"No, Maia deserves time to reflect." I could be reasonable, even when it hurt. "She is well suited to working in Pa's warehouse and it's doing her good." Maia was keeping Pa's records more truthfully than he did- and learning about the antiques business.

"Pius Aeneas graciously approves!" Helena was sneering. She took a tough line with traditional Roman values.

"I do approve." I was losing, but I stuck to it doggedly. Any head of household tries to stand up to the witch who ties him up in knots.

Plenty of women at our level of society ran businesses. Most started out in partnerships with husbands, then as widows some chose to stay independent. (Independent widows with fears of being cheated were good news for informers. Their children brought in fees too- afraid the widows were planning remarriage with bloodsucking gigolos.) "If Maia does make herself financially independent, she might still want a man in her bed '

"And dear Lucius Petronius/ said Helena wickedly, 'with all that practice, would be adequate!" I decided against commenting. Helena had a warning look in her eye. "I think Maia will want a man in her life, Marcus. But not yet."

"Wrong. Last I saw, Petronius was hanging back. At the Festival of Vertumnus, Maia tried throwing herself at him."

"Petronius was afraid of being hurt. Maia misjudged that. And she herself may be confused, Marcus. For one thing," Helena suggested, 'she had been married a long time, and may have lost her confidence."

"Marriage makes you forget the arts of love?" I scoffed.

Helena Justina looked up at me, straight into my eyes, in a way that was intended to make me wish I had not asked. Both the children were with us; I had to let that pass.

I was sure Maia had not simply mishandled her relationship with Petro. She knew how strongly he felt. She was a straight dealer. She had been all set to start something serious- then she completely backed off. Something made her do that.