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nervous and from time to time would glance across the table at Apicata when she thought no one was looking. Sejanus watched Levilla covertly under his bushy brows.
    When the table had been cleared of all the main dishes and wiped carefully with a cloth, water and towels were again passed to the guests to cleanse their fingers from the main meal.
    Then there was a lengthy silence while Tiberius made the accepted offerings of wine, salt, and meal to the Lares , the gods that watched over the household.
    Tiberius deferred to the gods out of custom, but there was no reverence in his face. When he had finished, the servants came again, this time with platters of sliced pears in a honey sauce and bowls of fresh cherries and apricots.
    Full of rich food, Claudia tried to hide a yawn as she felt the weariness of her journey. Tiberius had obviously been observing her, for with a wave of his hand, he excused her.
    Hotep appeared at her elbow and said quietly, “Let me lead you to your room, Dominilla.”
    The Empress looked across the table. “You are to come to my quarters after the midday meal, Claudia. We will discuss your education.”
    “Yes, your Majesty.” She bowed her head to Tiberius and acknowledged the other guests before following Hotep. She glanced back at Sejanus, but he was not looking at Claudia.
    His eyes were on Hotep, and his mouth was curved in a slight smile.

 8 
    C laudia wearily followed her maidservant through the maze of halls and was glad to reach her room. After they entered, Hotep bolted the door, almost fiercely.
    “Are you afraid of something, Hotep?”
    “I am always afraid, but there is one I fear most.”
    “Sejanus?”
    Her maid looked startled. “How did you know?”
    “I saw the way he was looking at you.”
    “He takes those he chooses and they fear to say anything. He has great authority with the emperor. You do not need to fear for no one would touch the emperor’s ward.”
    “Oh, Hotep, how can I protect you?”
    The girl smiled sadly. “The other servants watch out for me, Dominilla, but Sejanus is careful. He waits like a spider to strike when a girl is alone. There are dark places in the palace. Two of the maidservants have disappeared since I’ve been here.”
    Claudia was horrified. What could she do? Perhaps there was a way she could speak to the empress tomorrow.

    She awoke the next morning to sun pouring in the window. It took a moment to remember where she was. She saw Hotep waiting patientlywith a tray. The aroma of fresh bread wafted toward her. One cup on the tray held mulsa, a drink of water with fermented honey in it, and another held a small cup of diluted wine to dip her bread in. To Claudia’s delight, there was also a fresh pear.
    Claudia thanked her but said nothing of her thoughts about Hotep going by herself from her room to the kitchen.
    The girl must have read her thoughts, for she murmured, “He is not here in the early morning.”
    After Claudia was dressed for the day, with a belt under her growing bosom for support, they took Felix to the garden. Claudia asked Hotep to tell her about Egypt.
    “We had a farm, near the great river, the Nile. My two brothers and I used to cut papyrus from the marshes. My father sold it to be made into parchment. We also grew wheat and barley and had fig trees. We had two cows. My father was better off than many in Egypt. He had to give a large portion of the harvest to Pharaoh’s men, but we were happy. One night Roman soldiers came from the river. They took all our food, and then took us captive. I heard my mother screaming and then she also was led away. I never saw my family again.”
    “Oh Hotep, I’m so sorry.”
    She smiled. “The gods have protected me. I am fortunate to work in the palace. That is not the fate of some of the other slave girls.”
    “I am glad you are here.” Claudia looked at the sky. “It is nearly time for the noon meal, then I must go to the Empress.”

    “Wait in my room, Hotep,