2. The Grass Crown
Page 68
The answer to Pompeius Rufus's question came to Aelia's ears before she received the letter from Marcia bidding her come to Cumae. This time it was the younger Quintus Pompeius who brought the news home, so out of breath he could hardly speak. "What is it?" asked Aelia when Cornelia Sulla would not. "Lucius Cornelius! He's married Scaurus's widow!" Cornelia Sulla did not look surprised. “Then he can afford to pay you back your dowry, Mama," she said, tight-lipped. "She's as rich as Croesus." Young Pompeius Rufus accepted a cup of water, drained it, and began to speak more coherently. "It happened late this morning. No one knew of it except Quintus Metellus Pius and Mamercus Lepidus Livianus. I suppose they had to know! Quintus Metellus Pius is her first cousin, and Mamercus Lepidus Livianus is the executor of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus's will." "Her name! I can't remember her name!" said Aelia in wonder. "Caecilia Metella Dalmatica. But everyone just calls her Dalmatica, I was told. They're saying that years ago not long after Saturninus died she was so much in love with Lucius Cornelius that she made a complete fool of herself and of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus. They say Lucius Cornelius wouldn't look at her. Then her husband shut her away completely, and no one seems to have seen anything of her since." "Oh yes, I remember the incident well," said Aelia. "I just couldn't remember her name. Not that Lucius Cornelius ever discussed it with me. But until Marcus Aemilius Scaurus did shut her away, I was not allowed to be out of our house if Lucius Cornelius was at home. He took enormous care that Marcus Aemilius Scaurus should know there was no impropriety on his part." Aelia sighed. "Not that it made any difference. Marcus Aemilius Scaurus still made sure he lost in the praetorian elections." "She'll have no joy from my father," said Cornelia Sulla grimly. "No woman ever has had joy from him." "Don't say such things, Cornelia!" "Oh, Mama, I'm not a child anymore! I have a child of my own! And I know him better than you do because I don't love him the way you do! I'm blood of his blood and sometimes that thought makes me so afraid! My father is a monster. And women bring out the worst in him. My real mother committed suicide and no one will ever convince me that it wasn't over something my father did to her!" "You'll never know, Cornelia, so don't think about it," said young Quintus Pompeius sternly. Aelia looked suddenly surprised. "How odd! If you had asked me whom he might have married, I would have said, Aurelia!" Cornelia Sulla nodded. "So would I. They've always been as chummy as two harpies on a rock. Different feathers. Same birds." She shrugged, said it. "Birds, nothing! Monsters, both of them." "I don't think I've ever met Caecilia Metella Dalmatica," said Aelia, anxious to draw Cornelia Sulla away from dangerous statements, "even when she was following my husband around." "Not your husband anymore, Mama! Her husband." "Hardly anyone knows her," said young Pompeius Rufus, also anxious to pacify Cornelia Sulla. "Marcus Scaurus kept her in total isolation after that one indiscretion, innocent though it was. There are two children, a girl and a boy, but no one knows them. Or her. And since Marcus Scaurus died, she's been more invisible, than ever. That's why the whole city is buzzing." He held out his cup for more water. "Today is the first day after her period of mourning. And that's yet another reason why all of Rome is buzzing." "He must love her very much," said Aelia. "Rubbish!" said Cornelia Sulla. "He doesn't love anyone, ''