Julius was waiting for her when she woke up. As she appeared at the doorway of her hut he slid off the wall where he had been sitting, and walked towards her. ‘How are you?’ He smiled at her and she found herself melting at the sight of his warm brown eyes as he put his arms round her and kissed her forehead.
‘I’m well. Is there any news of your grandfather?’
He nodded. ‘They are safe. Junilla took him to a house nearer Rome. It is where Peter is staying.’
‘Thank God!’ She stood for a moment unable to believe that they were all safe now. He pushed her away gently and took her by the hand, leading her to the log they were using as a bench. There was no one else there. A low fire smoked fitfully in the centre of its ring of stones; a cauldron of water was hanging over it, newly filled and not yet warm. They sat down together.
‘Eigon, I have to tell you something,’ he said gently. ‘It is not all good news, my dear.’
‘What?’ She looked at him anxiously. ‘Antonia?’
‘Antonia is fine. She is here somewhere. We are all well and safe for now, but the messenger who came from Grandfather brought other news, for you, Eigon.’ He reached for her hand. ‘It is about your mother, my dear.’
She felt her stomach clench in sudden fear. ‘What about her?’
‘It appears she could not face a life without your father.’
‘What do you mean?’ Eigon stared at him.
‘She has killed herself, Eigon. I am so sorry.’
Eigon’s eyes widened. ‘But, she wouldn’t! Why? No –!’ But already she knew why. With her beloved husband gone, and Togo and Gwladys dead, and Eigon gone from her life, Cerys had no one left at all. She had followed her beloved Caradoc into the land of the ever young, certain that one day they would both be reborn together into a new life. Her eyes flooded with tears and for a moment she stood unable to move, overwhelmed with grief.
It was a long time before she stood up and walked away from the fire, staring out over the hedge towards the hills. An orange butterfly danced round her for a second, then flew away. Now she in her turn was alone.
Julius did not attempt to follow her. He waited, sitting on the log, staring down into the fire until at last she came back and sat down beside him. ‘What did she do?’
‘I believe she took poison.’
She bit her lip. ‘She must have been so unhappy.’ She looked at him, her cheeks still wet with tears.
He nodded. He lifted a hand and gently brushed them away with a fingertip.
‘And it is a sin, is it not? To take one’s own life?’ Eigon whispered after a long pause. Her voice was trembling.
Julius shrugged. ‘Your mother was not a Christian. Nor was your father.’
‘So they are damned in our eyes?’ She stood up again and began to pace up and down restlessly. ‘That cannot be right.’ She turned to him passionately. ‘It means everyone who ever lived is going to go to hell except for us few souls.’
Julius shook his head helplessly. ‘I don’t know if that is true. You will have to ask Peter. He wants to see you, Eigon. I told the messenger you and I would find a way to ride down there this evening.’
‘What if someone sees us?’ She had walked away from him again, abstracted, her thoughts still with her mother.
‘We’ll make sure they don’t.’
She didn’t point out the futility of that remark. As far as Titus Marcus Olivinus was concerned every tree and every wall in Rome seemed to be in his pay.
Their only hope was disguise and the protection of their fervent prayers. It had worked before; why shouldn’t it work again? Somehow they had to reach Peter and it seemed sensible to go, at once in broad daylight, as people with nothing to fear. They set off in the late afternoon with baskets of produce as gifts which served the double purpose of helping them look convincing in the roles of a farmer and his wife taking their wares to a customer in time for his dinner party that evening. They were dressed in simple home-spun clothes and alone, without any slaves or escort. Eigon was riding on a mule; Julius walked at her side. He grinned up at her. ‘So, how do you like life as a simple farmer’s wife?’
The remark jolted her out of her reverie and she smiled, blushing. ‘I like it very much.’ Her eyes were still red with tears.
He reached up and took her hand as she guided the mule with the other. The amphora of wine which was slung from the saddle jolted between them, the panniers of fruit and vegetables and country bread on either side behind her. ‘Would you consider, ever, becoming the wife of someone who wasn’t a farmer?’ He glanced up at her, his eyes twinkling.
