As Sure as the Dawn(106)

Rizpah turned for the women’s changing room, then started as Atretes’ hand clamped on her arm. “No,” he said gruffly.

“No?” she said, confused. “I don’t understand.” He headed for the main bath chamber, hauling her along with him. “Atretes!” she said, embarrassed and confused. People were staring. “What are you doing?”

Theophilus followed, suspecting what the matter was. He should have realized earlier.

They entered the huge chamber containing the tepidarium. Atretes stopped and stared. The pool was filled with people, most naked, a few wearing short tunics. Several women lounged on couches near the pool, towels carelessly tossed over themselves. Two men, stark naked, sat on the edge of the pool talking to them. The steamy environment smelled of sweet spiced oils and incense. Atretes looked around in disgust. For the most part, men, women, and children seemed to lack all modesty. Several boys ran past him and dove into the pool. Atretes forgot he was holding onto Rizpah as a curvaceous young woman came up the steps. Like Venus from the sea, she wrung out her long hair as she walked right in front of him, smiling up at him as she did so. She took a towel from the shelf nearby and dried her hair, her gaze gliding over him. She reminded him of Julia.

Rizpah saw his attention fixed on the young woman. Her heart sank. “Please let go of my arm, Atretes.” He did so without a word.

Theophilus gave her several coins. “There were bath sets for sale in the hall,” he said. “Pick whichever one you want.”

“Thank you,” she said as a group of young men with towels wrapped around their waists walked by. They were laughing and talking together. Two glanced at Rizpah as they passed by. Atretes grabbed her arm again.

“You stay with me.”

“I prefer to bathe with Caleb alone.”

“Alone? In this place? Don’t make me laugh.”

“You’ve never been in public baths before, have you?” Theophilus said as two women walked by, towels loosely draped over their shoulders. They paused to talk to the two men sitting by the edge of the pool. Several naked girls scampered by and jumped into the tepidarium, coming up and splashing one another. “No one will bother her.”

“If anyone gets near her, I’ll kill him.”

Rizpah’s eyes went wide. She had no doubt he meant it.

“There are unspoken rules of proper behavior in a place like this,” Theophilus said grimly.

“I think it better if I go back,” she said. “You both stay. I’ll come later when there are fewer bathers.” Another woman walked by and glanced at Atretes with open interest.

“I’m not bathing with a bunch of gawking women around,” Atretes said loudly enough to be heard. The woman blushed and averted her gaze. “I had enough of that in the arena.” Others close by glanced at him with unveiled interest.

“We’ll see Rizpah back to the inn and then go to the fort,” Theophilus said. “You’ll be in the company of men only in the baths there.”

“Ha! Bathe with Roman soldiers? I’d rather my skin rotted from my bones!” His voice carried further this time and drew glances from several young men.

“Not even if you smell like a jackal?” Rizpah said and went back through the archway.

“A jackal?” Atretes said and followed her.

“Excuse me,” she said without pausing. “A goat. A bleating, foul-tempered goat.” She plunked Caleb in Atretes’ arms. Ignoring his protest, she went to the vendor of bath sets and purchased two. She turned and saw that Atretes had come into the antechamber after her.

“Don’t do that again,” he growled.

She tucked the strigil into his belt, leaving the other strigil and oil flask to dangle. She took Caleb. “It won’t hurt you to bathe. Don’t worry about all those women. I’m sure Theophilus will make sure you’re not molested.”

Theophilus suppressed a smile at the look of consternation on Atretes’ face as she walked away with the baby.

“Where are you going?” Atretes called after her, his voice echoing.

“Back to the inn.” She walked across the antechamber and disappeared through the doorway as half a dozen people entered.

“I have a feeling I’m not going to have a relaxing swim,” Theophilus said dryly. “You want to bathe first, or shall I?”

Swearing under his breath, Atretes yanked the strigil from his belt. Clamping it between his teeth, he strode back through the archway to the main baths, stripping off his belt as he went.

“Atretes, wait a minute!” Theophilus said, going after him. He grunted as Atretes slammed the belt and money pouches in his stomach. “The changing room is . . .”