“You will lead my men to the families,” Julius said. “They will not be harmed, I swear it.” The Greek bowed his head as Julius addressed his men. “Gather them . . .”

He paused to look at his daughter. “I do not know this city. Is there a Senate building, a meeting hall?”

“The temple of Jupiter is well known,” Julia replied.

“That will do very well,” Julius said. “Remember, gentlemen, that my honor protects them. I will hang you for a single bruise. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir,” his centurion replied for all of them.

“Send men to General Domitius and tell him to begin loading the supplies onto our carts. I want to be able to leave quickly in the morning.”

The soldiers of the Tenth marched away, the noise of their steps fading slowly in the echoing street.

“So this is my grandson,” Julius said. The little boy was still half asleep and did not stir as Julius laid a hand gently on his head. “Am I truly welcome here, Julia?” he said softly.

“How could my father not be?” she asked him.

“Because I am at war with your husband and you are caught between us.”

She reached out to touch the man who had been absent for all of her childhood and most of her life. He had escaped showing her the normal faults of fathers. She had never seen him beat a dog or fall down drunk or show some petty spite. She knew him only as the general of Gaul, a consul of Rome. It was true that she had hated him with all the passion of a young girl when he first offered her to Pompey as a wife, but the habit of adoration was too strong for that to last. Brutus had brought her into her father’s conspiracies for the first time, and it was a heady joy to be valuable to this man. It was too much to put into words and instead she decided to give the only proof of loyalty that she had.

“If your blood did not run true in me, I would have given Brutus away,” she whispered into his ear.

Time stood still for Julius as his mind raced. He struggled to remain calm.

“What did he tell you?” he said.

She blushed a little and he could not help the suspicion that came into his thoughts.

“That his betrayal is part of your planning.” She saw that he closed his eyes for a moment and misunderstood. “I told no one. I even helped him get another two cohorts from my husband.”

She raised her chin with fragile pride that wounded him. He felt the exhaustion of the long march north as if it had been waiting for just such a moment. He swayed slightly as he looked at her, and put out his hand to the wall.

“Good . . . good,” he said absently. “I did not think he would tell you that.”