A Stray Drop of Blood (10 page)

“
I have gone over it in my mind many times, I think I will be fine.” His smile stretched across his face, his gaze traveled from Cleopas’s face to the compound. “Frankly, Father, what I could use is a good hot meal.”

Laughter once again bubbled from Cleopas’s lips. “Andrew assures me that the women have been in the kitchen ever since they received word of your arrival. Let us go home. Your baggage is there behind you?” At his son’s nod, Cleopas motioned Andrew to pick up the burden.

Andrew moved to obey, but question creased his brow.

It triggered his own. “Jason? Where is Mark?”

Jason’s eyes went blank for a moment before he regained himself. “In Rome, I suppose.”

“
You suppose? You do not know where your slave is?” Cleopas tried to control the hard edge of his voice, but the flicker of annoyance across Jason’s face proved he had not.

“
Well, I have not seen him for two years, Father.”

“
And why is that?”

“
I sold him to the state.”

Cleopas stopped in his tracks. “You
what
? Why would you do that?”

Jason sighed, his eyes roaming the sapphire skies above him. “For torture. I had reason to believe he was involved with another slave that was stealing from her master.”

“
Oh?” Perhaps it was not a direct question, but he trusted his son would hear the meaning the word.

“
They had a child together. The wench was accused of stealing her mistress’s jewels and trying to run away. Mark would have known if it were true.”

Cleopas ground his teeth together. “Do not tell your mother of this. Simply tell her you left him with the woman he loved.”

“
Gladly.” He waited, though he looked ready to move again.

Cleopas sighed and strode homeward. “You gave up the slave I bought you, son. I will not provide another. If you wish one, you will have to find and purchase him yourself.”

Jason nodded. “Fine, but there is no need. I can take care of myself.”

“
In a camp, yes. But who will wait on you at our table? Your quick judgement will cause more work for
my
servants.”

“
If I recall, Simon seldom had much to do during meals anyway. He can help.”

“
Simon has his tasks. As do the others.” He sighed again. “I will let them figure it out among themselves.” They were nearing their home now, and the sound of singing could be heard.

Jason’s lips twitched up. He had undoubtedly not heard the sound of women lifting their voices in a psalm, for no reason other than to praise their God while they went about their lives, since he left Israel. “Beautiful.”

“
That would be Dinah and Abigail. I think they do not even realize they are singing until they see someone else approach. Enjoy it for the moment, for they will stop as soon as we are within sight.”

~*~

“
Mistress, they come.”

When Ester sprang up, Abigail fell in behind her, wiping her hands on her coarse tunic as she went. Already commotion sounded at the front of the house, where Simon had gone to open the door. Abigail held back when Ester rushed forward and launched herself into the arms of the stranger.

Abigail wanted to think he looked familiar, but she suspected it was more because of his resemblance to his parents than because she remembered his face from six years ago. He stood tall, like Cleopas, shared the dark hair of both him and Ester. His features were the fine ones of his mother, though stronger. His form showed evidence of the hours of exercise and training he must have put in while in Rome.

She watched as a grin split his face and he caught his mother up, twirling her around.

“
Mother! You have grown younger since I left.”

Her mistress laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “My handsome charmer. All grown up. Where is the boy I sent off?”

His laugh was full and rich, but Abigail’s focus moved to Andrew, who slipped past the family and exchanged a few quiet words with Simon. Both their brows pulled down, even as they started back the hall.

They would be set on unpacking the young master’s belongings, and they would certainly make a mess of it. Simon did not spend enough time in the masters’ closets to know how best to organize it, and Andrew was filthy from the day’s activities. She slipped away to follow them.

Andrew nodded at whatever Simon had said to him. “The master has forbidden the mistress to know, as well.”

Curiosity piqued, Abigail stepped into Master Jason’s bedchamber right behind them. “What is she forbidden to know?”

“
Abigail.” Andrew spun around, obviously startled. When she arched her brows, he sighed. “I suppose you may know, since you barely even met the man. It is his slave, Mark. He has been sold to the state for torture.”

Her throat closed up. True, she did not know Mark, nor the ways of Rome. But she knew that the man who had sold his trusted servant was now here, in their house. How could she be anything but uneasy about it?

To soothe herself, she moved to the bags Andrew had set down and got to work while Andrew and Simon exchanged what information on the subject each knew. She focused on the belongings to find places for. They were few–not surprising, she supposed, given his soldier’s status. He had been wearing his uniform, the armor and red cape. That left only a few tunics to unpack, a toga. One mantle more in the Hebrew tradition, brightly covered. A small chest engraved with the ark of the covenant.

“
You need not do that, Abigail,” Andrew said after a moment. “I can manage.”

“
I am done, and you are filthy.” She smiled and indicated his dusty feet. “You had better wash up while I change. Dinah will have the meal ready in minutes.”

They all left the chamber to tend what last-minute preparations they could.

~*~

Jason chose a couch in the room his father had deemed the triclinium and reclined to await the meal. He had made a detour to the kitchen to greet Dinah, had noticed the slaves leaving his chamber. He knew well his belongings would be put away, though he would probably have to reorganize later.

He settled in across from his parents and picked the conversation back up. He had already planned out the stories to regale them with, and they gave him their undivided attention as he spoke of Rome and the journey over. Thankfully, they were not long left without refreshment. Simon appeared with wine and cheese within moments.

