‘Father, why are you not at the Campus Martius, giving your support to Fabius Aro?’ Lydia pointed to Ofellius. ‘Why is this man allowed in the house? He attempted to kidnap me a few days ago. And a few days before that one of his men accosted me with a knife stolen from this very house.’
‘What is this all about, Ofellius?’ Her father looked startled. ‘Did you try to abduct her? You know I had words with you about that when I gave you the knife. My daughter is not to be harmed.’
Lydia’s insides knotted as the full horror crashed in on her. Her father had known. Her father was working with Ofellius. Aro had been right. She looked at her father’s study with every shelf crammed with figurines and vases. She had always thought this was the safest place in the world.
It wasn’t.
Ofellius’s man had not stolen the knife. Her father had given him the knife. He had put her in danger. A great well of despair opened up inside her.
‘It was a misunderstanding,’ Ofellius said. ‘I discovered your daughter wandering the streets alone and tried to do my civic duty and return her to you.’
‘My home is not here,’ Lydia said in desperation. ‘My home is on the Aventine with Fabius Aro, my husband.’
‘He might not be much longer,’ her father said in a solemn voice.
Lydia twisted her belt around her hand. What exactly was her father up to? He could not know about the fight she had had with Aro. She had to play for time. She had to hope she could find out a way of returning to him, and explain the situation.
‘You were the one who sent the curse tablets?’ she asked, staring hard at her father. Her mind reeled, shied away from what her father had done. ‘Why did you want to ruin my husband? It makes no sense.’
‘The curse tablets will stop when he gives you up as a wife,’ her father replied calmly. ‘Once he realises that the augurs misread the signs at your marriage, he will allow you to go free. Ofellius here has helped implement my plan. It came to me several days ago. I will let him have his seat in the Senate, if he gives up my daughter. I am trying to save you, Lydia.’
‘For too long the Sea Wolf has ruled the waves,’ Ofellius growled. ‘It is time he learnt humility.’
Lydia’s jaw dropped. Everything swayed. Her father, the one person she did not suspect, was the force behind the attacks.
‘What do you want from me?’ she whispered.
‘I want you to leave your husband and come back here.’ Her father put a heavy hand around Lydia’s wrist. ‘Things have not been the same without you. You keep this house running far more efficiently than Sulpicia. Nobody looks after me in the same way. She orders the sort of food she wants and takes no notice of me. Besides, I know it is what you want. You didn’t really want to marry Fabius Aro. I saw it in your eyes.’
Lydia pushed her father’s hand away from her. ‘You have no idea what I want! You only want me here for your own selfish reasons, reasons that have nothing to do with my happiness!’
‘Control your temper, Lydia.’ Her father pressed his fingers together. ‘While you may think you have feelings for this Fabius Aro now, all that will change in time. You will thank me in time.’
‘I will never thank you.’
‘I am not an unreasonable man. You can stay here or else I will withdraw my support for Aro’s candidacy. How many will vote for a man who has been abandoned by the gods? And abandoned by his father-in-law? Jupiter Maximus, I should have bargained better. Ofellius opened my eyes on the day of your marriage.’
‘You have no right…’ Lydia struggled to breathe.
‘He had no right to take my daughter from me.’
Lydia closed her eyes, willing herself not to lose her temper. She had to escape from here. She started towards the door.
‘Where are you going, Lydia?’ her father asked. ‘I have not dismissed you yet.’
‘Back to where I belong.’ Lydia forced her back to remain upright. She refused to let Ofellius or her father see how frightened she was.
‘And how will you travel, my daughter? The streets of Rome are notoriously dangerous.’
‘I might prefer to take my chance.’
‘Think carefully, Lydia. Let’s not be hasty,’ Ofellius said with a smirk on his face. ‘You don’t have to answer your father straight away. You may sleep on it, consider it and mull it over. Ask yourself—what do you have to gain with defiance?’
‘Lydia, my dear, also consider this—what will Aro do if he discovers the choice you are making? What will you do when he discovers you have denied him the opportunity to become a senator? How will he want you then? You will lose everything. My door will not be open to you then.’
