“Who is it?” she calls, worried Demetrius might have changed his mind and come to hunt her down.

“Julia.”

“Come in.”

“You look a bit peaky.” Julia plumps herself down beside her on the bed. “I hope Demetrius didn’t upset you?”

Julia’s gaze is shrewd, and Amara understands that she must have known of his intentions. “Not at all, he paid me an unimaginable compliment.”

“One I hope you accepted?” Julia looks delighted.

“One I was unable to accept.”

Julia clicks her tongue. “My dear girl, I hope you aren’t harboring some foolish notion of remaining faithful to Rufus. My mother was a concubine, and let me tell you, fidelity wins you no favors at all.”

“I’m under contract. If I betray Rufus, I lose my freedom.”

“How very tiresome of him!” Julia exclaims. “And after Pliny paid for you! I wouldn’t have thought Rufus was such a schemer. Men really can be utter shits.” Julia looks so thoroughly put out that Amara laughs, but Julia shakes her head. “It’s not amusing. A concubine has a handful of years to make her fortune and the rest of her life to live off what she’s earned. Unless Rufus has also agreed to pay you a pension, as my father did for my mother, then he is being appallingly selfish.”

“I don’t believe he has.”

“Then I hope you weren’t too firm in rejecting Demetrius. He might be persuaded to keep his current woman a little longer, until you are free. You know with all these contracts, a patron’s hold over his concubine is automatically ended if he leaves her.”

“But Rufus has only had me a few months!” Amara protests, thinking not of her patron but of Philos.

“Rufus imagines himself in love with you, and believe me, that sort of arrangement burns itself out very quickly,” Julia says. “A man like Demetrius, on the other hand, will have more sensible expectations. You didn’t spurn him, did you? I do hope you weren’t rude.”

“Of course not,” Amara replies. “I would hardly dare. I simply told him there was a contract.”

“Well,” Julia says, her good temper returning. “He won’t be under any illusions you’re a naive little innocent after that. But perhaps not a bad thing. He does hate hysterics. Let’s hope you’ve made enough of an impression that he’s prepared to wait a while.”

There seems to be no possibility in Julia’s mind that Amara might decline Demetrius, that she might have any other hopes for her life. The thought makes her uncomfortable. “It’s very kind of you to take such an interest in me,” Amara says. “I’m not sure what I’ve ever done to deserve it.”

“Ridiculous girl.” Julia reaches over to squeeze her knee. “It’s because I like you. Why else?”

Amara is touched by her affection. “Thank you.”