To Love Again - Bertrice Small [14]
His hand went to his heart, and he said, “The sight of you, my lady Antonia, gives me comprehension at long last of why Britain’s women are so famed for their beauty. I prostrate myself at your feet.”
Antonia’s mouth made a small round O of delight, while the other girls pressing in on Quintus Drusus gaped with surprise. Then the handsome young Roman took Antonia Porcius by the arm and requested that she show him the gardens. The couple walked slowly from the group, seemingly enraptured by each other’s company, while those left behind stared in amazement.
“Is there madness in your family, Cailin Drusus?” Nona Claudius asked, her tone one of a young lady most put out.
“Whatever possessed you to introduce Antonia Porcius to such an eligible man?” demanded Barbara Julius.
“And whatever does he see in her?” Elysia Octavius wondered aloud. “We are younger and prettier by far.”
“I did not mean to distress you,” Cailin said innocently. “I simply felt sorry for poor Antonia. I just learned that she is divorced. Sextus, her husband, ran off with a slave girl. I but sought to cheer her up by introducing her to my cousin. I certainly never thought he would be attracted to her. She is older than all of us, and you are correct, Elysia, when you observed that we are all prettier.” Cailin shrugged. “There is no accounting for men’s taste in women. Perhaps Quintus will quickly become bored with her and come back to you all.”
“If your villa were not the most remote of all of our homes from Corinium, Cailin, you would have known about Antonia’s divorce,” Barbara told her irritably. “Frankly, none of us blames poor Sextus Scipio. Antonia is selfish beyond bearing. Whatever she sees and desires, she must have. Sextus claimed he was being driven to poverty by her. If he denied her anything, her father would upbraid him. She is not a good mother, and she is cruel to her slaves, my father says. Ohh, she is sweet and charming when she gets her own way, but when she doesn’t, beware! She wanted Sextus Scipio because he was the most handsome and the richest man about. Once she had lured him into her trap, however, she became once more what she really is, a spoilt little bitch. You should really warn your cousin.”
“I hear,” Nona Claudius said, lowering her voice so the other girls were forced to lean forward, “that although Antonia got her husband’s estate, his goods, and chattel, that Sextus Scipio and his little mistress escaped with much gold and other coin. My father was his banker, you know. He says that Sextus Scipio had been transferring funds abroad for months now. Antonia’s not telling anyone that. She’s put it right from her mind. The thought of her husband getting away to live happily ever after in comfort is frankly more than she can bear.”
“She is obviously casting her nets for a new husband,” Barbara said in annoyed tones, “and once again it is the most handsome man in the province. I suppose he is rich, too. I don’t know why Antonia has all the luck!”
“He’s not rich at all,” Cailin told them, hoping to frighten them off and further Antonia’s cause. “He is the youngest son of my father’s cousin in Rome. It is a very big family. There was nothing left for poor Quintus. Father felt sorry for him, and asked his cousin Manius to send Quintus to us. Then he gave him the river villa along with all its lands. Of course, he will loan him slaves to work the lands and keep the orchard, but my cousin Quintus has very little but his handsome face to recommend him.”
“Antonia’s lands match those of the river villa,” Nona said. “When