‘I might.’ A wave of happiness swept over her, and for a moment or two her sadness receded.
‘I thought I might speak to my grandfather when we get there,’ he said softly. ‘I would so much like his blessing when I get married.’ He was still holding her hand.
‘And had you thought who you might marry?’ She studied the mule’s ears.
‘Indeed I have. I thought I might marry someone a bit different. Nice Roman girls are so predictable. So,’ he waved his free hand airily, ‘Roman.’
She smiled. ‘And would Felicius countenance your marriage to someone unpredictable and not Roman?’
‘You know he would. He has been hinting for months that I should hurry and ask someone otherwise someone else might ask her first.’ He paused. ‘But I suspected your father would not give his consent.’ He put his hand to the rein and brought the mule to a halt. ‘I did not want to jump in and ask you today, when you are so unhappy, Eigon. I know it is insensitive.’ His voice was very gentle. ‘But times are dangerous and uncertain. This is my chance to ask Grandfather, and if you agree, I should like to ask Peter to marry us.’
She stared down at him. ‘Today?’
‘Well, maybe tomorrow!’ He shrugged, feigning deep thought.
For a moment she stared at him incredulously then she let out a small cry of joy. Hurling herself sideways out of the saddle she flung her arms around his neck as the mule let out a bray of protest. They stood there in the middle of the road together for a long time, lost in a passionate kiss. Only the arrival of a cart full of cabbages brought them to their senses as the driver whistled and yelled obscenities at them to get them out of his way. They dissolved into laughter and Julius helped her back into the saddle.
‘We will have our whole lives together to kiss, my darling. Let’s get there before it begins to grow dark and Grandfather gets worried.’ He smacked the flank of the mule which indignantly broke into a trot, still holding her hand as the dust of the passing wagon rolled over them.
It was late when they eventually arrived at the suburban house where Peter had been living for the last few weeks. It was a plain dull building from the outside, but the inner courtyards and the rooms they were shown into were beautifully furnished and comfortable.
Peter greeted them each with a kiss. He looked older and more careworn than when Eigon had seen him last as he led them into the inner sanctum he used for his letter writing. He turned to them, puzzled.
‘Whilst I am very pleased to see you, I don’t understand why you are here. We had a message that you were waiting for Felicius at the farmhouse. He rode off this morning to meet you there.’
Julius frowned. ‘That can’t be right. We were told Grandfather was here. We have brought you produce from the market garden.’ He glanced at Eigon. ‘Our messenger brought news for Eigon, too.’ He paused. ‘There must have been a misunderstanding.’ His voice had sharpened. ‘Surely we couldn’t have got the message wrong?’
Peter looked worried. ‘I’ll call Drusilla and find out who brought the message to Felicius this morning.’
He hurried out of the room, leaning heavily on his staff. Julius looked at Eigon. ‘I have a bad feeling about this.’
She nodded, shivering. Her excitement and happiness had trickled away leaving a cold sensation in the pit of her stomach. ‘Is it possible that Titus found out where Felicius was?’ she whis
pered. ‘And us. That he knew all the time?’
Julius grimaced. ‘Who knows, my darling. Please God you are not right.’
Peter reappeared almost at once. With him was a pretty woman, somewhere in her mid-thirties, with black hair and dark eyes. She looked troubled. Drusilla it emerged was Pomponia Graecina’s cousin. ‘It was a young man,’ she said. ‘He knocked on the door and he said you had reached safety in the hills and that you would like your grandfather to go there to join you as soon as possible.’
‘What did he look like?’ Julius asked sharply.
She shrugged. ‘I didn’t see him. He spoke to one of the slaves. He said he couldn’t wait as he had other households to visit with the news.’ She licked her lips nervously, looking from Julius to Peter and back. ‘Do I gather you didn’t send the messenger?’
Julius shook his head. ‘I did not. I’m going back.’
