Fortune Favors

Chapter 8

Sam entered the Atrium of the Domus Quinticus, and he expected to find Sabina waiting for him. Instead, her younger brother Titus greeted him. Sam always thought of Titus as a child, but he had grown into a lanky adolescent who would one day be a fine-looking young man but now resembled a lar

ge puppy. He had his sister's angular features but while she was perpetually glaring, he was wide-eyed and good-natured.

"Hello, cousin," he said. "How fares Lilli?"

"Well, from what I've heard. It shouldn't be long," replied Sam.

"You're so lucky," said Titus. "I only hope I have as even-tempered and beautiful a wife."

Before Sam could answer, the doors to the nearby library flew open.

"Ah, cousin," said Sabina sweetly. "It's so kind of you to come and visit me. Don't pay any mind to Titus. I'm sure he has much to occupy him. His tutors say his Greek is improving."

Sam gave Titus a sympathetic look and entered the library. His cousin shut the door behind him. The two old slave women, Kaia and Aya, who looked after Sabina, sat in the corner. Sam wondered if they would report to Titus that Sabina was being courted, but he doubted it. They belonged to her, and they seemed to ignore her brother most of the time. Although, they also often seemed to be ignoring Sabina.

"Do you have a message?" said Sabina breathlessly.

Sam pulled a small scroll from his leather bag and handed it to her

"Have you ever thought that your brother might not approve of Eolus as a husband?" he asked. Since both their parents were dead, Titus would have to approve of any choice of husband for his sister. Sam couldn't imagine that ever happening given the Hadius family's reputation.

Sabina barely acknowledged Sam's question. Instead, she tucked the scroll into a fold in her dress. "I have something to show you," she said, and she-she produced a letter that had been written on a wax tablet.

"My Greek cousin, from the other side of my family, has come to Rome, and he wants Titus and me to come to dinner at his house. Get this, he's rented the Domus Brutus."

Sam's mouth dropped open, and he grabbed the missive and read it. "You're joking? Is he mad?"

She rolled her eyes. "He's Greek, and so no doubt he thinks he can have the house ritually cleansed of its bad omens. I suppose the Greeks aren't that terribly interested in our politics, but Nico's family benefited from Brutus's betrayal. He and his brothers fought at Actium. For Augustus of course."

Sam began to think, and he started to make a connection. "Why is he here?"

Sabina shrugged. "No idea. Maybe he just wanted to see the sights, but it's probably family business. They're traders." The way Sabina said the word, traders had a slight lilt to it. She had the Roman snobbery that was so commonplace. Traders were far beneath patrician landowners like the Quinticuses on the social ladder, especially Greek ones. The fact that Nicodemus Quinticus's sister had married into a family of Greek traders had been something of a scandal. The fact that the Hadiuses regularly engaged in trade made them something of a scandal as well.

Sam smiled to himself, he wasn't totally sure but this cousin seemed to fit Eolus's description of the young man he was to host. This was perfect. The young man he was tasked to soften up for the negotiations was, in fact, Sabina's cousin from the other side of her family. That was a good omen if there ever was one.

"Do you think he's handsome?" asked Sabina.

Sam looked at the mosaic, which made the young man look like a dark-haired Adonis, with a strong Greek nose and fetching eyes. "It's impossible to tell. No doubt the artist flattered his subject if he was well paid."

Sabina laughed. "That's just what I thought! Well, we'll find out the truth soon enough. I suspect my aunt thinks I should become his wife."

Sabina's tone made it clear she had no intention of marrying her Greek cousin, and Sam made a mental note to make sure the young man did not fall for her charms, such as they were. She would only break his heart, and that would make Sam's task more difficult.

"Oh, Sam," said Sabina sweetly, "if you could manage to mention to your father that Titus wishes me to marry my newly arrived cousin, I would be very grateful."

"I suppose it would be too obvious if you mentioned it in one of your letters," replied Sam, who was feeling quite sorry for the young Greek already.

Being a pawn without realizing it was not enviable.