Virginia Henley (21 page)

“No. I’m not supplying two thousand men with prostitutes. It would destroy discipline forever.”

Kell knew it was useless to suggest that he not throw the usual feast. That swine Paullinus had come to expect it, and if he thought the general was withdrawing his hospitality, he would take it as a personal insult.

Marcus spoke again. “Perhaps you could remove the lady from the villa that night, but where you would send her and on what pretext, I have no idea.”

Kell drained his goblet to give him courage for what he was about to say. “General, it seems to me that you worry unnecessarily. Not because she is your slave, but because she is your woman, she should know her place. A woman will take advantage of a man anytime he is foolish enough to allow her to do so. In my own case, Nola takes advantage
of me every day, simply because she knows I have a soft spot for her.”

Marcus was well aware of the currents between Kell and Nola. “What you say is true. If a man does not lead, he is led. If he does not rule, he is ruled. If the man is not the master, the woman will hold him in contempt. The feast I am obliged to give has nothing whatsoever to do with Diana. It is none of her business and she must not concern herself with it.” Marcus finished his wine. “Thank you, Kell.”

“The decision was yours, General. However, I believe it to be a wise one.”

As Kell watched him climb the staircase, he wondered what had prompted him to take the Roman’s side against a Briton. Then he realized there was more at stake here than nationalities. It was a far older struggle—man against woman. How could he not take the male side?

As Marcus slipped into bed, he decided he must take a firmer hand with Diana. Perhaps he should have given her a sound thrashing tonight when she rejected him and flung their differences in his face. He was far too indulgent with the little vixen. He had dried her tears and fed her, then tucked her into bed, keeping his lust in check in case she sulked. Now he decided he must make up for that mistake. If she showed even the faintest reluctance, he would slap her beautiful little arse until her teeth rattled!

He reached out with ungentle hands and pulled her to him. His mouth crushed hers in a savage kiss. If he didn’t force her to yield to him, now, this minute, he would lose the whip hand.

Diana melted against him. Lying between his marble-hard thighs, she became all soft, all womanly compliance. Her luscious breasts lay upon his chest, her soft belly caressed his rampant sex, and her scented mouth opened to his with an invitation that was irresistible.

He plundered her mouth with his thrusting tongue, and when he withdrew, she held her lips to his and whispered, “Marc … Marc … Marcus.”

When she whispered, it did the most glorious things to him. She traced the scar on his face. Her faintest touch brought full-blown passion to him. Then unbelievably she rose up upon him, grasped his shaft firmly in her hand, and plunged down voluptuously. She felt like hot silk. Marcus was drowning in need. She began to ride him slowly, seductively, lifting high, then plunging hard until he was anchored deep. Then she increased the tempo, making him buck powerfully.

Their union became a wild, driving tempest, primal and shocking in its intensity. Heat leaped between them as they made love sounds in raw whispers. They shattered together and Marcus held her imprisoned upon him long after the last liquid tremors stilled. He held her there until he became half aroused again and decided to stay inside her all night.

Marcus felt all-powerful after he had mastered her in the ultimate act of domination and submission, but as Diana lay upon him in silken splendor, it felt like she was purring. He smiled into the darkness, wondering wryly which of them was enslaved.

Marcus told Kell to order the food and wine for the feast and paid a visit to Julia Allegra to arrange the entertainment. He did not broach the matter with Diana until the day arrived, then before he left for the fortress, he sat on the edge of the bed and cleared his throat.

Diana loved to see him in his polished breastplate. Whenever he touched her while wearing his armor, it made her go weak all over.

“Paullinus leaves with the legionaries tomorrow. It has become a custom for the governor and his officers to dine here before they depart.”

Diana looked alarmed. “You mean he’ll be here at the villa tonight? Oh Marcus, can I not go somewhere else?”

Marcus’ spirits lifted. She was not going to prove difficult at all. “Perhaps that would be best. Paullinus detests Britons and so I like to keep even Kell away from him. Why don’t you and Kell go to the theatre tonight? When you return, you must come straight up here and bar the door. You saw what my brother was like when he’d been drinking and I’m afraid when the men get together, they carouse until they are legless.”

“The theatre is a lovely idea. Paullinus disgusts me.” She shuddered delicately, remembering the hirsute giant who resembled a great mangy bear.

Marcus kissed her goodbye. “I won’t see you today; you’ll be asleep by the time I come up, but once the legionaries leave tomorrow, I’ll have more time to spend with you. I’ll take you on that boar hunt.” He stood and fastened on his leather weapons belt. “Enjoy the theatre.”

“Enjoy your feast,” she replied innocently, which only made him feel wretched about deceiving her.

Wearing her ultramarine stola and matching palla, Diana received more attention at the theatre than the performers. Her blond tresses attracted the eye of both men and women. Whispers of
Who is she?
were answered by those with the privileged information that General Magnus had taken a concubine. The men were instantly envious of the general, while the women would have paid any price to take Diana’s place.