‘I’ll come with you.’ Eigon reached out for his hand. He shook it off. ‘No. Better if I go alone. It will be quicker and I want to know you at least are safe.’ He looked down at her sternly, then his face softened again and he took her hands in his. ‘I’ll borrow a horse and be there in no time at all. The chances are that this is a misunderstanding and that Grandfather will have already turned round and set off back here when Marcellus told him where we are and I’ll meet him on the road.’
She clung to him for a second. ‘Please, be careful. I couldn’t bear to lose you again.’
He leaned across and kissed her on the lips. ‘I shall be back as soon as I can. Then we will ask Peter to marry us!’ He grinned at the old man. ‘I was going to ask Grandfather’s blessing first, but now I shall ask yours, sir, for my journey. I’ll find Grandfather and I shall bring Antonia back as well. She would be furious if we got married without her there.’
And he was gone.
Eigon stared at the ground. Suddenly she was near to tears again. Drusilla put an arm around her shoulders. ‘He’ll be all right. You’ll see. Come with me and we’ll talk. We’ll leave Peter to his correspondence and his prayers.’ She smiled at the old man.
He nodded. ‘I will take great pleasure in marrying you two,’ he said with a reassuring smile. ‘That will be something we can all look forward to.’
Eigon was woken just before dawn. For a moment she stared round the unfamiliar room, forgetting where she was, then she sat up anxiously. There was someone standing in the doorway. ‘What is it?’
The boy who had knocked at her door carried a lamp. Shadows slid up the wall and across the ceiling. ‘Please come, lady, quickly.’
She pulled a wrap around her shoulders and followed him. A group of people were gathered in the main room. One of the slaves was going around lighting the lamps. Drusilla was there. She was crying.
‘What is it? What’s happened?’ Eigon was suddenly more afraid than she had ever been.
Peter was standing there leaning on his staff. He was still dressed in the old blue tunic he had been wearing the night before. His face was haggard. ‘My dear, I am afraid I have the worst news.’ He held out his arms to her. ‘You must prepare yourself for a shock.’ He pushed forward a young man who was standing nearby. He was covered in dust and his clothes were torn. It was a moment before she recognised him as Silas who had followed her from her father’s villa.
‘What’s happened?’ Her mouth was dry. She saw their faces and shook her head desperately. ‘No. Please, no.’ Almost without realising it she had moved forward to Peter. He put his arm around her shoulders. ‘Be strong, child.’
‘We were betrayed.’ Silas shook his head. His shoulders began shaking with sobs. ‘I had gone down to the stream to fetch more water when a troop of soldiers came up the hill. They didn’t even bother to arrest anyone. They put everyone to the sword. Everyone. The women. Stephen’s children, Marcellus.’ His voice cracked. ‘Felicius Marinus. Antonia.’
Eigon froze. She knew he was speaking but she could no longer hear him. Julius’s face swam before her eyes. His smile, his mouth. His eyes. His arms outstretched towards her.
‘We were sharing a meal.’ The words went on. ‘Felicius had arrived. He was looking for you and Julius.’ He was shaking his head again. ‘It was a trick. They must have followed him.’
She wasn’t listening. She pulled away from Peter’s arms and moved over to the door. Dreamlike she walked out into the atrium and stood staring down into the pool at its centre. If she expected to see scenes of slaughter there she was spared that at least. The water lay quiet and clear, rippling across a mosaic design of acanthus leaves.
When Peter came to her at last she met his gaze with calm clear eyes. ‘It is my fault. Titus Marcus Olivinus is behind this. If it had been Nero’s men they would have arrested them all and taken them to the dungeons so that they could make a spectacle of their deaths. This was personal. He has killed every single person I love. For all I know he was behind my mother’s death as well.’
Her voice shook slightly.
Peter took her hand. ‘Let us pray together, my dear. Pour out your heart to Jesus. Let him comfort you.’
She stayed with Peter and Drusilla for five days. Then she set out to return to Britannia.
