trips to the arenas around Rome, when she had traveled with the master and mistress to gladiatorial matches. She didn’t arrive at the merchant’s stall until the end of the day. She knew she would have to explain her situation carefully to Joseph, if she found him.
A brown-skinned teenage boy manned the stall . “What are you looking for, madam?” he asked after she approached. “Are you searching for a necklace, or a brooch?” He held up a sparking pin with a large green stone. “Real silver,” he said. “Perhaps you would like this.”
Nardine shook her head. “No. I am looking for Joseph, whom I believe owns this shop.”
The boy stared at her. “Who should I say has come?”
“Tell him I am a friend of Abedi’s. His galley friend.”
The boy disappeared into the back of the stall. Nardine waited a few moments, looking around her and wondering what kind of reception she would get. Joseph was her only hope. She knew no one else in the city of Rome who might take her in.
A tall, thin , muscular black man emerged from behind the stall. When he saw Nardine, he looked surprised. “Are you Abedi’s friend? Where is he now? I haven’t heard from him in several years.”
“He is a gladiator at Marcus Antonius’ ludus , which is several miles from here. He has only been there a short time. He worked at another ludus before that.”
“A gladiator! Ah, that does not surprise me,” said Joseph. “He was always the strongest man on the galley crew. But who are you and how have you come to know him? And why have you come to me?”
“I need help,” said Nardine. “I was a slave at the ludus . Abedi helped me to run away. But he was injured from a fight in the arena and could not come with me, at least for now. He said you would help me. You see, I am—I am with child.”
Joseph’s eyes lit up. “Ah, I see. Abedi is to have a small son. We will take care of you. My wife will know what to do. I have two sons of my own, so she is familiar with your situation. It is almost closing time. You will return home with me tonight.”
Nardine smiled gratefully. She did not want to correct Joseph. If he thought the baby belonged to Abedi, perhaps he would be more willing to protect her. She knew that Antonius, and especially Cornelia, would come looking for her. The less Joseph knew, the more protected he would be. She would not tell Joseph about Abedi’s murder of the guard. Better he suspect nothing about his old friend.
Nardine wanted Abedi. He would be able to direct her and would know what to tell Joseph. She wondered what it would be like once the baby was born. She hoped she would see Abedi before that happened.
Chapter Ten
Four months later in the practice yard, Abedi still thought about Nardine every day. He pondered their future together as he jousted with other men. He had no way to communicate with Joseph; no way to even know if Nardine had made it to Joseph’s stall on the Via Appia. The one thing he did know —the master had not located her yet. If that happened, the lanista would be sure to create a giant show before whipping Nardine, pregnant and all, and then selling her. He would make sure everyone in the ludus knew of her fate, to discourage any further escape attempts. Few managed to escape; the master’s minions caught most slaves within a day of them leaving the ludus .
The lanista had questioned Abedi about Nardine, but did not seem to be too concerned about him helping her or killing the guard. Abedi made sure to stay in the lanista ’s good graces. The doctore , unhappy with Abedi’s last loss in the arena, kept insisting he wait to return to the arena. But the physician finally decided Abedi’s leg had healed sufficiently so he might fight. He still had a trace of a limp, but his leg moved much more easily now than it had before. He looked forward to another joust where he could finally claim a victory for this house.
He also looked forward to leaving the
A brown-skinned teenage boy manned the stall . “What are you looking for, madam?” he asked after she approached. “Are you searching for a necklace, or a brooch?” He held up a sparking pin with a large green stone. “Real silver,” he said. “Perhaps you would like this.”
Nardine shook her head. “No. I am looking for Joseph, whom I believe owns this shop.”
The boy stared at her. “Who should I say has come?”
“Tell him I am a friend of Abedi’s. His galley friend.”
The boy disappeared into the back of the stall. Nardine waited a few moments, looking around her and wondering what kind of reception she would get. Joseph was her only hope. She knew no one else in the city of Rome who might take her in.
A tall, thin , muscular black man emerged from behind the stall. When he saw Nardine, he looked surprised. “Are you Abedi’s friend? Where is he now? I haven’t heard from him in several years.”
“He is a gladiator at Marcus Antonius’ ludus , which is several miles from here. He has only been there a short time. He worked at another ludus before that.”
“A gladiator! Ah, that does not surprise me,” said Joseph. “He was always the strongest man on the galley crew. But who are you and how have you come to know him? And why have you come to me?”
“I need help,” said Nardine. “I was a slave at the ludus . Abedi helped me to run away. But he was injured from a fight in the arena and could not come with me, at least for now. He said you would help me. You see, I am—I am with child.”
Joseph’s eyes lit up. “Ah, I see. Abedi is to have a small son. We will take care of you. My wife will know what to do. I have two sons of my own, so she is familiar with your situation. It is almost closing time. You will return home with me tonight.”
Nardine smiled gratefully. She did not want to correct Joseph. If he thought the baby belonged to Abedi, perhaps he would be more willing to protect her. She knew that Antonius, and especially Cornelia, would come looking for her. The less Joseph knew, the more protected he would be. She would not tell Joseph about Abedi’s murder of the guard. Better he suspect nothing about his old friend.
Nardine wanted Abedi. He would be able to direct her and would know what to tell Joseph. She wondered what it would be like once the baby was born. She hoped she would see Abedi before that happened.
Chapter Ten
Four months later in the practice yard, Abedi still thought about Nardine every day. He pondered their future together as he jousted with other men. He had no way to communicate with Joseph; no way to even know if Nardine had made it to Joseph’s stall on the Via Appia. The one thing he did know —the master had not located her yet. If that happened, the lanista would be sure to create a giant show before whipping Nardine, pregnant and all, and then selling her. He would make sure everyone in the ludus knew of her fate, to discourage any further escape attempts. Few managed to escape; the master’s minions caught most slaves within a day of them leaving the ludus .
The lanista had questioned Abedi about Nardine, but did not seem to be too concerned about him helping her or killing the guard. Abedi made sure to stay in the lanista ’s good graces. The doctore , unhappy with Abedi’s last loss in the arena, kept insisting he wait to return to the arena. But the physician finally decided Abedi’s leg had healed sufficiently so he might fight. He still had a trace of a limp, but his leg moved much more easily now than it had before. He looked forward to another joust where he could finally claim a victory for this house.
He also looked forward to leaving the
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