Murder in Megara by Eric Mayer & Eric Mayer

Author:Eric Mayer & Eric Mayer [Reed, Mary & Mayer, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781464204098
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, Inc.
Published: 2015-06-29T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-six

Hypatia was talking with Philip yet again.

From her bedroom window Cornelia could see them standing where the dirt track behind the house passed through a sagging gate in a ruined fence. Hypatia’s basket was full of the herbs she had gathered. Perhaps she was talking to Philip about the herb bed she intended to start, a larger version of the one she had cultivated in the inner garden of John’s house in Constantinople, rather than meeting Philip by arrangement.

At least that was what Cornelia hoped.

Philip was supposed to be patrolling the boundaries of the estate and yet he invariably appeared to meet Hypatia whenever she went out.

Hypatia turned away and continued down the path. Philip followed, gesturing, saying something Cornelia couldn’t hear.

Cornelia pulled herself away from the window, feeling guilty and chagrined at feeling guilty. She certainly had the right to know how her servants were behaving, particularly when it might lead to disruptions in the household. Nevertheless, what she could only admit was spying made her uncomfortable.

She caught the mummified cat staring at her.

“No, Cheops,” she muttered. “No matter how isolated we are here I refuse to start talking to you.”

She went downstairs to the kitchen still contemplating the problem. She could, and probably should, order Hypatia not to spend time with Philip, or ask John to change the young man’s duties. It wouldn’t do to have their only two servants quarreling.

Traveling around the empire as a performer in a troupe had not prepared Cornelia to serve as mistress of a wealthy household, and neither had her years sharing John’s spartan life in the capital where his only servants had been, just as here, Peter and Hypatia.

They were more like family than servants.

Hypatia came in and set her basket down. It looked heavy. She’d dug up herbs by the roots for planting. Her cheeks were red from the exertion of carrying the basket, or from anger or some other strong emotion.

“Are you and Peter…?” Cornelia paused, groping for words that would not seem offensive.

“He’s only a little bruised and scratched and my bump is getting smaller.” Hypatia gingerly touched her head.

“I didn’t mean that. I meant are you…well, it’s been hard for all of us coming here. A big change. And you and Peter have already had a big change in your lives.”

Hypatia bent and settled some plants threatening to fall out of the basket more securely. The mixed scents of the herbs and fresh earth filled the air. “We’re happy, mistress.”

“Sit down, Hypatia. I want to talk with you.”

***

“Certainly I have time to talk to you, Peter. I hope our conversation the other night was helpful.” Abbot Alexis pushed a stack of codices out of the way and regarded Peter, seated on the opposite side of the table in the monastery study. “You remain fretful about this marriage of yours to a younger woman. Is that so?”

Peter nodded

“Are you familiar with the teachings of the apostle Paul?”

“Yes. In fact I have a special fondness for him.” Peter reached into the neck of his tunic and fished out a small, crude coin attached to a string.

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