A Flame in Byzantium (Atta Olivia Clemens #1) 1

"She is doing much the same," said Simones as he made a reverence to Eugenia.

"The General then? Has there been a change in his condition?" She felt puzzled and worried and when she spoke again, her words came faster than before. "You are disturbing me, Simones."

"Perhaps you might spare me a little time, great lady." He sounded so self-deprecating that Eugenia nearly called him insolent.

"I have other tasks," she said, starting to move away.

"It is important, or I would not have come." He looked at her directly, without any apology. "There are some questions that I hope you will answer for me."

"What questions are those?" Her voice was sharp.

"They are only for your welfare, great lady. You need not fear my motives." He glanced at her majordomo. "If you were to grant me a little time and privacy… ?"

"Oh, if you're determined," she said, her mouth turning down with irritation. "The smaller reception room is this way." She indicated the way as she said to her majordomo, "Isa, leave us alone until I send for you.

There is more than enough work for you and the others. Tend to that while I discover why this slave has come."

"As you speak it is done, great lady," said Isa, making his reverence and withdrawing quickly.

"Very well; tell me." Eugenia was following Simones down the hallway, her patience already wearing thin.

"That is my intention," said Simones as he entered the smaller reception room and closed the door behind Eugenia so that they were alone. "You have not called at the house of my master of late."

"Your mistress is ill," said Eugenia bluntly.

"My mistress is no longer influential," Simones corrected her. "If she had kept her position, you would not have let her illness keep you away."

"Of all the brazen—" Eugenia began indignantly.

"Great lady, if you insist on these performances we will accomplish little." Simones had folded his arms over his wide, muscular chest and he waited while she turned startled eyes on him and fell silent. "You have not come to see Antonina, and she finds this troubling."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but she understands my predicament. She would tell you that herself." Eugenia smiled beguilingly. "If that is what you were sent to tell me, I'm sorry to tell you that Antonina and I have—"

Simones moved a few steps closer to Eugenia. "I think it would be very wise of you to resume your visits."

Eugenia laughed in disbelief. "You think that, do you? You? A slave?"

"Yes. It would be sensible for you to write Antonina a letter, telling her that you have heard that she is not well and that you wish to spend some time with her in spite of the risk you run in terms of making the match you wish to have."

"You are not to speak to me that way!" Eugenia ordered him.

"I will speak to you as I wish," said Simones with contemptuous calm. "And you will listen to me and thank me for what I tell you."

"What nonsense are you—" Eugenia was angry and she spat out the words quickly, her face ugly.

"And you will be rewarded for what you do." He was unperturbed by her outburst.

"By you?" she scoffed.

"By the officers of the Court Censor," said Simones, and waited while Eugenia considered his statement.

Eugenia started toward the door and then stopped. "The Court Censor?"

"Yes."

"What would a slave like you be doing to aid the Court Censor?" She had intended this to be sarcastic, but instead the tone was speculative. Her soft vixen's face grew crafty, almost predatory.

"Think of who I am, great lady, not what I am." He gave her time again. "There are many who want to know what transpires in the house of Belisarius, and there is no direct way they can find out. A man in my position knows many things and the officers of the Censor know this."

"But a slave—" she said with less certainty.

"Who better? You do not think that the Censor finds his servants only among those who are free. I might not be able to testify before magistrates, but what I learn can make investigations possible, and there are others to swear to the accuracy of what I say." He came closer to her, standing less than an arm's length from her. This was a serious breach of correct behavior and was reason enough for Eugenia to have him whipped. "Listen to me, great lady. You and I, working together, can do much. And we will be rewarded."

"If you think I would conspire with a slave, Simones," she warned him, her breath coming faster, "then you have a poor opinion of my character."

Simones laughed outright. "Be as indignant as you want; you will aid me or I will see that the shadow that falls over Antonina falls over you as well."

"You're threatening me?" Her head came up and her gentleness disappeared.

"No, great lady. A slave would never threaten one such as you. I am telling you what will happen, keeping you informed as an honorable slave ought to do." He made a malicious reverence to her. "Do not suppose that I won't, or that I will not be believed."

"You're ridiculous. If this weren't so absurd, I would have you thrashed for offending me." She moved away from him, pulling the folds of her paenula more closely about her.

"Go ahead, if you are willing to throw my assistance away," he offered her with mock generosity. "But you might reconsider, great lady. Who else is there who can aid you now? You are a widow and your means are limited. You have only your sponsor, and he cares little for what happens to you as long as your husband's estate is protected. You have no lover just now—ever since you dismissed Chrysanthos you have not had a lover for more than a few days. Your means are straitened and your prospects are not good." He revealed these unpleasant truths in a conversational way, strolling toward her as he spoke. "You could make good use of the Censor's gratitude. There would be money, undoubtedly. There would also be introductions and endorsements. You do not need me to tell you the advantages that would bring you. You are not going to be lovely forever, and you should keep that in mind when you deal with me."

Eugenia had turned slightly pale at Simones' recitation, but she rallied. "You talk as if I were about to become a pauper and a hag at once."

"Not at once," he said, speaking with great care. "But suppose you were implicated in the conspiracy that my master is suspected of leading? What then? Do you think you could find anyone but an ambitious merchant to marry you? And do you think your sponsor would continue to pay for your support if he thought you had dishonored your husband's memory?" He let his hand trail down Eugenia's arm. "What would you do then, great lady?"

"There is no conspiracy," Eugenia said, pulling away from his touch.

"If the Censor and the Emperor say there is a conspiracy, then, great lady, there is one." He reached out for her again.

"Don't," she snapped.

He sank his fingers into her upper arm. "You can earn the good opinion of the Emperor or you can lose all favor. It is up to you."

"And presumably to you," she added. "Let go of me."

"All in good time, great lady," said Simones, and he smiled at her. "They did not make a girl of me, Eugenia. There is still enough man left of me that you and I could both derive benefit from it." He held her firmly as she tried to rake his face with her nails. "That is foolish."

"Release me!" She struggled in his grip.

"Not just yet, Eugenia." His hands tightened painfully. "You will have bruises if you persist. Stand still and listen to me."

She tried to kick him, but in the long, trailing folds of her garments the impact made little impression. "You cur! You offal!"

"Eugenia," he said as he dragged her close against him. "You will be my ally or you will be nothing."

Whatever additional insults she had been about to speak were silenced. She closed her eyes. "You are humiliating me."

"Good," said Simones. "That is a start." He bent his head and kissed her. "You can do it better than that."

"Please," she begged.

"You will be my ally," he repeated. "You will do what I require of you when I require it, and in the end you will be rewarded. Think of it, Eugenia. You will have a comparatively short time of this—perhaps a year at most—and then you will be free to find yourself another husband, and to enjoy the favor and approval of the Emperor. You will not need a friend like Antonina used to be to obtain introductions and other favor." This time he kissed her with calculated fervor; he opened her mouth with his tongue and he pressed her against him. Only when he felt her respond did he stop.

"You disgust me," Eugenia said.

"You'll get over it," he informed her. "Wait and see; you may even come to like me." He slid his hand down her arm and grasped her hand, drawing it between them. "There; is that enough for you?"