The Barbarian's Mistress (9 page)

With that realisation, she smiled and allowed herself to drift back into sleep.

When she woke again it was to find Vali gone. She jerked upright and scanned their campsite for some sign of him. He wouldn’t leave her, would he? Certainly, he was angry enough to do so yesterday, but then they’d had those moments in the storm. Surely they meant he felt enough for her to stay? At least until Pompeii.

She struggled to her feet and began to search in earnest. The horses were gone!

Just as she felt panic rising, she caught sight of him in the distance, watering the horses at the canal. It was pre-dawn, and no canal boats had started to move along the waterway yet. And she knew there weren’t any other travellers camped nearby. Vali always made sure of that. So once again she was struck by their utter isolation. It was as if they were the only two people in this marshy world.

Taking the opportunity to relieve herself, she hurried into the trees. Then she began to sort out their possessions from under the carrus. Surprisingly, the storm had not reached them and everything was in good order. She pulled out a spare tunic and undergarments from her bag. The clothes she wore were filthy and damp, smelling as foul as the marshland itself. If anyone who had known Anniana saw her now, they wouldn’t recognise her.

With quick efficiency, she removed her clammy clothing, feeling the fresh morning air caress her bare skin. Soaking a little of their fresh water onto the edge of her discarded tunic she washed her body as best she could. Then she donned the fresh, dry clothing. Finally, she unbound her hair and ran her comb through the tangled mess. It was filthy, and no amount of daubing at it with the edge of cloth would change that. But at least with it combed and rebound, she looked tidy. Lara was complete.

She heard the horses before she saw them, bent over their food stocks as she was. When she looked up, fearful of what she would see, her heart gave a little dance. Vali grinned at her, his face freshly washed, his beard shaved. Even his hair was damp and combed flat. And he had donned a fresh tunic, just as she had.

‘Ah, I see you had my idea. Smelling like the swamp was getting to me.’ Vali tethered the horses to a nearby tree and came to sit on the blanket with her.

‘I just needed clean, dry clothes,’ she said with a tentative smile, carefully feeling her way with his mood. He seemed to be the gentle Vali, but who knew how long that would last?

Vali accepted a slab of bread soaked in oil with a chunk of roast meat on the top. He wolfed it down as if he hadn’t eaten for weeks. Then he drained a mug of watered wine.

‘That’s better,’ he said as he reclined beside her on the rug that had so recently been their bed. ‘I didn’t get to eat last night and my stomach was complaining about it.’

‘More? There’s still plenty.’

He nodded and watched with a contented smile as she prepared him another offering. She had already eaten as much of the meat as she could stand and
managed some stale bread, soaked in oil to soften it up. At home she rarely ate meat. Her kind heart rebelled against the slaughter of animals for food. But on the road, it seemed necessary. And there was something pleasing about eating meat they had cooked themselves over an open fire.

‘We should only be an hour or two away from Tarracina. By midday we should have found a ship that will take us south.’

Her heart sunk. Vali was still determined to cut their journey short. He was still keen to be rid of her. There was nothing she could say or do to change his mind, so she refilled their earthenware mug and drank down the watered wine.

‘If there’s time, we might be able to find a bathhouse. How would you feel about getting properly clean?’ It was as if he was offering her a peace offering, to make up for his desire to get rid of her.

‘That would be very nice,’ she mumbled, as she began to pack up their food and stow it away under the carrus seat.

Chapter Eight

23 August 79CE Tarracina
, LATIUM

Just as Vali had predicted, the coastal town of Tarracina was just two hours away. It spread up the hillside on the southern side of the headland, above the sapphire blue harbour. Its sunbleached, flat-roofed houses looked white and pristine in the early morning light.

They had already passed vehicles heading north, out of the town. Most people looked anything but happy to be on the road again. Though Vali continued to greet these passing travellers, their perfunctory responses seemed to be telling her that they were as tired of travelling as she was.

The first thing Vali did was find a livery stable where he bargained a good price for their carrus and horses. As he added the handful of gold coins to his small purse, which he carried tied to his belt, he smiled his satisfaction at her.

‘Not bad. I didn’t expect to get
that sort of money for them. I suppose few people sell their animals mid-journey, but others who find a horse pull up lame would put a premium price on any sound beast they could find.’

She nodded and picked up her carry-all and another bag that held their food. Vali quickly took the carry-all from her and handed her the horse blanket instead.

‘This has our gold. In case there are thieves around, I’ll keep this close. It’s too heavy for you anyway.’

Again she nodded and turned to look in the direction of the township proper. It looked just like the la
st town they passed, except here the air was fresh with the smell of the sea rather than the dank odours of the marshes.

Following a little behind Vali’s long, energetic strides, she watched the people as they passed. They seemed less harassed than their city cousins, and better fed for the most part. Children played in the narrow lanes while their mothers hung fresh washing from lines suspended between buildings overhead.

