Selene of Alexandria (40 page)

She squeezed his arm. "You do so much more for me, Father. This loss helped me realize how truly blessed I am with my family."

Calistus smiled gently as they ascended the steps in easy stages. He fell asleep in the litter home.

Selene resumed her apprenticeship with Mother Nut, throwing herself into the work during the next week. She gradually let go her feeling of having failed Honoria; and comforted herself with the knowledge she had saved Honoria's son.

This particularly long day she came home exhausted and filthy. She gave her cloak to a servant and went immediately to the bathing room. She stood stripped ready to enter the hot water when Rebecca arrived.

"Your father wants to see you right away."

Selene looked longingly at the bath and jar of massage oil. "Can't it wait till after my soak? I stink of onions and smoke."

"He said it was very important and I should fetch you to his office as soon as you arrived home." Rebecca smiled. "Though I'm sure he will wait while you dress."

Selene sighed while Rebecca helped her back into her filthy tunic and robes. "Keep the water hot for me," she said to the waiting servant.

They traversed the warren of private quarters down the stairs to the public rooms. Rebecca denied knowing what was so important. Selene entered her father's study almost breathless. He sat at his desk, holding a piece of paper, looking inordinately pale.

Chapter 31

She was to appear the next day at mid-morning.

Calistus' hands trembled. "What is this about, Selene?"

"I don't know, Father. You saw Lady Arete's grief at Honoria's funeral. Perhaps she wishes someone to blame for Honoria's death."

"Or perhaps Ision has some twisted scheme in mind. The man has gotten entirely above himself. How dare he drag my daughter down to the Prefect's office like a common criminal?"

"Not so common, Father, if the Prefect conducts the inquest. If not for your position, I might already be condemned before a magistrate."

"Ision has no right to accuse you of anything other than saving his grandson."

Selene absently fingered the broken wax seal as her father vented his anger. Had she contributed to her friend's death? Had her feelings for Antonius influenced her actions some way?

No. Melania had not faulted her.

When her father took a breath, Selene rose from the bench with renewed determination.

"I'll send someone to help you to the solarium, Father, and will join you there for dinner." She indicated her filthy robes. "After I'm bathed and more suitably attired." Selene kissed him lightly on his bald spot. "Don't worry. Orestes is a fair man. This is just a misunderstanding."

Rebecca helped her dress in sober clothes for the inquest – a dark blue dalmatica, with rich but subdued embroidery, over a long-sleeved tunic. No belt showed off her womanly attributes, but a voluminous wrap of snowy white doubled as a head covering. She chose small gold earrings shaped like lucky scarabs, and a matching bracelet from her mother's jewelry. Rebecca applied subtle cosmetics to enhance her pallor and draw attention to her eyes, but not so obvious she could be accused of vanity.

In the bronze mirror, Selene looked older than her almost seventeen. Rebecca studied her critically, twitched a piece of the wrap into a more appealing drape, and pronounced her ready. Then she pulled Selene into a fierce hug, undoing all her careful arrangements, and whispered, "This is all a mistake. You'll be back safe this afternoon. We're all praying for you."

Selene mumbled thanks and fled to the vestibule. Her father sat on a bench by the door, dressed in his best robes, bedecked with the honors of his office. He looked so frail. Selene wished to spare her father the ordeal of this day. If only Phillip, or even Nicaeus, were here. But Phillip couldn't be reached for several days and it would take as many to return. In his last letter, Nicaeus had told of being posted to the Thracian border. She said a silent prayer for the safety of both her wandering brothers.

Calistus used a walking stick to rise. His steely eyes reminded her he was a man of substance in this city and not just her beloved father. "Come, Daughter. It's a father's duty to protect his family. Let's sort out this affair and restore my good name."

"Of course, Father."

She offered her arm and they exited to the street. A litter took them to the central government building, a massive but elegant pile of marble–faced limestone, located on the agora. The tops of the Greek columns, carved with Egyptian plants and animals, towered four stories above Selene's head. She had walked by the building many times, but never had occasion to enter the imposing legal center of the province.

She felt dwarfed.

They entered a cavernous waiting hall with benches pushed against the wall. Small groups of people milled about, talking to their advocates or awaiting the opportunity to speak to a magistrate. Clerks carrying messages and books scurried purposefully from one room to the next.

Calistus indicated a side corridor. "The Prefect's offices are this way."

They moved leisurely to accommodate the ailing man, and entered a smaller, much better appointed anteroom. There were carved benches with cushions, elaborate floor murals of Poseidon and his sea creatures, and stucco walls decorated with beautiful paintings of Nile scenes. In one corner, atop a wooden chest delicately inlaid with ivory, was a silver tray holding dates, figs and a glazed pitcher with matching goblets.

Ision, Arete, Urbib and several servants took up one side of the room. Ision was deep in conversation with a small man in monk's robes. Antonius and his father Lysis stood by the chest drinking wine. Seeing them enter, Lysis strode over, clasped Calistus' forearm, murmured and led him to a bench. Urbib pointedly ignored Selene's brief bow in their direction, but Arete glared with the baleful gaze of a wild dog protecting its kill.

Antonius approached, face haggard, shadows around his eyes and bitter lines at the corners of his mouth.

"Antonius," Selene spoke in low tones, "I wish we met under happier circumstances. How fares your son?"

Antonius reached toward Selene then vaguely waved his hand in the air instead. "Despite the terrors of his birth, the child thrives. The wet nurse tells me he has a lusty appetite."

