipation now that she had before Jason’s friends arrived, and for a moment she saw the same cold statue in Titus that she had as he walked into her master’s house. It vanished quickly in the face of the warm man she loved, but even the memory served to make her unsure of her proper place here. Was she really going to the dinner as Jason’s widow, or as Titus’s mistress? Was she going to be received as a free woman, or as just another man’s possession?
“Go kiss the children,” Titus bade softly, pulling her from her reflections. “And then we shall go out.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Abigail entered the tablinum on Titus’s arm, tension wracking her. Already a multitude of people were here, spilling from the large room into both the atrium and the peristylium. She had no idea how the kitchen slaves had managed to pull such a feast off, but trays of food and drink circulated as if the party had been planned a week ago.
Aquilia, who stood beside her husband as if they did not despise one another, was the first to notice them. She smiled, but it did little to cover the gleam in her eyes. “My son. Come, get reacquainted with Marcus Priscus.”
“Yet another father of an eligible girl,” Titus muttered for Abigail’s ears alone, even as he smiled and led them over to his parents. He reached out to clasp the man’s wrist. “Marcus, it has been several years since I have had the pleasure of talking to you.”
The man’s toga told her he was a senator. “Indeed, although your father has made certain you were never far from our thoughts. How did you like the military?”
“Let us just say that it has given me a renewed appreciation for civilian life.”
“Abigail.” Aquilia drew her aside and then propelled her even farther away. “Cornelius has been most eager to speak with you. He grew up with Cleopas, you know.”
“Yes, Titus mentioned it.” She tried to keep her nerves in check, but it had not occurred to her that she would be separated from Titus.
“He could be a huge help to Titus.”
“Yes, he mentioned that as well.”
Her cynicism was apparently not lost on Aquilia; she sent her a sharp look. “I am merely trying to encourage you to be cordial.”
“Of course.” Abigail said no more, since they had only a few more paces before they were at Cornelius’s side.
He looked up at them in greeting. “Ah, here is the guest from afar. My wife, Claudia.”
Abigail greeted the new woman, noticing that she had the same cool, aging beauty that Aquilia possessed. She also noticed that with only a few adept maneuvers, those two women had managed to separate themselves and head to another part of the room.
Cornelius was still smiling, and Abigail did not know if there was anything less than honorable lurking under his placid face or not. Deciding she should not assume the worst of anyone, she forced herself to relax as he invited her to sit with him.
Cornelius waited for her to settle onto the couch beside him before saying, “It is so lovely to have this opportunity to meet you. I was terribly upset when I heard of Cleopas’s death, and Jason’s too. It has been many years since I saw my old friend, but one does not forget the brightest days of one’s youth.” He laughed lightly. “Not that you are old enough to know that as well as I. But in a few years, my friend, you will understand that truth.”
Abigail smiled and made some agreeing noises.