Lydia stared at her father, seeing him through new eyes. It was not just that his right eye drooped a little at the corner or that he seemed to be talking out of one side of his mouth only. It was something much more fundamental than that.
She had made so many excuses for his behaviour since his illness, but now she knew he had changed. Her father, the one she remembered, would never have asked her to behave in such a fashion. Because his own father had had such a disregard for promises, he had been determined to instil in his children the need to keep your word.
‘You brought me up to always keep my promises,’ she said, gazing directly at her father, trying to find the gentle man she knew was in there. ‘Would you have me break my solemn vow to Fabius Aro, then, Father?’
Cornelius waved his hand. ‘He left me no option when he insisted on marrying you cum manu. I would not have you tied for life like that. I would have failed your mother, if I had allowed that. That is why I enlisted Ofellius’s help. We devised this plan. He can have his precious place in the Senate, but not my daughter.’
‘It is a pity you never thought to ask me what I want.’
‘I am your father. I know what is best for you.’
‘The woman is mistaken. Enough talk,’ Ofellius growled. ‘As we agreed, Veratius Cornelius—she may continue as Fabius Aro’s wife or he can become a senator.’
‘He doesn’t need you or anyone else to be a senator.’ Lydia faced the pirate with blazing eyes. ‘It will be the people who decide!’
‘Brave words, but foolish,’ Ofellius said. ‘And what happens then? When he loses? How will he look at you then? Don’t you agree, Veratius Cornelius?’
‘Lydia, it is your choice. Be grateful I am offering you this choice.’
Lydia shook her head. This was not her father, not the man she remembered. He had to be somewhere in there, but how could he do such a thing to her if he truly loved her? How could he ask her to make such a decision? She had been blind, completely blind. And her words to Aro, proudly proclaiming that her father had nothing to do with the curse tablets or the incidents, how hollow they sounded now. And how foolish.
In some ways it should be easy—Aro would never want her back after she had thrown the ring at him today. Even now, he might have gone to the censor to register the divorce. The bitter irony was not lost on her.
‘Father—’ She held out her hands, beseeching him one last time.
‘I think my wife would rather I made up my own mind.’
Lydia spun around and faced the door. Her heart skipped a beat. Aro!
She took a half-step towards him, and he held out his arms. Within another step, she was gathered close to him and heard the reassuring thump of his heart. Her hand went to his face, touching it to make sure he was real.
‘You came for me.’
‘Did you really think I would let you go that easily?’ he whispered in her ear.
Her father recovered first. ‘How did you get in, Fabius Aro? This house is well protected.’
‘For future reference, Veratius Cornelius, when you station guards, it is better if you station them around the entire house. You left the rear entrance exposed. I was able to climb up and in the open window. Scaling walls may be a skill from my youth, but it is not forgotten. Sulpicia was slightly surprised, but informed me where I migh
t find Lydia once she and her tire-woman had recovered from the shock. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I think it is time I took my wife home. She has had a long day.’
Ofellius advanced, blocking their way. ‘Shall we settle this man to man?’ Ofellius said. ‘You have insulted this family long enough.’
Aro dropped Lydia’s arm and turned to face his fellow merchant. ‘With pleasure, but it is not I who have insulted this family, but you.’
Lydia stifled a scream. There was an air of unreality. She wanted to beg her father to stop this, but he grabbed her arm, holding her back.
‘It is in the lap of the gods,’ he whispered, motioning for her to keep quiet.
‘Let me and my wife pass, Ofellius, and we will settle this later—in the courts. We are not on the high seas here.’
‘Brave words for a man who is about to die,’ Ofellius sneered. He reached out and shoved Aro backwards, throwing him off balance. And then he grabbed a dagger and held it out.
Aro took a step back, balanced on the balls of his feet, crouched, his hands ready.
‘I believe I explained before what would happen if you or your men harmed one hair of my wife’s head. You don’t listen, do you, Ofellius?’
‘You talk too much, Fabius Aro,’ Ofellius said, starting to come towards him.
