The Roman's Revenge by Caroline Storer

Author:Caroline Storer [Storer, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 25361494
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Published: 2015-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

“I thought you were marrying Pullus?”

Livia looked across to her friend, and shrugged, “So did I.”

Portia's “O” of surprise, would have been amusing in other circumstances, if only for the fact it hadn't been so traumatic a day.

“He’s very handsome.”

“Yes.”

“Yes? Is that all you have to say about your new husband?”

Livia noticed her friend’s demeanour was one of annoyance, and concern for Livia, in equal measures.

“How did you meet?” Portia asked, pushing on with her questioning.

“On the ship to Alexandria.”

This time Portia’s “O” made Livia smile, and she elaborated. “He was the one who rescued me.”

Portia’s expression changed from concern to happiness in an instant, and she clapped her hands in glee. “So it is a love match! How lovely. I’m so pleased-”

“No.” Livia interrupted, cutting off her friend’s exuberance, “No, it isn’t a love match, Portia. Far from it.”

“But I don’t understand?”

Livia sighed, glancing away from Portia, to where Metellus stood talking to her half-brother. By the grim expressions on both their faces, it didn’t appear to be the most cordial of conversations.

Realising Portia deserved an explanation, she glanced back at her friend, meeting the concern evident in her eyes. “I have kept many things back from you, Portia, and for that I am sorry. But suffice to say, Metellus isn’t marrying me because he loves me. He is marrying me to avenge the death of his father. He hates my family, and I can only assume our marriage is based solely on his desire for revenge.”

For a long time Portia said nothing, before she took Livia’s hand in hers. “Oh, Livia, I’m so sorry. I can’t profess to understand all that has happened, but he doesn’t look like a man who will harm you.” She bit her bottom lip in consternation, staring across the room at Metellus, “But you never know…”

Livia smiled at her friend’s words. Typical Portia, she spoke before thinking. “I don’t think he will harm me. He hasn’t up until now.”

“Well that’s good isn’t it? A start of sorts, if you like.” After a small silence fell between them, Portia asked. “Do you know what will happen to you? Where will you go, where you will live?”

“She will live at my farm, and here in Rome once my – our - new villa is built.”

Both women jumped at the words, neither of them having heard Metellus approach, where they sat in the coolness of the atrium.

“I would like a word with you if I may be permitted. In private,” Portia said flatly, before she stood up and placed herself in front of Metellus.

Livia looked up at Portia in surprise. What on earth was her friend up to? But before she could stop her, Portia walked away, and Metellus, not having much choice, followed her.

Livia looked from under her eyelashes to where they stood at the other end of the atrium, Portia talking to him earnestly, her hands lifting and falling in equal measure as she gesticulated whatever she was trying to convey to Metellus.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.