Free A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers Page A

what his needs are and we will discuss them.”
    Marcus was surprised at his father’s capitulation. He had expected a long and arduous debate before getting a denarius out of him. He named a price that brought his father’s brows up. “I told Antigonus this afternoon at the baths that my father is a wise and generous benefactor.”
    “Is that so?” Decimus said, torn between pride and anger at his son’s audacity.
    Grinning, Marcus lifted his goblet in salute. “You’ll find Antigonus a most grateful fellow. We discussed building contracts at some length before I came home this evening. He was very agreeable.”
    Decimus saw that his son had already begun carrying out his own plans. “And what will you build, Marcus? Temples to the goddess Fortune?”
    “Nothing so grand as that, Father. Houses for your new and noble aristocracy, I think. And tenements for plebeians, if you so desire.”
    Dismayed at the tension between father and son, Phoebe nodded to a Parthian slave standing in the doorway. “You may serve us now.” The Parthian signaled, and two young Greek slaves entered silently and sat unobtrusively in the corner. One blew softly into a panpipe, while the other softly stroked a lyre. An Egyptian slave girl carried in a silver platter on which were slices of roasted pork from pigs fattened in oak forests.
    “I promised Antigonus I would tell him of your decision this evening,” Marcus said, selecting a piece of meat.
    “You were that sure I would agree,” Decimus said dryly.
    “You taught me never to allow an opportunity to pass. It might never come again.”
    “Some things that I taught you I wish I hadn’t,” Decimus said.
    With the first course finished, another was set before them. Julia picked through the fruit and selected a small cluster of Syrian grapes. Marcus bit into a Persian peach. The Parthian stood tall and motionless in the doorway. When goblets were empty, the Egyptian girl replenished them.
    “Marble is easily obtained from Luna and Paros,” Decimus said, considering Marcus’ idea. “But cedar is growing scarce in Lebanon, driving the price up. We’d do better to import timber from Greece.”
    “Why not Gaul ?” Marcus asked.
    “There is still too much unrest in that region. If you’re going to have contracts to fulfill, you’ll need materials on hand, not en route.”
    The Parthian signaled the Egyptian girl to bring in the small bowls of warm scented water. As she leaned over to set a bowl before Marcus, she raised her eyes to his, a clear message in them. Smiling slightly, Marcus dipped his hands into his bowl, rinsing his fingers of meat and fruit juices. He took the towel the girl offered him and let his gaze drift over her as she stood waiting for his command.
    “That will be all, Bithia,” Phoebe said gently, dismissing the girl. The young Egyptian was not the first slave in the Valerian household to fall in love with her son, Phoebe knew. Marcus was handsome and well built, exuding virility. His morals were not what Phoebe wished them to be; they were, in fact, generally in opposition to all she had taught him at her knee. If a beautiful young woman was willing, Marcus was only too ready to oblige. Well, there were already far too many willing young Roman women in Marcus’ social circle for him to take unsuitable advantage of an enamored Egyptian slave in their own home.
    His mother’s disapproval amused Marcus, but he honored her silent plea. He tossed the hand towel on the table and stood. “I’ll go and tell Antigonus of your decision, Father. He’ll be very relieved. And I thank you.”
    “You’re going out again?” Julia said, disappointed. “Oh,
    Marcus! You only arrived a few hours ago and you and Father have been talking most of the time. We haven’t even had a chance to visit!“
    “I can’t stay this evening, Julia.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’ll tell you about the games when I return,” he whispered for her alone to