‘Sorry. Huh!’ he grunted. ‘Is that better?’

‘More familiar at least.’

‘It’s just that you are beautiful, so very perfectly beautiful. Your skin is softer than the silk you wear, whiter than the snows, and your eyes seem to see right through me. Makes me feel naked and helpless.’

‘Hmm, getting better. But you have not yet spoken of my hair. Surely even you remember that you must always tell a woman that she has the loveliest hair.’

‘Well, it’s not blonde!’

‘Pig.’ Claudia Enica rolled so that she was on her back and gave him a smile that was almost shy.

Ferox reached over to touch her hair, drawing out one of the many pins fastening it into place. ‘Your hair is magnificent, the hair of a queen or a nymph.’ He eased himself up onto the couch properly.

‘Not a goddess? There is divine blood in my family – perhaps Caesar’s as well if my poor fool of a brother was not mistaken.’

‘I worry about impiety,’ he said, close to her now, but still sitting up. His hand found her leg, just below the knee, touching lightly as if she was made of the most fragile glass. Memories were coming back, yet after all this time there was nervousness as well. She was beautiful as he had said, and he had always wondered why she had ever wanted to be with him.

‘We are becoming bold, centurion.’

‘That is why they pay me, my queen.’ He smoothed his fingers, feeling her beneath the thin dress. Royal family or not, her clothes and finery were always very expensive and sometimes he wondered how she could afford so many.

Claudia Enica did not react or move, her eyes still staring up at him.

‘Tell you the truth, I’m a bit worried about this.’ His hand clasped her knee through the silk.

She laughed at that, but still did not move into him. Ferox leaned down and kissed her and at last they came together, murmuring without words as their lips pressed together. His hands were on her, hers on him and they lingered on each kiss. After a while he pulled slightly away.

‘Here or the bedroom?’

‘Why not both?’

Ferox’s fingers felt down her leg and grasped at the dress. Slowly he began to pull the silk of her skirt upwards. Her stockings had a different texture, until above them he found bare skin.

Someone coughed. ‘My lord!’

Claudia Enica did not hear or did not care.

‘My Lord Ferox!’ It was Philo, shouting now. ‘It is important, my lord. There is news.’

It was a pity that the law forbade having a freedman whipped as you might a slave. Claudia had heard and was pushing him away.

‘I am sorry, my lord, but they say that it is urgent.’

‘Who says?’ Ferox had sat up, although his hand was still high on his wife’s thigh.

‘The Lords Sabinus and Dionysius. They are at the principia.’

Claudia laughed and lay back on the couch, and when she looked at him she laughed all the more. She was still helpless with laughter when he left the room, trying to straighten his tunic and the toga Philo had insisted that he wear.