"I'm pleased." Selene's smile turned anxious. "Antonius, what do Honoria's parents accuse me of? Why are you here?"

"I am implicated as well."

"Implicated in what?"

Antonius took a deep breath. "Ision was waiting when I returned from escorting you home that night. Urbib convinced him he could have saved Honoria's life, and you were incompetent or possibly had criminal motives. I explained how you saved the baby when Arete stormed in, clothes in disarray, streaming tears. She screamed at me not to defend you, using names I would not repeat to your face. I left her to Ision to control.

"All seemed well the next morning, so I put it down to Arete's grief. The day after Honoria's funeral, Ision asked me to leave his house and wouldn't let me take the child." His mouth quirked upward. "Knowing how shrewd Ision is, I suspect him of taking advantage of Urbib's professional jealousy and his wife's grief to take control of the baby, and through him Honoria's dowry."

"Surely not!" Selene's hands flew to her face. "How could a man use his family so?"

Antonius' smile faded. "He sold his daughter for my family connections. I've worked with the man for the past year. He uses anything and anyone to get what he wants. I don't inherit Honoria's money, her child does, but as his father I control it. To take the baby, he has to discredit me. I'm afraid you're caught up in his schemes." Antonius looked grief-stricken. "I'm sorry, Selene. I would give anything to spare you this."

"I know," she replied softly. "Orestes is a fair man. He will recognize the truth when he hears it." She refrained from touching his arm, from offering some small token of comfort.

Selene turned back toward her father just as a door in the far wall opened. A well-groomed man in the Prefect's livery stepped inside. "I'm Demetrius, the Prefect's secretary. I'll record the proceedings. Are all the parties represented?" Heads nodded. Demetrius held the door open and motioned into the next room. "Please proceed."

Being closer to the door, Ision's party filed into the chambers first, followed by the others.

Orestes sat at a massive table completely cleared of all papers, which were piled haphazardly on a second, narrower table behind the Prefect's chair. Ision, Arete, Urbib and the monk took chairs in front and to the right of the table. The servants stood at the back of the room.

Selene hesitated as she entered. Orestes looked intimidating in his official robes. He looked in her direction, giving no hint of past association. Selene shivered at the lack of acknowledgement and sat to the left of her father. Demetrius came in last, closing the door and proceeding to a chair behind and to the left of Orestes. He took out a lap desk, paper, ink and pen.

Orestes cleared his throat. The soft rustlings of people settling themselves stopped.

"Good morning, citizens. Given the parties involved, I will function as magistrate in this inquest into the death of Honoria, wife of Antonius, daughter of Ision. If I determine the death was in any way unnatural, formal charges will be brought against appropriate parties. I'll ask you to present your information one at a time, and I will ask the questions. Each of you will be given opportunity to speak. Do not interrupt while others are talking. Citizen Ision, you consider yourself the aggrieved party in this affair. Come forward and state your position."

Ision approached the table. "Thank you, Prefect, for hearing our tragic story." He bowed to Orestes. "Ten days ago, my much beloved oldest daughter went into labor with her first child. Shortly after sunset we called in Mistress Melania, a well-respected midwife, to attend her. The midwife pronounced that all was as it should be and the birth progressed normally. After several hours, Antonius, my daughter's husband, came to visit her. He entered the room against my wife's wishes and talked briefly with my daughter."

Orestes addressed Arete. "Why was this against your wishes, Lady?"

"It is unseemly for a husband to be present in the birthing room," Arete answered from her seat. "That is a place for women."

"I see. Please continue, Ision."

"The slaves attending my daughter at the time overheard Antonius suggesting that Selene, daughter of Calistus and friend to Honoria, be summoned."

"I did no such thing!" Antonius jumped from his seat.

"Quiet!" Orestes thundered in a parade ground voice. Selene flinched at the harsh tone, clasping her father's hand. Orestes continued, in a stern voice, "If you interrupt the proceedings again, I will have you removed."

Antonius sat down.

Orestes addressed Ision. "The hearsay of slaves is not compelling. Did you or your wife overhear this conversation directly?"

Ision shook his head. "No, but shortly after his visit my daughter insisted her friend be present. My wife saw no need for help, but Honoria became quite irrational. Arete, seeing no harm, agreed – much to our later sorrow."

"Your wife seems to have strong feelings about men in the birthing room. Were you present for these conversations?"

"No, sir. My wife relayed this information to me later."

"Then I wish to hear directly from Lady Arete." He motioned to her. "Would you please tell me what happened when Lady Selene was summoned?"

"She arrived attired in butcher's clothes, worn and stained with the blood of other victims," Arete continued coldly. "She refused to pray. Shortly after she arrived, the pains became harder, Honoria bled heavily, and the labor did not progress. Melania suggested we have Urbib attend."

"A skilled midwife let your daughter bleed heavily for all those hours?" Orestes frowned. "That seems negligent on her part."

"The bleeding didn't start until late afternoon," Arete mumbled.

"I see. Your sense of 'shortly afterward' is somewhat different from my own." Orestes brought the tips of his fingers together in a wedge. "What happened then?"

Arete blushed furiously. "By the time the good physician arrived, it was too late." She burst into tears. "That demon spawn cut my daughter open, murdering her before my very eyes. I tried to stop her, but Antonius held me back. I couldn't save my child from the two of them!" Arete collapsed sobbing into her husband's arms.