Michelle Styles - The Gladiator's Honor

He leant forward. His face was far sterner and more serious than she had seen before. 'Are you sure Senator Gracchus recommended Sappho to you?'

'Gracchus? What does he have to do with…? Oh, you mean the story I told Sabina.' Julia toyed with her bracelets. 'He is my ex-father-in-law, Lucius's adopted father. Sabina is in awe of him. When he decided to adopt Lucius, she could not believe her luck. Senator Gracchus, however, has refused all of her invitations to dine, but she lives in hope and doesn't dare say anything against him. Why?'

Julia watched his face for any sign, relieved in a way that he had brought up Gracchus. She felt that perhaps she should explain about earlier today and her mistake. Perhaps then he would see that she wanted to help and he'd trust her with the name of his father. His face became inscrutable, a blank slab of marble on which she could read no emotion.

'He was a man I used to know, and, if you were seeking an alliance with him, I thought to warn you.'

'Warn me?'

A humourless smile played on Valens's lips. 'Yes, he despises liars and Sappho. He does not consider her poetry fitting reading for any right-thinking Roman. Let alone a Roman matron.'

'How do you know this?' Julia rolled the scroll tighter. She hated being caught in a lie. A quiver rose in her stomach. How did Valens know? Her heart beat faster. Maybe she had been correct.

'I served with his son in North Africa. He, if I remember correctly, had the same fondness as I do for poetry and he also had to battle with his father.'

'You served with his son?' Julia breathed and her mind raced. Perhaps Senator Gracchus would tell her who his son served with. Or there were the military lists. She tried to keep her mind on what he was saying.

'And you are his ex-daughter-in-law. It is a small world. I hadn't realised your husband was a Gracchi.' His voice was smooth, too smooth. 'I should have paid more attention when Caesar offered me this billet.'

Julia thought she could hear faint undercurrents, some emotion he wished to keep hidden. She kept her voice steady and held back the questions that threatened to tumble out.

'Who my ex-husband is has no bearing on me! I want nothing to do with him or his family. In light of the divorce, my father no longer receives any work from Senator Gracchus.' Julia peered more closely at Valens, but no muscles moved in his face. She drew a deep breath and plunged on, before she lost her nerve. 'Can you tell me how Senator Gracchus's son died? You said you were in North Africa, I believe. Were you with him in the assault that led to his death?'

Valens did not reply. His eyes grew hard as he stared unseeing into the middle distance.

'He died in a pirate's hold,' he said, biting out each word. 'A death Senator Gracchus would not have approved of. By my hasty actions and uncontrolled temper, I ensured he perished dishonourably.'

'I thought Gracchus said he died fighting some insurgents,'

Julia said, confused. 'My ex-suitor Mettalius brought back the brooch. Senator Gracchus showed it to me this afternoon. He said his son had died a hero's death.'

'No, he died in a pirates' hold. I should know. I was there. Perhaps it was the best thing to do. He saved his father the embarrassment of having to be ransomed.' He gripped her arm and forced her to look at him. His gaze seemed to burn into her soul. 'Was there any special reason you were talking to Senator Gracchus about his son? You said that you wanted nothing to do with the family. Why now? What game are you playing, Julia?'

Julia stood up and started to pace the garden, hugging her waist with her arms. She had been wrong, oh, so wrong. In the late afternoon heat, she shivered. Who was he that Gaius Gracchus had been punished for things he had done? She had to figure out a way to ask, and get around his defences.

'Julia, Julia, I want to talk to you.' Lucius's querulous voice carried across the courtyard. 'I refuse to be manhandled by this oaf of a porter.'

Her stomach twisted, knotted and then untwisted. Not here, not now with Valens present. She had no desire to be dragged back into the mire of her marriage. She had escaped from that.

Julia crossed the courtyard to where her ex-husband stood. She gave a nod and Clodius released Lucius, bowed low and left. Lucius's face was redder than this morning. His toga bore spots of red wine and food stains. Julia felt her arms begin to tremble as she remembered the other times when she had seen Lucius like this and the beatings that had ensued.

'Julia, is everything all right?' Through a fog, she heard Valens speak.

She gave a brief nod, but refused to look at him. Lucius had her full attention. Lucius's face wore that special grin he always had, right before he attacked her. Her blood ran cold. This day was becoming a disaster.

'What do you want, Lucius?' she asked, her voice sounding more forthright than she thought possible.

'I want to speak to you about your sneaking little ways, your unasked-for visits to my father. You are trying to make trouble.'

'You're drunk.' Julia looked him directly in his eyes. 'I refuse to speak with you when you are in this state. We have nothing to say to each other.'

Lucius straightened his toga, swayed, repositioned his feet and swayed some more.

'I am perfectly sober,' he spat. 'I want to know why you went to see my adopted father and tried to spread your poisonous lies. Stirring up long ago happenings, Julia. Gaius Gracchus is dead. I had nothing to do with his murder.'

'I beg your pardon?' Julia toyed with her necklace as her courage started to desert her. She had not expected this full-frontal assault. Lucius was usually more content with verbal barbs. She felt the brush of a tunic and knew without looking that Valens stood behind her. A small glimmer of hope filled her. She had support.

'Don't play the mealy-mouthed innocent with me, Julia Antonia.' Lucius positioned himself as if he was preparing for a fight, hands balled at his sides. 'You went to see Gracchus deliberately to undermine me. I want to know who sent you and why. Parroting tales of long-dead sons indeed. As if I had anything to do with Gaius Gracchus's death! I was in Rome, when Gaius Gracchus breathed his last, ask anyone. We had not met in years, since we were children. Ask Mettalius Scipio. He was the one who found the brooch when he stumbled on the mutilated body.'

'I never said anything…'

'You implied it, you implied that there was something untoward. I will not have it, Julia. Show me the proof first.' He took a step towards her. His hand quivered, upraised.

Julia wanted to shrink down to the stones, but forced her back to stay upright. What had she done?

'Is there some sort of difficulty, Julia?' Valens's low voice rumbled.

'My wife and I were having an amicable discussion,' Lucius replied. 'She is in no need of…protection.'

'Your ex-wife,' Julia corrected. She drew a deep breath. She could do this. Lucius would not dare hit her here, not while there were witnesses. 'Stay, Valens. Anything Lucius has to say, he can say in front of you.'

'Since when do you need protection from me, Julia?'

Julia stared at the ground and longed for the courage to say the words detailing her injuries. But she found it impossible to speak. A rushing noise filled her ears. She closed her eyes, hoping that the nightmare would go away.

'Since you started threatening and intimidating her,' came Valens's firm answer.

'What do you know about it…Gladiator?' His eyes raked Valens up and down, but Julia fancied Lucius seemed less sure. Almost as if he had seen a ghost.

'I know enough. You are divorced and therefore have no rights over this woman.'

'She only understands one thing, Gladiator. And she appears to have forgotten her lesson.' Lucius raised his hand a second time.