by Carol Ashby
Junia stepped aside and waited for her to precede her down the ramp and along the pier where her escort had gone. He was already some distance ahead of them, striding toward the ship that would carry her to freedom.
Claudia had never been near a merchant ship before. Her breath caught as her eyes swept the length of the corbita on which she would sail. It was more than 90 feet long and 25 feet wide. A large cabin, about 10 by 20 feet, sat toward the rear with a canopy almost half that size attached to it. A carved neck and head of a swan rose just past the canopy. The two large rudders, one on each side, had poles that extended up to the cabin roof where whoever was steering would stand. One huge mast, about a third as tall as the length of the ship, rose just a little forward of the ship’s center, and a second smaller mast about a third as long as the tall one stuck out at an angle past the front end.
A powerfully built man in a white tunic stood with his fists on his hips, watching a crane swing a large crate toward him. His back was toward her as he turned his head left to speak to the man beside him. That crewman pointed toward her escort, causing him to turn to his left again. He slapped the man’s shoulder before trotting down the gangplank and striding toward them.
Hector increased his pace until he reached the man in white. They exchanged words that Claudia couldn’t hear, and her box was transferred to the man’s shoulder. Hector strode up the gangplank and took charge over the loading process as the brawny man continued walking toward her.
Philip’s father had told him Claudia was a beautiful girl, but no words could have prepared him for what he saw. In all his travels to the port cities of the Empire, he had never beheld such an extraordinary beauty. The symmetry of her face was perfect with arched eyebrows and high cheekbones. The longest lashes he’d ever seen framed her brown eyes, and the palla drawn over her head didn’t completely conceal the rare beauty of her reddish-blonde hair. Any man with even one eye could see why a rich old lecher would be willing to pay a small fortune to marry such a beauty and why her father had been so unwilling to give his precious daughter to just any man who wanted her, no matter how rich or powerful. Most only wanted her for the obvious reason.
Claudia was struck by her rescuer’s appearance, but it was not a pleasant surprise. Before her stood the ugliest man she’d ever seen. His bushy eyebrow, large ears, and prominent nose were enough to make him unattractive, but the horrible scars that covered the right side of his face took him past ugly to hideous. The patch over his right eye actually improved his appearance by hiding some of the scarring.
Sheer willpower kept her gaze upon him as he walked toward her. He mustn’t suspect how repulsive she found him. She didn’t want to hurt the feelings of this man who’d saved her from the horrible fate decreed by her brother. To look but not to stare―how was she to manage that? His scars would draw stares wherever he went. Did children run from the monster? What pain that must bring, for surely he knew why they ran.
But she’d have to look at his face when he first spoke to her. Perhaps, if she focused on his one good eye, she could do it. Friendliness radiated from it, and a welcoming smile greeted her as well. That friendly eye and pleasant smile―locking her gaze on them should help her pretend she didn’t see the grotesque scarring.
When he reached her, the friendly sparkle of his eye brightened as his smile broadened. “Welcome to my ship, Livia Marcella. I’m delighted to have you aboard, and I trust you’ll enjoy your voyage with us to join your husband in Thessalonica.” His deep, booming voice drew the gaze of the nearby dockworkers. “Please follow me, and I’ll get you settled in your room.”
With a sweep of his hand toward his ship, he swung around and led her to the gangplank. He took two steps up, then turned to offer his hand. She placed her palm on his, and his fingers wrapped around her hand as if it were a child’s. She stepped onto the boards that moved up and down as the ship rode on the gently lapping waves. With her box balanced on his shoulder as if it weighed nothing, he walked up the gangplank beside her. She focused her gaze on where she placed her feet so she wouldn’t have to look at him.
At the end, he stepped off ahead of her. “Watch your step.”
Only after she stepped safely onto the deck did he release her hand.
His broad shoulders and brawny arms dominated her view as he led her and Junia past the large opening in the deck through which the cargo was being lowered. His large hand pushed open the door to the cabin near the back of the boat. A sweep of that hand invited her to enter ahead of him.
The door opened into a room with a counter and cabinets on one side.
“This is the galley. Food is prepared here.” His hand reached past her and swept the wall opposite the door. “And these are the passenger rooms.”
There were four small rooms about six feet deep and five feet wide opening to the right off the galley. Each had a small window and contained a set of bunks, a small table beside the bunks, and a chair that fit under the table. The small lip around the table edge would keep anything from sliding off in rough seas, and above each table was a specially shaped oil lamp that couldn’t be tossed from its rack to start a fire even when the sea was running unusually high. The lower bunk was high enough to slide chests underneath for storage of clothing and other personal items during the voyage. The headroom above the lower bunk was enough for a man to sit up comfortably. The upper bunk was close enough to the ceiling that it was clearly meant only for sleeping.
The ugly man stepped past Claudia and led her into the slightly larger room that was farthest from the cabin door. He set her box down on the table. Junia placed the bundle of clothes and jewelry on her bed and left.
As he turned to face her, she braced herself to once more pretend she didn’t see the scars.