Aro looked to his left and right, checking, mentally preparing for the assault. It had come to this, finally. He had not sought the confrontation, but he welcomed it. Ofellius had to understand that Lydia was his wife and no man would take her from him. He had allowed the insults to go on too long.
Ofellius charged forward. Aro shifted his weight at the last breath, grabbed the outstretched arm and spun Ofellius around. The dagger dropped to the floor.
‘Did you know that I was taught how to wrestle by an Olympic champion?’ he remarked at the look of surprise on Ofellius’s face.
Ofellius broke free, retreated to the other side of the room, breathing like a bull. He charged forward again. This time, he caught Aro around the waist and dragged him down. He brought his knees to his chest and levered the large man up. Ofellius flew backwards, got to his feet, and then charged again, this time managing to land a punch on Aro’s jaw. Aro gingerly felt his face, and then waited for the next assault. Patience, he told himself. Wait for the opening.
‘Father, you must do something, Aro could get killed,’ he heard Lydia say from a distance away.
‘And would that be a pity, child? It would solve all our problems.’
‘It would solve nothing. You don’t know him as I do. Aro is the most noble man I have ever met. The world would be a much greyer place at his passing.’
Renewed energy surged through Aro. He crouched low, ready.
Ofellius started forward.
‘Watch out, he has another dagger!’
‘I see it.’ Aro pulled his own dagger from his belt.
Aro and Ofellius circled each other, Ofellius probing with the dagger. Sweat trickled down Aro’s back. He had to wait. He had one chance.
Each breath Lydia took seemed to take an age. She willed Aro forward. But the two combatants seemed evenly matched. Suddenly Ofellius struck. Forwards and up. Aro dropped to the ground.
A scream echoed through the chamber and Lydia realised with a start that it was hers. She fought against her father’s arms. ‘Let me go. Can’t you see he is hurt?’
‘Not so immortal after all, Sea Wolf.’ Ofellius aimed a kick at Aro’s body.
A hand snaked out, grabbing Ofellius’s legs and sending him crashing to the floor. Ofellius’s head hit the side of the table.
‘You were always too sure of yourself, Ofellius,’ Aro said, standing up.
Lydia jerked herself free of her father’s grasp, grabbed her father’s Grecian vase and brought it down on Ofellius’s head. He gave a groan and lay still. Aro gave a low whistle and Piso appeared with two other men.
‘You called, Sea Wolf?’
‘Ofellius is in need of attention. Please give it to him.’
Piso’s face broke into a wide smile. ‘With the greatest pleasure.’
‘All secure out there?’
‘They were no match for us.’ Piso gave a bow. ‘And they call themselves sailors—pure waterfront mob, these lot. Gods, you wonder where they learnt to fight. Your servant, Lydia Fabia.’
Lydia stared at Aro, hardly knowing what to say.
‘Do you realise how expensive that vase was, daughter?’ her father asked in an irritated voice.
‘Do you realise how precious my husband is to me, Father?’ She turned and faced her father with her hands on her hips.
‘I believe it is time this war between us came to an end, Veratius Cornelius.’ Aro held out his hand to the older man. ‘My men are outside and they are in no mood for leniency. They take more exception than I do to the good name of the Lupan House being blackened. But explain all to your daughter and I will spare you and your house.’
‘You will denounce me to the censor.’ Veratius Cornelius looked white and shaken. ‘Ofellius warned me of this. When I am no use to you, you will ruin me and cast off my daughter.’
Lydia looked at her father with tears in her eyes. Her father seemed to have shrunk. The lines on his face were etched deeply and his eyes watered.
‘Father, Ofellius lied to you. He stole Publius’s shipment of fish sauce and sold it on the open market. Aro has the bill of sale. He has lied to you about everything. He did not want to right some wrong. He used you as a way to destroy Fabius Aro. Why would Aro denounce you? What purpose would it serve?’
‘Are you sure of this, daughter? Did Ofellius steal the fish sauce?’
‘I can prove it. In this office is the tablet Ofellius sent saying he had shipped the entire lot, but in Rufus’s house is an amphora with the markings Publius used. Aro has a bill of sale.’
