Eilan caught Senara in her arms. “Ah, my poor child,” she whispered. “But you are still free to leave us and even to marry if you wish. You were brought here so young. It was never really intended that you should take vows among us; but that was so long ago now that most of us had forgotten. Tell me about it. Where did you meet this man? Who is he? I have no objection if you want to marry, but I care for you as much as any mother, and I would like to be sure you are choosing well.”
Senara stared at her, hardly understanding that not only was Eilan not angry, but that the older woman would set her free. “I met him at Father Petros’s hermitage. He is a Roman, a friend of my uncle Valerius —”
She stopped at the sound of a man’s voice. “Senara?” answered one of the newer girls from the other side of the door, “I think you will find her in there.”
I will have to speak to that child, thought Eilan. That is no way to announce visitors, especially a man. Senara, recalling that with Huw gone, it was her business to protect the High Priestess, took up position between her and the door. A man came through it and, as he closed it behind him, Eilan saw all the color drain out of Senara’s face and then flood into it again.
“This man . . .” she faltered. “He has come for me . . .”
She moved aside, and in the flickering, deceptive lamplight Eilan saw his face.
“Gaius . . .” she whispered. Surely this was some nightmare born of a fevered imagination. She shut her eyes, but when she opened them he was still there, staring in stupefaction from her to Senara.
Senara took a step towards him. “Gaius!” she cried. “I did not expect you so soon! Has my uncle given his permission for you to marry me?”
Gaius stared wildly around him. “You foolish girl, what are you doing here?”
Eilan felt as if the flame of the lamps had ignited in her breast. Slowly she rose to her feet. “What are you doing here?” She turned to Senara. “Are you trying to tell me that Gaius Macellius Severus is the man you love?”
“He is. Why, what is wrong?” Senara stared at Eilan in confusion.
Eilan turned on Gaius. “You tell her what is wrong,” she commanded. “Tell her all the truth – if you are still capable of it.”
“What truth?” demanded Senara, her voice cracking. “I know that he has a Roman wife who has refused to honor her marriage vows. Of course he will divorce her before he marries me . . .”
“Of course he will,” Eilan said in a terrible voice. “So, Gaius, she knows about the little daughters that you will be abandoning. Does she know about our son as well?”
“Your son?” Stricken, Senara looked back and forth between Gaius and Eilan. “Tell me this is not true,” she said to Gaius, pleading. Her voice caught in her throat.
“You do not understand,” Gaius muttered.
“Understand,” Senara repeated brokenly. “I wanted to save you, and you have nearly ruined me! I understand that I have been a fool!”
As she turned from him, the door swung wide and the giant Huw thrust into the room, cudgel upraised. But after the death of Cynric he had been severely chastised, and he did not want to make the same mistake again. “Lady,” he mumbled, “they said a man was here. I heard shouting. What shall I do?”
Eilan stared at Gaius, thinking that if the danger were not so real he would have looked ridiculous standing there. But perhaps to be caught in this situation was the worst punishment a proud Roman could have endured. After a long moment Eilan lifted her hand to signal Huw to stand still. “Go,” she said fiercely to Gaius. “Go, or he will knock out your brains. To Senara she added, “Go with him, if you wish – while I can still protect you.”
Senara stared at Gaius for a moment and then flung her arms around Eilan. “Oh, I would not,” she cried, “not for the world and everything in it would I go with him now!”