“She is a good teacher, indeed.” Titus tucked her under his arm again.
Phillip was looking with a good deal less warmth at the guard. “You! You were the one to take her from the Asinius house.”
The guard took a step back.
Abigail reached out to put a steadying hand on Phillip’s arm. “He only did his duty, Phillip. He had no way of knowing that I was not the slave Caius claimed me to be. But once he knew, he was as kind as he dared to be.”
The guard looked as surprised to hear this as Phillip did. Titus buried a smile. He knew well that Abigail had a tendency to see more in a man than he could see in himself. “She is right, Phillip. The lackey is not to be blamed. It is the master who must answer for his wrongdoing.” He turned and focused a burning gaze on Volusius, who also stepped back. “I realize you were answering to my father, but that allegiance will do you no good. I promise you that in a matter of weeks, my father’s power will fade. And then you will answer to me, Volusius. You had better be ready to pacify me when I come for reckoning.”
Volusius made no reply, so Titus turned to Jacob again. “I will see that your family is well, as you have seen to mine. Join your prayers to ours, my friend, and hopefully soon they will all be answered.”
When Jacob nodded his acceptance, Titus let his hand rest protectively on Abigail’s shoulder in preparation for leaving. He looked at Volusius but nodded at Jacob. “If I hear you have harmed him in any way because of this then you will pay with your life, and my friend here,” he said with another nod toward Mannas, “will find himself with a large promotion and your former seat. Understood?”
Volusius only nodded. Titus turned away and let his smile escape. He led Abigail toward and down the stairs, Phillip close behind. In minutes, they emerged into the daylight and headed for home.
*
Abigail held Ester close, tears streaming down her face. There was so much to say, but she could find no words to say it.
Ester sniffed and pulled her tighter still. “I am so sorry, my daughter. I nearly gave up after Cleopas and Jason were killed, but it was not for lack of love of you. The darkness was just so heavy . . . but it was the hope of seeing you again, of meeting your son, that brought the light back into my life. I am so proud of all you have done.”
“I have missed you, Mother.” Abigail pulled away enough to dash at her tears. “You cannot know how much.”
“I can. I missed you as much, my daughter. Look at you; motherhood has made you all the more beautiful. Or perhaps it is love that has done it?”
Abigail laughed and blushed and hugged Ester close again. “Both, I suspect.” She kissed Ester’s cheek. “It feels like much longer than it has been since I last saw you.”
“That is because we did not even know how the other was faring. And because so much has changed.” She sighed and studied Abigail’s face hungrily. “Ever since the day Cleopas brought you to me, the day Jason left, I have seen something in you. Something unsatisfied, bitter, unyielding. Something that you buried, but which fueled you, kept you meek when you would have been bold, a servant when you would have been a mistress. That is gone from your eyes now.”
She had not realized Ester had seen so deeply into her heart all this time. “Yes, it is gone. The Lord washed it away with his sacrifice.”
Ester reached down to clasp Abigail’s hands. “I am glad. I always saw in you a spirit that would rise up, as the women in the Scriptures who were called on by Jehovah to perform a great task. I rejoiced when Andrew told me we serve the same Savior.”
“As did I. I prayed for you every day.”
Ester nodded serenely, looking around her at the estate that had been her husband’s for all those years, though he had chosen to remain always by her side in her land instead of enjoying it. “The Lord has blessed us, that I know. Most mornings, I still wake up and sorrow for all I have lost. But I have come to thank the Lord, too, for all he has given me.” She met Abigail’s gaze again. “Aquilia has told me of your plans to marry Titus. I could see in a glance that he is much changed, but I simply never would have thought, knowing the kind of man he had been–”
“I know.” Abigail laughed. “I would not have thought, either, Mother. But the man he has become! It is amazing to behold. He loves the boys so, and he serves God and his Son with a full heart. I hope you will come to understand my choice, and I pray you do not mind our living here.”
“Of course not. In fact, I was hoping that you would not mind my living here, as well.”
Abigail’s eyes widened. “Truly? You would want to leave Jerusalem?”