Quintus said. “After I bathe we’ll go there, and I’ll present you to your new husband.”
Quintus didn’t want to get the dust on his clothes onto Cassia, so he gently kissed the top of her head.
“I love you, my girl,” he said, as he smiled down at her.
She smiled back as always, glad to hear those words. Cassia’s heart was good, but Flavius thought it was too good. She merely accepted the awful things that happened to her as a part of a normal life. A girl in Rome was her father’s property. Even when she married, she still belonged to her father and he still had power over her. Cassia had been raised to believe this, as had all the girls of Rome. As Flavius looked at her dressed in her bridal finery, he still couldn’t believe that someone so precious could be sold for so little by someone professing to love her.
As Quintus walked through the atrium, he could see Agatha lying half on the floor and half on the couch. Her gown was pulled up around her bottom, and her legs were spread open. She was still drunk from the night before. Quintus looked at her in disgust. He would have to consider divorcing her after he had Cassia safely married to Cicero Gaius. Then he could take a younger bride, one who might present him with a son. He summoned a servant to prepare his bath and went to his room to disrobe.
Cassia sat in the shop with Flavius and Novia. She was quite anxious. Without Flavius and Novia, she didn’t know if she’d survive. Novia reached out for her hand and could feel her shaking.
“Will you come with me in the litter?” Cassia asked her.
“If your father will let me, I will.” Novia kept holding in the tears. There would be plenty of time for that later. Right now she had to be strong for Cassia.
Cassia could see the litters arriving in front of the shop. She held Novia’s hand harder, and now grabbed Flavius’ as well. She was shaking all over. Quintus came into the shop dressed in his finest linen toga. He clapped his hands. As he grabbed Cassia’s hand, he could feel her shaking and saw her lower lip trembling.
“What’s this? Oh, no, dear girl. This is a day to celebrate. Cicero Gaius is a good man. He’ll treat you well, I promise.” His face grew serious. “Please, don’t do this, Cassia.”
“Why, because it makes you feel guilty?” Flavius said. When Quintus looked at him, Flavius stared right back. His look was hard, making Quintus feel ashamed.
“You watch yourself, Flavius. You have a good life here. Don’t jeopardize it.” Quintus stared at Flavius, waiting for the other man to back down, but he didn’t.
“Well, we have to go now. Come, Cassia.”
Cassia clung to Novia.
“Cassia, we must be going,” he said, pulling her arm. “Woman, let go of her.”
“I’m not holding her!” Novia cried.
Quintus reached for Cassia’s other hand and pulled her from the shop. He lifted her into the litter while she struggled to get out.
“No, father, please, don’t make me marry him. I refuse! He is of bad character. I won’t marry him.”
Quintus looked at her in amazement. She’d never defied him before. They were in the street with people watching, and what she was saying was true. If Cicero Gaius was found to be of bad character, she could refuse him. Quintus knew full well that Cicero Gaius was of bad character, but he’d deluded himself into believing that Cassia’s goodness would change him. It was the only way he could go through with the marriage. Now he could see his dreams slipping away, and he would have none of it.
“You are my daughter and you will do as I say!” He pushed her into the litter and told the carriers to go, that he would follow.
Cassia sobbed into the pillows lining the litter. She was so heartbroken. Why would her father do this to her? In all her twelve years, she had never been without her family - Novia and Flavius.
Quintus didn’t want to get the dust on his clothes onto Cassia, so he gently kissed the top of her head.
“I love you, my girl,” he said, as he smiled down at her.
She smiled back as always, glad to hear those words. Cassia’s heart was good, but Flavius thought it was too good. She merely accepted the awful things that happened to her as a part of a normal life. A girl in Rome was her father’s property. Even when she married, she still belonged to her father and he still had power over her. Cassia had been raised to believe this, as had all the girls of Rome. As Flavius looked at her dressed in her bridal finery, he still couldn’t believe that someone so precious could be sold for so little by someone professing to love her.
As Quintus walked through the atrium, he could see Agatha lying half on the floor and half on the couch. Her gown was pulled up around her bottom, and her legs were spread open. She was still drunk from the night before. Quintus looked at her in disgust. He would have to consider divorcing her after he had Cassia safely married to Cicero Gaius. Then he could take a younger bride, one who might present him with a son. He summoned a servant to prepare his bath and went to his room to disrobe.
Cassia sat in the shop with Flavius and Novia. She was quite anxious. Without Flavius and Novia, she didn’t know if she’d survive. Novia reached out for her hand and could feel her shaking.
“Will you come with me in the litter?” Cassia asked her.
“If your father will let me, I will.” Novia kept holding in the tears. There would be plenty of time for that later. Right now she had to be strong for Cassia.
Cassia could see the litters arriving in front of the shop. She held Novia’s hand harder, and now grabbed Flavius’ as well. She was shaking all over. Quintus came into the shop dressed in his finest linen toga. He clapped his hands. As he grabbed Cassia’s hand, he could feel her shaking and saw her lower lip trembling.
“What’s this? Oh, no, dear girl. This is a day to celebrate. Cicero Gaius is a good man. He’ll treat you well, I promise.” His face grew serious. “Please, don’t do this, Cassia.”
“Why, because it makes you feel guilty?” Flavius said. When Quintus looked at him, Flavius stared right back. His look was hard, making Quintus feel ashamed.
“You watch yourself, Flavius. You have a good life here. Don’t jeopardize it.” Quintus stared at Flavius, waiting for the other man to back down, but he didn’t.
“Well, we have to go now. Come, Cassia.”
Cassia clung to Novia.
“Cassia, we must be going,” he said, pulling her arm. “Woman, let go of her.”
“I’m not holding her!” Novia cried.
Quintus reached for Cassia’s other hand and pulled her from the shop. He lifted her into the litter while she struggled to get out.
“No, father, please, don’t make me marry him. I refuse! He is of bad character. I won’t marry him.”
Quintus looked at her in amazement. She’d never defied him before. They were in the street with people watching, and what she was saying was true. If Cicero Gaius was found to be of bad character, she could refuse him. Quintus knew full well that Cicero Gaius was of bad character, but he’d deluded himself into believing that Cassia’s goodness would change him. It was the only way he could go through with the marriage. Now he could see his dreams slipping away, and he would have none of it.
“You are my daughter and you will do as I say!” He pushed her into the litter and told the carriers to go, that he would follow.
Cassia sobbed into the pillows lining the litter. She was so heartbroken. Why would her father do this to her? In all her twelve years, she had never been without her family - Novia and Flavius.
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