Tullia didn’t hear. “—and I’m sure he’s a little threadbare after so much time on the road, so you should drop a word in Lollia’s ear and arrange a loan from that appalling grandfather of hers—”

“Oh, should I? Lollia’s grandfather usually likes a return on his investments. What has Lucius ever done for him?”

“Why, the honor of associating with such a distinguished—”

“Tullia”—Marcella bared all her teeth in a smile—“Lucius is a common mooch. He sticks his wife on her relatives, he sticks his debts on anyone who will take them—”

“I won’t hear another word against a fine man—”

“Of course you and Lucius get along, one mooch to another. As far as I’m concerned you can both go jump in the Tiber—”

“—more than forbearing about your faults!” Tullia flared, her silk frills vibrating. “No reproaches from him about your stupid writings! Not one word about the fact that you were one of Nero’s whores—”

“And what really bothers you about that, Tullia?” Marcella asked. Slaves were gathering round-eyed at the door of the atrium now, but she couldn’t stop herself. “That I whored for Nero, or that I didn’t get a province out of it for Gaius to govern?”

“You insolent slut, how dare you—”

“She’s the slut?” Cornelia’s screech cut them all off abruptly as she appeared at the doorway, a dark cormorant in her mourning black with her hair wild about her white face. “Marcella’s the whore? You’re all whores. Gaius hosted a party for Piso’s accession as heir, Tullia was happy to claim him as her brother-in-law, Marcella stood with me on the steps of the Temple of Vesta when he died—and now you all drink wine with his murderers. Whores!” Cornelia shrieked. “You’re all whores—”

“Now you’re being repetitive.” Marcella had hardly seen her sister for weeks, she was always cooped up in her bedchamber weeping—and now all she felt was irritation. “Fortuna’s sake, Cornelia, at least think of a new insult.”

Tullia bristled. “I’ll not be called a whore in my own house!”

“Would you rather be called a whore in someone else’s house?” Marcella snapped. “I’m sure it could be arranged—”

“—let her speak to me like this! Gaius!” Tullia shrieked, as Marcella’s brother tiptoed into the atrium. “What are you going to say to your sister?”

“Now, now,” Gaius said nervously. “I’m sure she didn’t mean—”

“Gaius, you never support me—”

“I hate you all!” Cornelia sobbed, slamming back out of the atrium.

“Can’t we all just get along?” Gaius stood wringing his hands.