The deep voice that had boomed on the pier spoke quiet words in the cabin. “I’m Philip, and I’m very pleased to be of service to you, Claudia Drusilla. My father and yours were friends, and I had the pleasure of talking with your father as well. I offer my deepest condolences for your loss.”
Despite the slight quiver of her lips, Claudia managed a weak smile. In silence, she looked past him out the window as she struggled to keep her emotions under control. She didn’t want to start crying again, and a single word might breach the dam holding back the torrent.
The soft, deep voice pulled her mind back to the cabin. “I apologize for not coming for you myself. I would have, but you needed to pass unnoticed through the center of Rome. My face doesn’t allow me to blend into a crowd. People tend to remember a large ugly man with so many scars and only one eye. I can’t imagine why.”
Even looking past him, she saw him shrug.
Her eyebrows started up but she forced them back down. He had almost chuckled as he described himself. Was he truly that unconcerned about his grotesque appearance?
“Anyway, I knew Hector would execute the plan at least as well as I could myself, and I trust his judgment if unforeseen complications force a change.
“I apologize for your long walk, but I thought it best to make a false trail and then get you here as quickly and inconspicuously as possible. A litter or sedan chair would have been much slower and would have drawn too much attention along part of your route. I did leave the carriage as close to town as I could.”
As uncomfortable as it was, she made herself look at him when she replied.
“I’m so grateful for your help in getting me to Titus. Everything you’ve done...I can’t thank you enough. I only hope Malleolus isn’t punished for my disappearance. And my maid, Graecia, too.”
She bit her lip as she thought about what Lucius might do to the dear old man if he suspected anything.
“I don’t think that will be a problem. Your maid only obeyed your command, and there was nothing odd about what you told her. The worst, or maybe the best, that will happen is she’ll be sold to someone who wants the hairdresser of a famous beauty. All your steward knows is that you’ve disappeared
from the women’s bath. He never met me, and he only came to my father’s house once as a secret side-trip on the way to your father’s eastern estate. That’s when he was told to have you bring your box to the baths today. I only shared the plan with Hector and Junia. Not even my father knows what we’ve done. Junia laid a false trail for them to search for you meeting a woman on the east side of the city.”
He hooked his right fingers on the lip of the upper bunk, and he seemed to fill the whole room as he stood with his left thumb hooked on his belt.
“Your steward was told to launch a thorough search for you, just as he would if you’d disappeared on your own. Your brother should be convinced he had no part in it. By the time they decide they can’t find you in Rome, we’ll be well out to sea.
“The dockhands all think this ship is only carrying my sister and a married woman going to Thessalonica, and my own crew is completely trustworthy. I believe I can guarantee your safe delivery to your brother Titus without harm to anyone you care about who’s left in Rome.”
His plan, both clever and simple, really did get her out while protecting those she left behind. He was right; Lucius would never suspect anyone except her and the imaginary woman who was helping her flee to the northeast.
He lowered his arm. “I’m sorry you could bring so little, but the plan only allowed for one small box. My sister Penelope will be making the voyage with us. She’s about your age. I had her buy a few things she thought a young woman would need. Junia is her maid, and she’ll be helping you both.”
He pulled the larger of two chests from beneath the bed and opened it. It was filled with clothing made of the finest fabrics in a rainbow of colors, perfectly suited to a young Roman noblewoman. He pulled out the smaller chest and opened it to reveal all the personal items and accessories that a wealthy young woman would need or even want.
“Please check to make sure nothing you need is missing. One of my crew can escort Junia to the market this afternoon to buy anything else you might want. We’ll be sailing on the evening tide.”
She blinked several times as her gaze swept the luxurious contents. What had all this cost?
“This is much more than I expected, and I don’t want to cause you extra expense. I don’t have any money to pay you for all this now. I did bring some of my jewelry to sell so I can pay you later, or maybe Titus will.”
“No payment is needed. It’s my pleasure to help the daughter of any friend of my father.”
A slight breeze brushed her cheek, carrying the smell of the harbor through the window, but the room was still stuffy.
Philip glanced over his left shoulder toward the window. “I’m sorry, but I have to ask you to stay in the cabin to avoid being seen while we’re still docked. I’d rather your brother not connect my ship with your disappearance. Any woman as gorgeous as you is certain to be noticed by every man who sees her. I suspect you draw almost as many stares as I do.”
The corner of his mouth lifted as he shrugged. “Once we’re at sea, you can spend as much time on deck as you wish. I realize this room is very small compared to what you’re used to, but it’s the biggest I have. There’s ample room for relaxing under the canopy on deck, and my passengers usually find it very pleasant there. I hope it won’t be too uncomfortable in here for the next few hours.”
He’d spoken the truth. Men always turned their heads to watch her. She hated the way some men looked at her. Just thinking about it could make her blush. Being too beautiful was definitely a drawback when a person was trying to be invisible.
“I’m sure I’ll be comfortable in here, and staying out of sight would be wise. Too many men do stare.”
She cast him a quick glance. An ugly man and a beautiful woman had something in common after all.
