The Eagle in the Dovecote by Laura Dowers

Author:Laura Dowers [Dowers, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912968244
Publisher: Blue Laurel Press
Published: 2020-03-27T16:00:00+00:00

The sound of the water rippling as he moved in the bath was supremely soothing. It had been a very trying day for Caius, for he had been required to be sociable and amenable, to accept congratulations and give thanks, and to stuff himself with more food than he had ever allowed himself before. The feast that followed the sacrifice of a goat at the Temple of Liber had been sumptuous and had cost a great deal, Caius knew, his mind briefly wondering how much of a dent it had put in the family accounts, but he accepted it had not been a day on which to be mean.

Caius was glad his mother had noticed his patience growing thin and had encouraged their guests to take their leave. A few, eager to bask in his glory, had taken some persuading, but she had got rid of them all, even his grandmother and uncle, and they were finally alone. Volumnia had told him he should take a bath in case any of the blood from the sacrifice still lingered upon his skin and he obeyed, removing with relief the heavy white toga and tunic, and stepping naked into the hot water upon whose surface pink petals floated.

‘You have made me so very proud, Caius,’ Volumnia said, lying on her side by the bath, her head propped on one hand, the other trailing a sponge in the water.

‘I’m glad, Mother,’ Caius said.

She gestured for him to turn around and he moved so his back was pressed against the bath wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Volumnia squeeze water from the sponge and then it disappeared as she drew it over his shoulders.

‘You received many admiring glances,’ she said as she stroked.

‘From the senators?’ Caius asked with interest.

‘No, you goose, from the girls.’

‘Indeed?’

Volumnia smacked the back of his head with the sponge. ‘Don’t say ‘indeed’ like that, as if you don’t care.’

‘I don’t care,’ Caius said with a shrug, grabbing a handful of petals from the surface of the water and crushing them.

‘You should care, you know, now you’re officially a man.’

‘Why should I care?’

‘Oh, Caius, my dear boy, you must realise you will marry soon.’

‘I haven’t given it any thought.’ What time or use had he for girls? The only girls he knew were sisters of his friends and he barely gave them a second glance.

‘Then it is time you should,’ Volumnia sighed, pushing against his neck to make him lean forward, reaching down to trail the sponge along his spine. ‘You never know, you may fall in love.’

He barked a laugh. ‘No, I won’t.’

‘You sound very sure.’

‘I am sure. I will never love another woman.’

The sponge stopped in the middle of his back. ‘Another woman?’ Volumnia queried.

Caius turned to face her. ‘The only woman I love or will ever love is you, Mother.’

‘I’m talking of a different kind of love, Caius,’ Volumnia smiled, mollified. ‘I cannot be a wife to you.’

‘I know that,’ he said sulkily. ‘But I won’t be much of a husband, will I? I mean, a girl will expect me to love her.

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