She was amused that Kell kept one hand upon his flagellum as a warning to the masses to keep their distance. She and Kell had chosen a musical entertainment that turned out to be like an extravagant ballet. Diana enjoyed herself immensely watching the singers and dancers in their elaborate costumes and masks. It got a little raucous when a troupe of female acrobats tumbled across the stage, for they wore little more than wide black leather bands—one to cover their breasts, the other their groins.

The entertainment wasn’t over until quite late, then Kell took her into a vintner’s, which was a traditional after-theatre stop where patrons were served either hot or cold drinks. Diana chose calda, which was warm, spiced wine, while Kell preferred Setinian, a choice old wine imported from Italy. He grudgingly agreed that Roman wine was superior to that of his native land.

Diana returned in a litter with Kell walking at her side so they could converse about the evening. She felt very pampered, almost wicked, that she had had a night on the town while Marcus was obliged to play host to the military
leader and his centurions. “Thank you for escorting me, Kell. I enjoyed it so much. I shall be sure to tell Marcus about the female acrobats he missed.” Diana giggled. “Poor Marcus.”

Litters were lined up outside the villa when they arrived home, so they knew that the general’s guests were still there.

“I think we should go through the peristyle garden rather than the front entrance,” Kell advised. “They may be discussing military business.”
May the gods forgive me for the lie,
Kell thought.

Diana slipped into the walled garden through the gate and stood rooted to the spot. Half a dozen naked females rode on the backs of men who were equally naked. Other nude revelers held blazing torches or carried small whips to flagellate those playing stallion. “Military business? Bloody funny business, you mean!”

Kell took her arm and pushed her toward some steps that led to the second story. At that moment, Marcus stepped from the villa with a naked woman clinging to his arm. She had jet black hair and was amply endowed with heavy breasts and wide buttocks. Diana couldn’t believe her eyes. The woman with Marcus looked exactly like Allegra.

“What the devil are you doing here?” Diana demanded, her amethyst eyes blazing purple fury at Marcus.

“She’s here because I invited her. Go upstairs,” he ordered. Marcus glared at Kell. Where in the name of Heaven and Hades were his brains to allow Diana to see such a debauch?

Diana set her hands on her hips and dug in her heels. “Go upstairs, did you say? Are you sure
you
won’t be needing the sleeping chamber for your fat whore?”

Marcus gave her a sharp slap across her face and swung her into his arms. Then he carried her kicking and swearing up the stone steps to the upstairs balcony. He thrust her inside his chamber and closed the door. “Stop
that cursing immediately. Anyone hearing you could mistake you for one of those whores!”

“They wouldn’t be mistaken! That’s all I am to you— your whore! One of many, apparently. That’s all any woman is to a Roman! Why don’t I put on my loin dress and join your games?”

Marcus ground his teeth. She was deliberately goading him to violence. He opened the door and found Kell hovering outside. “Get in here. Make sure she doesn’t leave this chamber tonight.” Marcus raked Diana with his black eyes. “If you’ve quite finished making a spectacle of yourself, I’ll get back to my whore.”

Diana picked up a silver lamp and hurled it at the door. Then she threw herself onto the high bed and began to sob.

Kell let her cry for a full five minutes, then said dryly, “Your tears are quite wasted on me, lady. Save them for the general.”

“Oh, shut up! This was a damned conspiracy to get me out of the way so he could throw a bloody Roman orgy!” Diana sat up and dashed the tears from her eyes.

Kell thought he had better try to smooth her very ruffled feathers. Marcus Magnus wasn’t too happy with him at the moment. “The general wanted to spare you. The men always act like rutting animals.”

“You mean this sort of thing has happened before?” Diana cried.

“It’s that swine, Paullinus. If the general didn’t open his villa for the feast, the governor would be his enemy, and Paullinus’ enemies don’t live long. The general only invites Julia Allegra and her bawds so the men will not abuse the household slaves.”

“Julia Allegra is the bawd mistress?” Diana asked. “She reminds me of someone I used to know who was also called Allegra.”
When she wasn’t calling herself Dame Lightfoot,
Diana thought miserably. Her bottom lip trembled. “Oh, Kell, what am I to do?”

“Stop being ridiculous, of course.”

“What do you mean?” she asked woefully.

“Come over here to the mirror.”

Diana came slowly and stood gazing at her reflection with big sad eyes.

“Look at yourself … really look at yourself. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, and no doubt that the general has ever seen. One look at you and he was stunned as if he’d been hit with a thunderbolt. When he has you waiting for him, why would he even look at another female?”

She sniffed back her tears. “What about Julia Allegra?”

“He wouldn’t swive her with another man’s prick!”

“Really?” she asked in a small voice.

“Well, I ask you to use your own eyes. If he put a bag over her head, he still wouldn’t fuck her.”