Not long after, he smelled the arrival of real food. Andrew entered first and headed for Jason’s father, then Simon followed with a tray for him. He nearly missed the arrival of his mother’s maid, but the sway of hip caught his attention.

Many lessons had he learned in Rome, and one of them was how to observe a beautiful woman without being noticed–a lesson he had not expected to need in his own home. But employ it he did as he selected food from the platter Simon held.

Abigail, he recalled. His father had mentioned her frequently in his letters. She was young, but not a girl–certainly not the waif he barely remembered from the day he left for Rome. Her hair was dark and shining, bound with a strip of cloth that looked to barely contain the thick mass of it. She wore a tunic of fine white linen, a belt to match Mother’s emphasizing full curves and narrow waist. And her face–her face would inspire any artist in Rome. She would make an alluring Venus. Perhaps a nymph.

Jason lounged on his chaise and tasted his first bite of the food of his childhood, smiled. “I had forgotten how excellent Dinah’s cooking is. My friends will all be very jealous that I get to feast like a king every day.”

His mother smiled. “She will be pleased at the compliment. And speaking of feasting, the general and his wife wish us to bring you for dinner at your earliest convenience.”

“
Well, my first night watch is not for another four days, so any evening before then will do.” He drained his cup, partially so that the maid, who now held the pitcher, would have to come refill it. “Perhaps the day after tomorrow? That will give me time to settle in.”

“
I will send word.”

He nodded his approval and did not glance over at Abigail when she paused by his side. Her voice came quiet and melodious, careful not to interrupt. “More wine, Lord?”

“
Yes.” She smelled of spices from the kitchen and a lingering perfume he identified as his mother’s. When she moved away after topping his cup, he smiled again at his parents. “You have been moving in high circles, Mother. The general’s wife is from an upstanding family in Rome. I dined with them a few times at the Asinius house.”

“
Julia is a dear friend. We hope to meet all of yours soon too.”

“
Of course.” They would be impressed, he knew. A powerful father, a beautiful mother . . . even a tempting maid that he could contemplate at his leisure. Finally, he had come home. They were in his world now, and he would enjoy that luxury.

Gaze sweeping across Abigail as he looked to his father, he very nearly grinned. He would enjoy it very much indeed.

~*~

“
What do you think?”

Abigail looked up at Andrew, who was apparently paying no attention to her lesson. The masters still talked and lounged, but when they had been dismissed, Abigail and Andrew had returned to their normal routine.

Or she had, anyway. Andrew’s attention was not so easily put on the lesson.“That you are truly a horrible student, but I will forgive you today since we have been so busy and disrupted.” Abigail took a sip of her water and did not bother to sort through her own documents. “He really gave Mark over to be tortured?”

Andrew nodded. “He said so himself.”

She shook her head. “Then I think my fears may be justified. The young master obviously has a very diverse view from his parents. He could make things uncomfortable.”

“
He is not the one who has control.”

“
Tell me, though, Andrew. Was there tension in the air when he shared the news with our master?”

“
Yes.”

“
And would you want to feel that all the time in this house?”

He sighed. “Of course not. But he did say the incident with Mark happened years ago. Perhaps his views have changed, or will. Other than that then, what did you think?”

Abigail’s eyebrows raised in question. “What answer are you looking for, my friend? I think he looks much like his mother, he seemed a bit tired, he was very attentive to both of his parents, and I did not see much of the insolent boy I remember from my first day here.” She smiled. “Or did you wish something else?”

Andrew met her smile. “Nothing in particular. I suppose it is just that I knew him many years before these six, and I wonder how much he has really grown out of his vices and how much he has simply better hewn them.”

Her smile turned to a grin, playful. “Now who is borrowing troubles that are not ours?”

He laughed lightly. “I am merely testing you, trying to lure you into speaking idealistically.”

After sharing his laughter, she stifled a sudden yawn. “The day has been long. And does not promise to end soon.”

“
At least tomorrow is not market day.”

She nodded her agreement. “But soon it will be Passover. And the city will be so crowded and prices in the markets will soar and–”

“
And you will not have to go out very often, and it is not your money that you will be spending, so just try to enjoy the holiday and the feast.”

Abigail narrowed her eyes teasingly. “Easily said by one who does not spend his days in the kitchen preparing this feast.”

His gaze turned serious. “You are right. I spend my days learning the way to wage war against my people.”

“
We both spend our days obeying our master,” she said softly. “And you know our lord would never ask you to enter a battle against your own.”

Andrew sighed and rested his head on his palm. “He would never ask, no. But how could I chose, Abigail, between the man I have sworn to serve for all of my life and the nation that birthed me? Our master is fair, good, and just. Moreover, he not only recognizes but worships Jehovah. It should not be a choice, my friend. Would that we were all members of the same people.”

She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again. Finally, she said, “Perhaps someday there will come one who erases the boundary between Jew and Greek. Perhaps one day there will be a greater understanding of the Law that allows for the love of God to be extended completely to all.”

“
You speak of Messiah?”

She nodded. “Mistress does not even know if it is proper to interpret the texts to prophesy one, but it seems, especially to us, to be the only hope of a better world.”

“
You do not think, then, that Messiah will rid us of Rome?” He seemed almost relieved.

Abigail smiled. “I am only a woman, Andrew, and a slave. I do not pretend to have the answers. But nowhere in the Holy Scriptures themselves have I heard or read of a king come to triumph over nations. I have heard only of a savior come to be defeated.”

Andrew leaned back in his chair and blew out his breath quickly. “What a bleak hope it is that we have.”