Truth and Honor by Carol Ashby

Author:Carol Ashby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cerrillo Press

Chapter 38: Only Goodbye for Now

Martina’s town house, Carthago, evening of Day 26

When Myrtis held out the plate of pastries stuffed with crushed dates and drizzled with honey, Martina took it and selected the smallest one. The first bite filled her mouth with a delightful taste and the perfect texture.

“Excellent. These are as tasty as the ones your mother makes.”

A beaming smile lit the girl’s eyes. “I’m glad you like them, Mistress.”

“I do. You can go tell Colina what I just said.”

The girl dipped her head and headed for the kitchen, still grinning.

Martina held out the plate to Uncle Volero. “This is her first time making these, and knowing you’d be eating them, too, had her scared half to death that she’d do something wrong.”

Uncle took a large one and sank his teeth into it. “I’ve missed Colina’s pastries. Maybe when her daughter is fully trained, I’ll want to buy the girl back.” He took a second bite. “But you’d probably tell me you’d never sell anyone in your household since you got them believing like you do.”

“You’re right.” Her tongue caught the honey that tried to drip off. “A Christian familia is real family, not just household servants and slaves.”

“And you’d never send any of them back under my wife’s control.” He finished off his first selection. “I don’t blame you, but maybe I can borrow Colina sometimes when I want to impress a special guest.”

He licked some honey off his finger. “Speaking of special guests, last night I had Paternus and a senior senator from Rome dine with me. Glabrio was supposed to join us, but he never came.”

He reached for another pastry. “But dining with an old politician, even a Roman one, wouldn’t entertain him as much as you could. He’s asked more than once when you’ll be joining us again.”

He bit off the corner and licked the honey off his lips. “Or maybe he was afraid you’d be there. He’d have to explain why he didn’t show at your dinner the night before.”

“I wouldn’t have asked him. That would make him think I missed his company, which I didn’t.”

“Well, I did. It was a small gathering with a lot of talk about imperial politics that don’t involve Carthago. I would have found it more amusing to watch my daughters try to entertain a man who finds them childish and boring. Artoria’s attempts at flattery can sorely test any polite young man’s ability to keep his eyes from rolling.”

Uncle’s demonstration drew her smile.

“He has come close to showing what he was thinking when the three of them started saying unkind things about why you chose to live here instead of with me.”

Martina selected another small pastry. “You must know it’s not because of anything you’ve done. When Grandfather and Juliana were there, it was a peaceful haven where anyone who came felt welcome. With Priscilla and Sufina bickering all the time and Artoria finding fault with everyone and everything…I could ignore what was directed at me.” She fingered Juliana’s bracelet.

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