Diana laughed in spite of Kell’s coarse language. “Perhaps he’s saving her for Paullinus.”

It was Kell’s turn to laugh. “A sow for a rutting boar!”

Diana reasoned that it was far more honorable for Marcus to provide prostitutes than allow the legionaries to run amok among his slaves. It was, after all, his villa and he could do as he pleased, but she could not dispel an overwhelming jealousy that encompassed every female he had ever touched. When he came up to bed, she would punish him dearly. She would play the Ice Queen and it would take a thousand apologies to thaw her.

Marcus, however, did not come to bed. He stayed away and she did not see him until the following evening. Diana spent the entire day alone, for the entire household was busy from dawn to dusk clearing up the mess and the debris of the night revelers. Everything needed cleaning—floors, walls, rugs—and every couch in the villa needed recovering.

Diana’s emotions ran the gamut from hate to jealousy and anger. Her pride was involved; Marcus had shamed and embarrassed her. She would let the punishment fit the crime. But by afternoon, longing accompanied loneliness and she had to crush the desire to ride to the fort just to catch a glimpse of him. By the time evening crawled along, she had decided that she would pretend total indifference. She would greet him normally and pretend that nothing at all had happened. And certainly nothing to upset her. Of course, she would wear something extra special.

When Marcus arrived home and Diana was not in the atrium to greet him, he was disappointed, but not surprised. He hadn’t expected her to be there. He anticipated trouble and envisioned a confrontation that would be so explosive, it might erupt into violence if he didn’t keep an iron control on his temper.

He heard female voices coming from the solarium and his ear easily picked out Diana’s silvery laughter. She drew him like a lodestone. She was wearing some exquisite creation that made her look like the tigress in the mosaic that lay resplendent at her feet. Her beauty was breathstopping.

“Oh Marcus, you must be early. The afternoon has melted away. But you are just the man I need to make a decision for me.”

The hours away from her had been endless and his return was anything but early. Where were her accusations, her angry words, her threats, her tears?

She gifted him with a smile of adoration. “I cannot decide about a winter mantle. Shall I have it lined with black fox or red?” She held a sample of each soft fur to her face. “Nola thinks the red has more fire, but I favor the black because of my fair coloring.”

Marcus looked from Diana to Nola and back again. She had thrown him completely off balance. “Why don’t you have both?” he suggested smoothly, but he was wary as a wolf.

“I told you he was brilliant,” Diana said to Nola, then she came to him and raised her lips for his kiss.

Magnus’ eyes sought Nola’s and signaled for her to leave them private. One part of his mind told him to leave well enough alone, but after Nola had departed, his perverse streak prompted him to bring up the subject of the previous night. “Did you enjoy the theatre?” he asked after a tentative kiss.

“I loved every moment of it. Thank you for suggesting I attend.” Diana was being gracious. Perhaps too gracious?

“You look lovely tonight; very much the tigress.”

She spun away from him and turned full circle to give him a chance to appreciate the full impact of the sheer gown. He could clearly see the swell of her luscious breasts with their rosy pink nipples as well as her navel and the golden tendrils covering her high mons. When she turned around, even the cleft between her bottom cheeks showed through the material.

Diana knew the effect she had on him and Marcus sensed it was totally calculated and deliberate. She closed the gap between them, but not all the way. She left a tempting few inches between their bodies, knowing he would pull her against him. When he did so, she teased, “Ooh, is that your sword, or are you just pleased to see me?”

“Are your claws sheathed?” he murmured.

“Of course,” she said sweetly.

“That disappoints me. I thought you might be seething with jealousy about last night.”

Her laugh was like a silver bell. “Jealous? I haven’t a jealous bone in my body.”

Marcus grabbed her and pulled her hard against him. “Then what the hell is this performance all about? You are shamefully displaying yourself and acting brittle as glass.” He ground his mouth down on hers to let her know she had succeeded in tempting him beyond his endurance.

“Damn you, Roman, damn you to hellfire!” She
grabbed his black hair in both fists, then bit his lip until she drew blood. “I wanted to kill you!”

Marcus grinned with deep satisfaction. “You little bitch, I love you so much I suspect you have bewitched me with your sorcery. By the balls of Jupiter you have spoiled me for all other women. Surely I don’t have to tell you these things?”

She clung to him wildly. “Yes, I want you to tell me every day and every night—not only tell me, but show me!”

Marcus took her down to the marble floor and laid her back upon the tigress, spreading her hair about her into the tall grass. Then very slowly and deliberately, he told her and showed her exactly how much she meant to him.

When Paullinus departed for the west, taking the newly trained legionaries with him, Marcus had a couple of weeks respite before two more cohorts would arrive to be trained. His own men, who were stationed permanently in Aquae Sulis, had a change from their military duties also. The corps of engineers went back to building roads and aqueducts and erecting public baths where the hot springs bubbled naturally from the earth.