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Authors: Christina Phillips
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her arguments before, shortly after he’d
discovered her whereabouts in Camulodunon. He still couldn’t fathom that her
patrician husband allowed her to continue with her passionate dream of educating
the ignorant Britons, but Maximus, it appeared, was far from an average Roman.
“Why bother? The locals already worship the heathen gods of
Rome.”
“Yes, because their own priests have all been slaughtered or
driven far from here.” Carys gripped his arm and he heaved a silent sigh. He
knew what was coming next. “With your knowledge you could help turn the tide,
Gawain. There’s so much valuable information you can share with the populace.”
“Unlike you, I don’t have the advantage of Rome believing I
led your tribune to the High Priest of Cymru in order to save their precious
Legions.” The High Priest had been insane with hatred for Rome, lust for Carys
and the desire to wrench power from their gods and claim it for his own. It
wasn’t only the invaders who would’ve perished had he succeeded in his terrible
vengeance. “And, unlike you, I no longer possess blind devotion to our fickle
gods.”
How could he, when the god he had devoted his life to no
longer acknowledged his existence?
“You would rather stir up another rebellion.”
He had no intention of discussing such things with Carys.
The less she knew of his plans the better.
“Speaking of rebellion, I met the luscious lady Antonia in
the market earlier. It’s likely she’ll be visiting shortly. This room will do
for my needs.”
Carys stared at him, speechless. Gawain offered her a
lecherous grin. “Before you leap to defend her honor, I did not need to
threaten or coerce. She appears more than eager to embark on an illicit liaison
with a brutal barbarian.”
“But—”
“For the sake of propriety I imagine she’ll inform her
father that it’s you she is visiting. These Romans have an odd sense of
morality.”
Carys glared at him. “After everything I said to you the
other day you’re still determined to follow this path?”
He shrugged. “It means nothing, Carys. To me or to her. Your
concerns are unfounded.” Then he brushed a kiss against her cheek. He had,
after all, known her for all of her life and she was the nearest thing he had
to a sister. “But I thank you for them, just the same.”
By the time Antonia arrived at the villa her nerves were in
tatters. Elpis had accompanied her inside the carpentum and Antonia
gripped her slave’s hands as she willed her limbs to stop shaking. If Gawain
guessed how secretly terrified of this encounter she was, he’d laugh in her
face.
“Are you sure about this, domina ?” Elpis had become
increasingly concerned as the journey progressed. “There’s no need to continue
if you’ve changed your mind.”
But she hadn’t changed her mind. She wanted to do this. She
just wished she knew what Gawain expected of her. Elpis, it turned out, hadn’t
been that knowledgeable when it came to consensual sex and Antonia certainly
hadn’t wanted to ask the advice of any of her father’s slaves.
“I need to do this.” Not just for herself. She wanted her
daughter to one day make a glorious marriage with a man she loved. How could
Antonia offer her any advice if she had no idea what it was like to be with a
man who didn’t cause her flesh to crawl by the mere mention of his name?
She half expected Gawain himself to help her from the carpentum ,
but he was nowhere in sight. Was he allowing her a façade of respectability
before her father’s guards? Or was it because he had no intention of following
through on their hastily arranged assignation?
Oddly, that thought calmed her nerves in a way nothing else
had. If he imagined to slight her by ignoring her, he greatly underestimated
her. And if he supposed she would be willing to overlook his arrogance and
arrange a second illicit rendezvous then he most certainly would be
disappointed.
Head held high she followed the tribune’s
discovered her whereabouts in Camulodunon. He still couldn’t fathom that her
patrician husband allowed her to continue with her passionate dream of educating
the ignorant Britons, but Maximus, it appeared, was far from an average Roman.
“Why bother? The locals already worship the heathen gods of
Rome.”
“Yes, because their own priests have all been slaughtered or
driven far from here.” Carys gripped his arm and he heaved a silent sigh. He
knew what was coming next. “With your knowledge you could help turn the tide,
Gawain. There’s so much valuable information you can share with the populace.”
“Unlike you, I don’t have the advantage of Rome believing I
led your tribune to the High Priest of Cymru in order to save their precious
Legions.” The High Priest had been insane with hatred for Rome, lust for Carys
and the desire to wrench power from their gods and claim it for his own. It
wasn’t only the invaders who would’ve perished had he succeeded in his terrible
vengeance. “And, unlike you, I no longer possess blind devotion to our fickle
gods.”
How could he, when the god he had devoted his life to no
longer acknowledged his existence?
“You would rather stir up another rebellion.”
He had no intention of discussing such things with Carys.
The less she knew of his plans the better.
“Speaking of rebellion, I met the luscious lady Antonia in
the market earlier. It’s likely she’ll be visiting shortly. This room will do
for my needs.”
Carys stared at him, speechless. Gawain offered her a
lecherous grin. “Before you leap to defend her honor, I did not need to
threaten or coerce. She appears more than eager to embark on an illicit liaison
with a brutal barbarian.”
“But—”
“For the sake of propriety I imagine she’ll inform her
father that it’s you she is visiting. These Romans have an odd sense of
morality.”
Carys glared at him. “After everything I said to you the
other day you’re still determined to follow this path?”
He shrugged. “It means nothing, Carys. To me or to her. Your
concerns are unfounded.” Then he brushed a kiss against her cheek. He had,
after all, known her for all of her life and she was the nearest thing he had
to a sister. “But I thank you for them, just the same.”
By the time Antonia arrived at the villa her nerves were in
tatters. Elpis had accompanied her inside the carpentum and Antonia
gripped her slave’s hands as she willed her limbs to stop shaking. If Gawain
guessed how secretly terrified of this encounter she was, he’d laugh in her
face.
“Are you sure about this, domina ?” Elpis had become
increasingly concerned as the journey progressed. “There’s no need to continue
if you’ve changed your mind.”
But she hadn’t changed her mind. She wanted to do this. She
just wished she knew what Gawain expected of her. Elpis, it turned out, hadn’t
been that knowledgeable when it came to consensual sex and Antonia certainly
hadn’t wanted to ask the advice of any of her father’s slaves.
“I need to do this.” Not just for herself. She wanted her
daughter to one day make a glorious marriage with a man she loved. How could
Antonia offer her any advice if she had no idea what it was like to be with a
man who didn’t cause her flesh to crawl by the mere mention of his name?
She half expected Gawain himself to help her from the carpentum ,
but he was nowhere in sight. Was he allowing her a façade of respectability
before her father’s guards? Or was it because he had no intention of following
through on their hastily arranged assignation?
Oddly, that thought calmed her nerves in a way nothing else
had. If he imagined to slight her by ignoring her, he greatly underestimated
her. And if he supposed she would be willing to overlook his arrogance and
arrange a second illicit rendezvous then he most certainly would be
disappointed.
Head held high she followed the tribune’s
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