"Leaving Rome? That's madness!"

"There may not be a job there for him," Helena tried soothing me.

"Oh rats, of course there will! It's an unpopular posting who wants to be stationed downriver at the port, outwitting customs diddlers and duck-billed cargo thieves? Petro's a bloody good officer. The Ostia tribune is bound to jump at him."

I would never forgive my sister.

"Don't blame Maia," said Helena.

"Who mentioned Maia?"

"Your face speaks, Marcus!"

Helena was suckling the baby. Julia was sitting at my feet, repeatedly head butting my shins, annoyed to be no longer the sole object of attention in our house. That was certainly true; I ignored the little darling steadily. Nux chewed at one of my bootstraps.

"Don't be such a hypocrite," Helena enjoyed pretending to be a serene mother, rocking the new baby to sleep in her arms. It was an act; she was placidly thinking up ways to slate me. "Own up. You hated the idea of Petronius and Maia growing close. He was your friend and you refused to share him."

"And she's my sister. Her husband had died suddenly; she was vulnerable. As her head of household' we never counted Pa "I did not want her messed about."

"Oh you admit Petronius has a bad record!" Helena smiled.

"No. Never mind his other women. He has been Maia's dogged follower, while my sister turns out as fickle as a flea."

ISo what do you want?" Helena was easily roused by causes. "That Maia Favonia should move straight from one husband to another, simply because an interested man is available and it is socially convenient? Shall she have no time to readjust after losing the husband we all pretend she loved?" Helena could be very dry and strikingly honest. Loving that tipsy loser Famia had been out of the question; I laughed harshly. Julia whimpered; I reached down and tickled her.