Fortune Favors

Chapter 22

It had been hours since the birth. Sam was with his wife and child, and Sabina had, after a substantial nap, left with her women and a few guards. Nico was in the courtyard again, with Marcus, who was pouring more wine, but this time it was diluted with honey.

"You look like you need more of the undiluted stuff, friend," he said.

Nico took the goblet and drank. "I'm happy for him. I really am."

Marcus snickered. "Of course you are, and you also know that he's going to return to her for the child's sake. If it's any consolation, I've never seen him look at her the way he looks at you."

Nico smiled into his goblet, and he was happy to have a new friend. Sam wasn't the only decent man in the house.

"Well," sighed Nico. "I will console myself by making us all rich, including you if you're willing. Would you like to hear my plans? If they work, the beautiful Sabina might reconsider you as a suitor, so overflowing will your coffers be."

Marcus grinned. "Please say the plan involves double crossing my brother and father."

Nico laughed. "Mine too, friend."

Nico proceeded to explain how he planned on taking a much bigger cut of the revenue by bypassing the Roman laws that prevented patricians from owning merchant craft and using smaller, faster craft that was the norm. Nico had helped design such craft, without his family's knowledge. He just needed partners with the right contacts. Marcus knew his family's middlemen, and Sam knew Augustus and could possibly obtain an ownership waiver for the ships.

"Now," breathed Nico, "we need to figure out how to convince Titus to let you marry my cousin."

Marcus looked up at the sky and made a groan of frustration. "We need to convince the lady herself, as well. One blessed-by-the-gods kiss when she's exhausted and scared won't change her mind."

Nico leaned over. "Speaking of which, we never got to ask her what your father said to her that made her look so meek and frightened. I don't know her well, but I know the look of someone who's frightened."

Marcus inhaled. "My father has always frightened me, and he loves me. My sense is he loves Sabina's money, and she's right to be frightened of that."

Nico saw that Marcus's normally jovial expression had turned sorrowful and worried. "Do you think Eolus will leave Sam's mother?"

This question wasn't just out of curiosity or worry for Sabina. If Sam were suddenly to be charged with caring for his high-strung mother, that would complicate an already difficult situation.

"Eolus's passion for Jacquetta may have cooled, but it's not extinguished," replied Marcus. "My brother is dithering. If he really wanted Sabina, he would have divorced Jacquetta by now. He's simply amusing himself, mentally dallying her the way he physically dallies with the slaves."

Nico shook his head. Sabina was his cousin, and he didn't like the idea of a man like Eolus toying with her. He had to help her. He had to for his mother, for Sam and most importantly, for his new friend Marcus.