The Bow of Heaven - Book I: The Other Al - By Andrew Levkoff Page 0,28
did Crassus take you on, if not to use your skills?”
“As a wet nurse for the baby.”
“Then your debt to your husband’s creditors is paid.”
“In full.”
“Which leaves you?”
“A little more than half of what I sold myself to Boaz for: twenty-three hundred sesterces. It’s not as bad as it seems. He has taken pity on me, Hera knows why. If I can but raise a total of eight thousand sesterces, he will sell her back to me when he can and take the loss.”
“Why would he do such a thing?”
“Who knows? I never stopped to question him, only to fall to my knees to kiss the hem of his robe. Are not all men sons?”
“I hated him when I saw him take her away.”
“There are many things to hate in this city. This man should not be counted among them.”
I found that hard to believe; how could you not despise such a person? Every new admission of Sabina’s gave me more to ponder. "Perhaps he is fond of you."
"I have no interest in men."
"But if he were, might he not free your daughter himself?"
"Do you think I have not begged him? There are contracts; leases with clients for ... for Livia ... which he must honor. She must be available a certain number of days each month."
"When do they expire?"
"I could not bring myself to ask."
I shook my head. “Tell me, is it permissible for a ... for you to buy Livia’s freedom before your own?”
“No. But what good is flour, water and salt to a baker without an oven? First things first: the money.
“5,700 sesterces, Sabina. How can we raise such a fortune?”
“I don’t know. I’ll find a way.”
“I’ll try to help if I can.” Empty, hollow words. I thought of the girl, and of the future she faced.
Sabina sat uneasily with that barely restrained tension of hers, her hands palm down on her thighs. I took one of them in both of mine and held it. I had no idea how to comfort her. It was such a clumsy act it forced a smile from her. Encouraged, I said the only thing I could think of to turn both our thoughts away. “When did you learn the healing arts?”
Sabina gently reclaimed her hand and patted my own. “My husband’s father was a doctor.”
“Truly? Surely he would help if he knew your plight.” Words came racing ahead of thought. She would not have left any option untried.
“You are right. They would have done anything for their granddaughter. But they sided with Marius.”
“Ah.”
“Otho was an unusual man, nothing like his son. He believed aptitude deserved nurturing wherever it settled because to him, it was a gift from the gods. If they saw fit to bestow it upon a woman, who was he to argue? When his son was off with his legion for months on end, I learned from him. Sometimes my father-in-law was called away to an accident or to perform a complex surgery. He would grab me and yank me out the door, all excited about the chance to show me something new, or to try something new himself. Livia would hold up my kit for me to take, tears streaking her little face. She broke my heart, she was so sweet, so brave. My mother-in-law would shoo us on our way, promising she’d look after her. I was torn; now I wish I’d stayed with her those few extra hours, just to have had them.”
“Sabina,” I said, a thought suddenly furrowing my brow, “how is it that Livia spends as much time with us as she does? Wouldn’t Pío have to approve, and make the arrangements?”
She didn’t answer, but pointed with her chin to the other side of the peristyle. The man himself was heading this way. That was twice I had asked her about him without getting an answer. An awful light revealed something I desperately did not want to see. “Leave it,” she whispered urgently, then stood and walked briskly away from both of us. I tried not to look where my imagination tugged, but sometimes our minds are our worst enemies. Pío beckoned to me impatiently and I rose to do his bidding.
Chapter IX
81 BCE - Spring, Rome
Year of the consulship of
Marcus Tulius Decula and Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella
Over the next several months a change came over the house. Many profited by it, others suffered. I refer, you understand, to everyone excluding the family. Crassus, his wife and children never faced anything more troublesome than