It didn’t take long to find the Forum, and it was already in full swing: vendors trying to attract the attention of passing trade; live animals in cages honking, squawking or chattering; little, barefoot children running from one table of goods to the next, laughing as they dodged and hid from their friends.

The shipping agents were all located together at the dockside end of the forum. From them Vali quickly discovered what ships were heading south to Stabiae that day, and the comparative costs for such a journey. Once he’d established a suitable vessel, a small coastal craft called the
Minerva
, and the approximate time of its departure, he led the way to the dockside to find the ship’s master and make their booking.

Having seen the harbour at Ostia
, with its hundreds of vessels in dock, the tiny port of Tarracina seemed insignificant to Lara. There were only a handful of small merchant ships tied up at the dock or moored in the harbour. It was easy enough to find the
Minerva
, with its name carved into each side of the stern post.

While Lara stayed with their pile of possessions, at a little distance from Vali and the master, she watched the ships being loaded and unloaded. Slaves carried huge amphorae, tied by rope to wooden beams, which they carried across their shoulders. The weight seemed more than many of them could bear. Their faces were filthy and sad, as if they carried the weight of the world on their shoulders, not just earthenware pots.

‘That’s done. They set sail as soon as they’ve finished loading. Less than an hour. Thirty nine denarii each. I’ll get you settled and then run back up to the forum and buy some fresh bread and fruit. We’ll reach Neopolis just before dark, if the wind holds, he told me. We’ll spend the night onshore and then set sail at dawn. We’ll reach Stabiae, Pompeii’s port town, a couple of hours later.’

He hefted their bags over his shoulder and led the way up the gangplank. One of the crew indicated a space on the deck where they could settle themselves. There were already other passengers moving about, trying not to get in the way of the slaves who were loading the hold. Lara smiled shyly at several women passengers who studied her curiously.

Their space was directly forward of the deckhouse on the poop deck. Unlike many of the other passengers, they had no canvas to provide cover for them. Vali folded the horse blanket in half so it was just wide enough for them both to lie close together on it, and wedged the rest of their possessions against the deckhouse.

‘Keep this close. You’ll be safe here, but don’t let the bag out of your sight,’ Vali told her softly, before taking off at a fast jog back up the dock toward the forum on the hill.

‘Your man is very athletic,’ said a middle-aged woman reclining on her thick mattress a little way distant from Lara. She was very thin, and her eyes had dark circles under them. Frizzy black hair was arranged artfully around her face. When she smiled her rotten teeth were evident.

‘Yes, he is.’ Lara knew that she needed to be polite, so as not to attract too much attention, but this woman frightened her. A
nd her smile, when she looked at Vali, reminded her of her mother’s.

‘Where are you lovebirds headed?’

‘Pompeii. To Vali’s patron’s villa.’

‘Not master? Are you liberti then?’

‘Yes. Vali was recently freed and will repay his ex-master by managing his estate.’ Lara had to think fast to come up with a suitable story. They hadn’t discussed what they’d say to people if they asked, only that they’d call themselves married and freedmen.

‘Smart too? Well, little bird, you’re the lucky one ain’t you? I wouldn’t mind having that young buck warmin’ my bed at night. Sire good, strong sons on you too, I’d be guessin’. He’s from Germania ain’t he?’

‘Ah… yes,’ she answered uncertainly. These questions were getting too personal, she needed to redirect the conversation, or risk being caught out. ‘Where are you headed?’

‘Oh, me and my husband, Petrius, are returning to Messana. Petrius is a wine dealer and he was looking for new outlets in Rome. I came along to visit my sister who lives in the city. Are you from Rome?’

‘No… No, we’re from a villa in the Albion Hills south of Rome. Is Messana a nice town?’

‘Nice enough. Small. Maybe twice the size of this little town… Oh, that was quick, your man’s back with bread and cheese already. You’ll eat well today.’

‘Vali eats a lot,’ she found herself confiding.

‘Well, there’s a lot of him to feed. There’s my Petrius talking to the ship’s mate.’ She pointed at a short, skinny man with a badly receding forehead. ‘What he lacks in size he makes up for in enthusiasm, if you get my drift.’ The woman sniggered.

Lara didn’t get her drift, but she nodded and smiled to give the impression she did. Then she was able to focus her attention on Vali, who had just leapt down off the gang plank and was heading toward her. He seemed happier than she’d seen him since they’d met.

‘I got some cheese as well as fruit. I thought you’d prefer that to the left-over pork,’ Vali said, dropping down at her side, his big back resting against the deckhouse.

‘Lovely, thankyou. The crew seemed to be getting ready to sail.’

‘Yes, I just got back in time. The south westerly breeze is getting up nicely. We’ll probably g
et up to 4 or 5 leagues an hour running with it.’ Vali’s face was alive with interest as he watched the crew scurrying around the deck, hoisting the topsail, the square mainsail and the smaller foresail that extended at an angle from the prow of the ship. The crew of six men worked in perfect synchronicity, to edge the craft away from the dock and out into the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Lara finally understood Vali’s happiness. It had nothing to do with getting rid of her faster, as she’d assumed. It was being back on the sea that pleased him. She’d forgotten that he was a seafarer.