Chapter 20: More than a Beauty
Philip rested his hand on her box. “Where would you like me to put this before I leave you? If it contains anything that might break, the floor would be best.”
The box was very heavy for its small size―probably full of perfumes and beauty preparations or maybe gold and silver jewelry.
“There’s nothing breakable in it. What I hate leaving most is our library. I brought as much of my favorite poetry as I could fit in it. Maybe under the table where I can get to it easily. Or will water come in through the window?”
A beauty like her choosing poetry over perfumes and jewelry? His eyebrow started to rise, but he settled it back in place. It wasn’t fair to judge her by her looks. He should know better since strangers often underestimated his intelligence because he was so muscular and ugly. Father had said Publius was a renowned scholar in history and philosophy. It made sense that his daughter would love to read. A woman could have both beauty and brains. His sister Ariadne certainly did.
“No. It should stay dry there.” He lifted her box from the tabletop and set it on the floor. After turning it so it would be easy to open, he slid it between the legs of the chair and under the table. When he stood up, a broad smile curved his mouth.
“I have something in my room that you might enjoy during the voyage.”
Claudia pressed her back against the wall so her rescuer could slip past her into the galley. He pushed open the door of the room next to hers. The lower bunk was covered with boxes. When he released the straps and lifted the lid off the closest one, Claudia drew a sharp breath. It was full of codices.
The corner of his mouth tipped up. “I always add to my library when I visit Rome. Feel free to read anything you find here. The voyage will take about four weeks, and you might find it boring to sit on deck just watching the shoreline go by for that long. I find that a good history or some poetry makes the time pass more enjoyably.”
She’d glanced at his face long enough to see his half-smile, but she didn’t let her gaze linger. Eight boxes of writings were only an addition? No one would suspect this man with a laborer’s build who made his living shipping cargo was a scholar with a large library.
Her hand went to her throat. “Thank you. I can’t imagine anything that I would enjoy more. You said you have poetry?”
His smile broadened as she stated her preference. He reached into the first box and lifted out three codices.
“Here are some. There are many others. The boxes are only sorted into scrolls or codices, so you’ll have to look for them.”
Philip leaned over to open another box to show her some of what it contained. He glanced up to see if anything interested her. How intelligent those beautiful eyes looked as she clasped the first three codices to her breast while she focused on the others he held out to her. An unexpected opportunity was presenting itself.
“I find poetry is much more enjoyable when it’s read aloud, but I seldom have someone to read with onboard. Perhaps we can read to each other after we’re at sea.”
“My father and I often read together.”
He took that to mean she would like to read with him, and he smiled at the thought. Her voice was musical and just as beautiful as her face. Listening to it reading poetry should be enchanting.
He straightened up and looked down on the crown of her reddish-blonde hair as she scanned the first page of a codex. The promise of many stimulating conversations during the voyage drew a broader smile. His sister was a sweet person, but she wasn’t interested in scholarly things. A long voyage could get boring without intelligent conversation. It wouldn’t hurt that Claudia was so beautiful. A feast for the mind and the eye―a few weeks with such a companion would be a pleasant reward for his willing efforts to help her escape.
“I must return to the work on deck. If you need anything, just call from the cabin door, and someone will come get me.”
“Thank you, Philip.”
She didn’t even glance at him as he left the room. Her eyes remained on the poems. He didn’t blame her, given the alternative.
As he walked back to join Hector, a satisfying thought played in his mind. Who would have predicted t
hat a renowned beauty would be as intelligent as she seemed to be? He’d expected she would be company for Penelope, not a stimulating companion for himself. This was likely to be the best voyage home he’d ever made.
Claudia watched Philip’s back as he walked away. Two things amazed her: how a scholar was concealed in that laborer’s body...and how he joked about being so ugly, as if he didn’t care at all.
She walked back into her own room and stood looking at the chest of beautiful clothes. She hadn’t known exactly what to expect when she reached her rescuer, but this certainly wasn’t it. She’d expected her life of luxury to end the moment she walked out of the Drusus house. The provisions this total stranger had made for her were better than she could have brought herself. He barely knew her father and he didn’t know her at all, yet he’d provided all this. He was only a Greek with a merchant ship, yet he was the most generous man she’d ever met.
She turned at the tap on the open door behind her. Junia was standing there with a bucket of water and two basins.
“Master Philip sent me to attend to the blisters on your feet.”
Claudia’s eyebrows shot up, and Junia smiled.
“You’ll find that almost nothing gets past the master’s notice. He wants me to clean your feet well so they can heal quickly. He told me to tell you that you should go barefoot until they heal if Mistress Penelope doesn’t have some sandals that won’t rub the blisters.”
Claudia sat down on the bed so Junia could wash her feet. “It was a long walk for you as well. Did you get blisters, too?”
“No, mistress. I knew how far we would be walking, and I wore the right sandals.”
When Junia finished and left the room, fatigue crashed down on Claudia. She’d hardly slept at all last night as she worried about the escape plan. But that wasn’t the whole problem. She hadn’t slept through a night since Father was killed and the nightmares came.