28
Jess was sitting, gazing out of the window. The sky was growing darker, the colours less vibrant. She glanced at her watch and realised with a shock that it was already after eight o’clock. Where was Will? Stiffly she stood up. If only she could feel the certainties that Eigon felt; take comfort from a faith which would sustain her through so much. Eigon had spent the best part of a week in prayer, supported and comforted by Peter and by a houseful of kind, gentle Christians. It was Peter who sheltered her from the horrors recounted by the men who had gone up to the farm to bury the dead. It was Peter who talked to her each day about the people she had lost; Peter who prayed with her and reassured her, Peter who explained that Julius and Antonia and Felicius would be now amongst the angels; that she would see them again one day; that maybe her father and even her mother had had sufficient contact with the wonder of Christ to beg for his intercession in their hearts as they died.
Eigon was the one who had remembered Peter’s earlier suggestion that one day she might go back to the land of her birth. There was nothing in Rome for her now but danger and sadness. To plan the trip was to take her mind off the aching emptiness inside her. She was to go to Ostia and take a ship to Massilia; from there she would travel overland, heading west over regular and well maintained trade routes, taking with her the message of Christ’s love. She wasn’t going to go alone. Peter chose two companions to go with her. One was Drusilla herself, who had proved a firm gentle friend over the last days. She was a widow with no children and had it seemed a surprising appetite for adventure. The second person he selected was Commios, a freedman, who had been brought to Rome with his parents from Gaul and was now one of Peter’s most trusted disciples, anxious to return to the lands where he had originated. Pursing his lips, Peter told them all his decision. There was no time to finesse their departure. Word on the street was that Titus Marcus Olivinus had openly let it be known that he was searching for Eigon and that he was offering a substantial reward for her capture. Praetorian spies were everywhere. They had very little time. Peter kept that news to himself. To add to Eigon’s burden would be unforgivable. As long as he got her out of Rome as soon as possible she would be safe. He had no way of knowing that barely two streets away at the baths Titus was sitting on a towel in the steam room listening to the very interesting information being passed on to him by one of the tradesmen who that very morning had brought a consignment of olive oil to the house.
The knock on her door brought Jess out of her reverie with a start. ‘Signorina?’ It was Margaretta. ‘Carmella has arrived. She is waiting for you downstairs.’
‘Jess! Thank God!’ Carmella was sitting in the front room. She jumped to her feet. ‘Are you all right? Will rang me in such a panic! Has he arrived yet? He said he was on his way. He was so worried. His
phone couldn’t get a signal and then when he rang you back there was no reply so I said I would come and make sure you were OK.’
‘I’m sorry. I lost track of the time as usual.’ Jess joined her and threw herself down in a chair. ‘I suppose my phone was switched off.’
Carmella shook her head. ‘You make life very difficult for that poor man, Jess.’ She sighed. ‘Stupidly I’ve lost my mobile. So I had to wait to call him again from here.’
‘Dan had your phone.’ Jess scowled. ‘Would you believe he walked into your flat and took it? He said you never even saw him.’
Carmella blanched. ‘When?’
‘You were expecting someone to lunch and you left your door open. He was so pleased with himself. He got the number from your phone and just rang up and asked them the address then he came here and found me. It wasn’t supernatural. It was that simple. Even this place wasn’t safe in the end.’
Carmella shook her head. ‘Oh, Jess. I am so sorry. That man. He is the devil. But you are all right? What did he do?’
Jess gave a wry grin. ‘You might say he was chased away.’
Carmella sighed. ‘You need a drink. Wait.’
Jess closed her eyes as Carmella left the room. When she opened them Carmella was offering her a small glass. ‘Iced Limoncello. It will help you feel better. I will go and phone Will from the kitchen, OK?’
Exhausted, Jess closed her eyes and lay back in the chair. So much had happened; she had had so little proper sleep over the last few nights, she wondered if she would ever be able to stand up again.
Was it the right thing to do, to go back to England with Will? Was Eigon herself going there now? Her eyes flew open. She couldn’t be sure that Eigon escaped. Titus knew where she was staying. Peter was preparing to ship her out but she hadn’t gone yet. How long did it take to prepare a journey like that? Supposing Titus came before Eigon had the chance to leave? Jess could feel the adrenaline pouring through her veins suddenly.