‘How long has it been since you were at sea?’ she asked with a smile.

‘A long, long time. Since they brought me to Rome.’

‘You’ve missed it.’ She didn’t bother making it a question.

‘I have, more than I realised. Different to sailing a long ship, but feeling the wind in your sails… that’s the same.’ He grinned at her, his face years younger, suddenly.

‘I told that woman over there, no don’t look,’ she said softly, leaning in so her mouth was inches from his ear, ‘that you were going to manage your patron’s estate in Pompeii, and that we come from a villa in the Albion Hills. She thinks you will sire strong sons on me.’

Vali laughed loudly
for the first time. Lara couldn’t help staring at him in astonishment.

‘What?’ he said between roars.

‘You’re laughing loudly.’

‘So? No one on this ship will care.’

‘I know. It’s just that… it doesn’t matter.’

‘It’s just what?’ He stared down at her, and the morning sun made his clear blue eyes sparkle. In that moment, he looked so handsome he took her breath away. And she realised, with a start, that the swelling and bruises on his face were almost gone. What was left didn’t mar his masculine beauty at all. In fact, it enhanced it.

‘Lara, what does it matter if I laugh loudly?’

‘It doesn’t… it’s just that you never laugh like that. Out loud like that. You always chuckle, as if you’re keeping a tight rein on your amusement.’

He fell silent and thoughtful for a few moments. Then he grinned. ‘I guess I never felt happy like this before…’

‘I’m glad you’re happy. I’m glad you’re free now. Where will you go after you leave me… with Severus? Back to your people?’

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the blistered wall of the deckhouse. His face was closed now too, and she was afraid she’d said something to drive the happiness away.

‘I’ve thought about what to do. Your father has been very generous. I’ve more than enough to start a new life anywhere I want. But I don’t think I’d go home. There’s nothing for me there. I’d be called a coward for surviving. I might take your father up on his offer and manage his Britannia estate… I don’t know.’

‘Britannia. It’s such a long way away. I’d never see you again.’ She tried not to sound heartbroken because that would annoy him. But the truth was, now that she had him back in her life, she didn’t want to lose him. She wanted to help him find and keep the other Vali, the one who wasn’t angry all the time.

‘Never is a long time. A lot can happen. You never expected to see me again, four years ago, and then up I popped, like a bad dupondius. I may do it again when you’re a mother with three lively sons. I might become their tutor. Teach them to sail the seas in search of their fortune.’ He grinned at her, to show he was joking.

But Lara was sad. She knew that once he’d delivered her to her new husband, she would never see him again. Was it harder to let him go this time? No, not when she knew he was free. But she would miss him, nevertheless.

The stiff breeze kept up all morning and well into the afternoon. The sun burned brightly in the cerulean sky, but because of the coolness of the wind, Lara barely felt its sting. For all that, Vali made her don her colourful headdress to protect her face and arms. She got many strange looks from the other women passengers, but when Vali told them the why of it, they seemed to be more accepting.

Vali spent the bulk of his time standing at the rail, watching the sails fill with wind, letting his legs move with the pitching deck. Lara spent most of the time sitting with her back against the deckhouse, trying to control her fear. She’d never been on water like this before, and the pitch and roll of the deck was terrifying. The only thing that kept her from panicking was the obvious enjoyment Vali was having. Surely, if they were about to sink, he wouldn’t be grinning like a loon.

At one point during the morning, the ship’s master walked past Vali. She caught there exchange on a gust of wind.

‘You’ve got your sea legs,’ the master said. ‘You’re a seafarer?’

‘Was. Many years ago.’

‘Once the sea’s in your blood, it stays, no matter how many years ashore you spend.’

Vali simply nodded his agreement, and the master went on his way. Was the master right? Was the sea in Vali’s blood? Would he never be truly happy unless he was aviking, as he called it? If that was the case, then it was unlikely he would ever be satisfied with managing her father’s estate in Britannia. He would always want to go to sea.

By mid-afternoon they’d sailed between an island and a rocky point, passed by a luxurious town called Misenum, and docked in the small harbour of Neopolis.

As they gathered their belonging
s, the Ship’s Master announced they would be setting sail at first light, and that all passengers continuing on would need to be aboard by then.

Lara was glad to have solid land beneath her feet again, but was bemused when she felt it tilt and tip under her.

‘What?’ Vali said when she stopped for the third time since they left the dock.

‘The ground is moving.’

He laughed. ‘That happens. Your body is used to the pitching of the ship and so it tells you the land is now pitching. It will pass. Come on, we need to find ourselves an inn for the night. The Master told me of one a few streets back from the docks. He said the beds don’t have bugs and the innkeeper won’t cheat us, so that’s all we can hope for. It’ll be good to have a bed and a bath won’t it?’