‘I have brought it with me.’ Aro reached into his belt and drew out the small tablet. ‘Half of the amphorae are still in my warehouse. They were what Ofellius sought to destroy in his attack.’
‘Ah, woe is me. What have I done? I believed that pirate.’ Veratius Cornelius buried his face in his hands. Aro went over and raised his face.
‘You are my father-in-law. An evil man took advantage of you and your illness,’ Aro said quietly. ‘Lydia has assured me that you would never hurt her and I must believe her.’
‘I would never hurt my daughter. How could I? I love her.’ There were tears in her father’s eyes. ‘I just want her to be happy. But Ofellius told me how unhappy you were, daughter.’
‘He lied, Father.’ Lydia reached out and caught her father’s hand. ‘He wanted to destroy Aro and so he lied. He played on your anger and your outrage. He used you. If you had but spoken with me, I would have told you. I am very happy and content. I wish to stay as Aro’s wife. He is a good man.’
‘Yes, I see that now. I have wronged you, Fabius Aro. I spread false rumours about you. All because I wanted my daughter back.’
‘I will always be your daughter, Father.’ Lydia bit her lip. She had to say it before Aro left. ‘Just as I will always be Aro’s wife…if he will have me.’
‘Lydia…’ Aro’s fingertips touched her cheek ‘…you have given me more than I could hope for.’
Lydia looked and saw a trickle of blood. ‘Father, quickly fetch a doctor. Fabius Aro is hurt.’
‘Yes, of course, daughter, and I will go to the censor and explain. He is an old friend and may disregard the fact that the sun has gone beyond the rostrum.’
‘There is always next year for the enrolment,’ Aro said quietly. ‘All that matters is my wife is safe and back with me’
‘I will get your wounds bound.’ Her father gave a bow and hurried from the room, calling for Gallus and the other servants.
Lydia stood, staring at Aro, trying to determine how badly he was hurt. After everything she had said to him, he had come to her rescue. Words deserted her.
‘It is a mere scratch, I assure you,’ Ar
o said, holding out his hand.
‘You do not need to play the hero with me, Fabius Aro. Now, let me see how bad the wound is.’
His fingers caught hers. ‘I will live, Lydia, but I have no desire to live without you.’
Her breath stopped in her throat. She concentrated on the tiny trickle of blood.
‘I thought I might have lost you,’ she whispered. ‘I couldn’t bear that.’
Aro squeezed her hand back. ‘I have something that belongs to you,’ he whispered. He reached inside his tunic and pulled out his chain. On it was her ring.
Lydia stared at the chain. Instead of the familiar gold ring with a blue stone, the iron-and-gold arra ring was fastened to the chain. ‘Where is your signet ring?’
‘In the strongbox at the warehouse where it belongs. I plan to give it to our firstborn son.’ Aro smiled down at her. ‘Nothing matters if you are not by my side. It doesn’t matter if your father withdraws his support. I will be a senator when the Fates decree, but I will be nothing without you by my side.’
‘I was wrong to throw your ring away.’
Aro knelt in front of her. He captured her hand and slid the ring on to her finger.
‘Lydia Veratia, will you come back to me? Stay at my side and grow old with me? If you desire, I will give your hand back to your father, but say you will stay with me. Because without you, my life isn’t worth living.’
‘How long have you felt this way?’
Aro drew her into his arms and rested his chin against the top of her head. ‘I knew you were the one for me the day I first met you. I had come all prepared to denounce the Veratii and turn your father in to the censor, and instead I found the sort of woman I wanted to share my life with. You were truly a huntress of Diana’s come to life.’
‘Truly? I didn’t even like you then.’
A dimple appeared in his cheek. ‘And do you like me now?’
‘I love you, Fabius Aro—’ Lydia stopped. She had to say it, because otherwise it would be between them and she did not want any misunderstandings. ‘I can never be the sort of wife you want. I am not interested in spinning and gossip drives me mad. I will probably disobey you as often as I obey you.’
Sold and Seduced Page 24
