captain shouted for the dockworkers to make the ropes fast and the crew cheered the announcement, already anticipating the pleasures of the port. Servilia caught the captain’s eye and he crossed the deck to her, suddenly more genial than she had grown to expect.
‘We won’t break out the cargo until tomorrow morning now,’ he said. ‘I can recommend a few places if you want to go ashore and there’s a cousin of mine who’ll rent you as many carts as you want, at a good price.’
‘Thank you, Captain. It’s been a great pleasure.’ Servilia smiled at him, pleased to see a blush start high on his cheeks. Angelina was not the only one with a circle of admirers on the ship, she thought with some pleasure.
The captain cleared his throat and raised his chin to speak again, looking suddenly nervous.
‘I will be dining alone later, if you would like to join me. There’ll be fresh fruit sent to the ship, so it’ll be better than we’re used to.’
Servilia laid a hand on his arm and felt the heat of his skin beneath his tunic.
‘It will have to be another time, I’m afraid. I’d like to be moving by dawn. Would you be able to have my trunks taken off first? I’ll speak to the legion to arrange a guard on it until the carts are loaded.’
The captain nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. His first mate had told him the woman was a whore, but he had the intense impression that offering her money to stay with him would lead to an awful humiliation. For a moment he looked so terribly lonely that Servilia considered letting Angelina raise his spirits. The little blonde loved older men. They were always so desperately grateful, and for such little effort. Looking at him, Servilia guessed he would probably refuse the offer. Men of his years often wanted the company of a mature woman as much as the physical pleasures and Angelina’s earthy frankness would only embarrass him.
‘Your trunks will be first on the dock, madam. It has been a pleasure,’ he said, looking wistfully after her as she went to climb the steps onto the dock. A number of his crew had gathered in case the younger women were unsteady crossing the rail and his eyebrows drew together as he considered them. After a moment of thought, he followed Servilia, knowing instinctively that he should be there to help the men.
Julius was deep in work when the guard knocked on the door to his rooms.
‘What is it?’
The legionary looked unusually nervous as he saluted.
‘I think you’d better come down to the gate, sir. You should see this.’
Raising his eyebrows, Julius followed the man down the steps and out into the powerful afternoon sun. There was a peculiar tension affecting the soldiers who clustered around the gate, and as they parted for him Julius noticed one or two with the strained faces of men trying not to smile. Their amusement and the heat seemed to feed the prickling anger that had become the foundation of his waking hours.
Beyond the open gate was a string of heavily laden carts, their drivers lightly coated by the dust of the road. A full twenty of the Tenth had taken station to the fore and rear of the odd procession. With narrowed eyes, Julius recognised the officer as one who had been dispatched on port duty the previous day and his temper frayed still further. Like the carts, the legionaries were coated in enough dust to show they had walked every step of the way.
Julius glared at them.
‘I do not recall giving orders for you to escort trade goods from the coast,’ he snapped. ‘There had better be an excellent reason for leaving your post and disobeying my orders. I cannot think of one myself, but perhaps you will surprise me.’
The officer paled slightly under the dust.
‘The lady, sir …’ he began.
‘What? What lady?’ Julius replied, losing patience with the man’s hesitation. Another voice sounded then, making him start in recognition.
‘I told your men you could not object to them helping an old friend,’ Servilia said, stepping down from the riding seat of a cart and walking towards him.
For a moment, Julius could not respond. Her dark hair was wild around her head and his eyes drank in the sight of her. Surrounded by men, she seemed fresh and cool, perfectly aware of the sensation she caused. She walked like a stalking cat, wearing a brown cotton dress that left her arms and neck uncovered. She wore no jewels but a simple chain of gold ending in a pendant that was almost hidden as it disappeared between her breasts.
‘Servilia. You should not have presumed on a friendship,’ Julius said, stiffly.
She shrugged and smiled as if it were nothing.
‘I hope you won’t punish them, General. The docks can be dangerous without guards, and I had no one else to help me.’
Julius looked coldly at her, before returning his gaze to the officer. The man had followed the exchange and now stood with the glazed expression of one who waited for bad news.
‘My orders were clear?’ Julius asked him.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Then you and your men will take the next two watches. Your rank makes you more responsible than they, does it not?’
‘Yes, sir,’ the hapless soldier replied.
Julius nodded. ‘When you are relieved, you will report to your centurion to be flogged. Tell him twenty strokes on my order and your name to be entered in the lists for disobedience. Now run back.’
The officer saluted smartly and spun on his heel. ‘Turn about!’ he shouted to his twenty. ‘Double speed back to the docks.’
With Julius there, no one dared groan, though they would be exhausted before they were halfway back to their original post and the watches to come would see them dropping with tiredness.
Julius stared after them until they were clear of the line of carts, before turning back to Servilia. She stood stiffly, trying to hide her surprise and guilt at what her request had brought about.
‘You have come to see your son?’ Julius said to her, frowning. ‘He is training with the legion and should be back at dusk.’ He looked at the line of carts and bellowing oxen, clearly caught between his irritation at the unexpected arrival and the demands of courtesy. After a long silence, he relented.
‘You may wait inside for Brutus. I will have someone water your animals and bring you a meal.’
‘Thank you for your kindness,’ Servilia replied, smiling to cover her confusion. She couldn’t begin to understand the differences in the young general. The whole of Rome knew he had lost his wife, but it was like speaking to another man from the one she had known. Dark pouches ringed his eyes, but it was more than simple tiredness. When she had seen him last, he had been ready to take arms against Spartacus and the fires in him were barely controlled. Her heart went out to him for what he had lost.
At that moment, Angelina leapt onto the road from her cart at the back of the line and waved, calling something to Servilia. Both she and Julius stiffened as the girlish voice rang out.
‘Who is that?’ Julius said, his eyes narrowing against the glare.
‘A companion, General. I have three young ladies with me for the trip.’
Something in her tone made Julius glance at her in sudden suspicion.
‘Are they …’
‘Companions, General, yes,’ she replied lightly. ‘All good girls.’ For the right price, they could be superb, she added silently.
‘I’ll put a guard on their door. The men are not used to …’ he hesitated. ‘It may be necessary to keep a guard. On the door.’
To Servilia’s intense pleasure, a slow blush had started on Julius’ cheeks. There was still life in him, somewhere deep, she thought. Her nostrils flared slightly with the excitement of a hunt. As Julius marched