“That doesn’t concern you.”
“It concerns me greatly. He’s my son.”
“He was never your son, woman. Just because a child is placed in your arms doesn’t make him yours.”
“He became part of me the moment John placed him in my arms,” she said.
“All women have the heart of a harlot, and I will not leave my son in the hands of one!”
Tears filling her eyes again. “You’re wrong to judge all women because of what one did to you.”
“Your opinion matters little when weighed against my legal right to him.” He nodded at the babe, and her back stiffened.
“You speak of legal rights. What of love? Where were you when his mother was commanding that he be abandoned? Why didn’t she send him to you? You didn’t want him either, did you? You turned your back on him. And you speak of womankind? Where would Caleb be now had Hadassah not rescued him? Why do you want him back now when you cared nothing about him before?”
He wanted to throttle her for such questions, for they roused guilt and pain. They also roused a fierce possessiveness. “He is flesh of my flesh,” he said coldly.
“Just because you spent a few hours in a woman’s bed doesn’t make you his father!”
A muscle locked in his jaw.
“You’ve scarcely looked at him,” she said, struggling against anger and grief. “Why do you want him, Atretes? What do you intend to do with him?”
“I intend to take him back with me to Germania.”
She let out a soft gasp. “Germania!” she said in anguish. “How will you, a man alone, tend a four-month-old nursing baby on such a long and arduous journey? Have you no thought of his welfare? He won’t survive!”
“He will survive,” he said with fierce determination. “Now, give him to me.”
“He’s too young—”
“Give him to me, or by the gods, I will take him from you by force!”
Caleb awakened and began to cry softly. Rizpah felt his small fists pressing against her breasts. Eyes filled with tears, she looked up at Atretes and knew he would do exactly as he threatened. She could not risk Caleb being harmed. Loosening her shawl, she held Caleb out to him. The baby cried harder, his small arms flailing. Her milk came, increasing her anguish. “He’s hungry.”
Atretes hesitated. His son looked small and fragile. He looked at Rizpah and saw her anguish. Tears poured silently down her cheeks. Face rigid, he reached out and took his son. The infant cried harder.
Rizpah crossed her arms over her heart. She looked up at him. “Please, Atretes, don’t do this.” Never had he seen such a look of anguish on a woman’s face.
“Get out,” he said hoarsely.
“Please—”
“Get out!” he shouted, and the baby began to scream.
Uttering a sob, Rizpah turned away.
“Don’t forget this,” he said and kicked the pouch of money after her.
She swung around at the door. Picking up the pouch, she flung it into the fountain, glaring at him through her tears. “May God forgive you, for I cannot!” With one last look at the child, she fled, sobbing.
Atretes strode over and watched her run down the steps and across the courtyard. He kicked the door shut before she reached the gate.
Discomforted, he looked down at his son’s reddening face and felt a moment’s doubt. He touched the black hair and smooth cheek. The baby stiffened in his arms and screamed louder. “Scream all you want. You’re mine,” he said gruffly. “Not hers. You’re mine!” He held his son closer, rocking him and pacing the floor. The child didn’t cease crying.
“Lagos!”
The servant appeared almost immediately. “Yes, my lord.” Atretes wondered if he had been lurking around the corner, listening to every word.
“Summon the wet nurse.”
“Yes, my lord.” Lagos had never seen his master look ill at ease, but now, with a squalling baby in his arms, he looked almost comically devoid of confidence.
When the servant brought the woman to the atrium, Atretes was all too eager to hand the wailing infant to her. “Take him. The woman said he’s hungry.” She took him from the chamber, and Atretes breathed a sigh of relief as the sound of his screaming son receded.
Lagos saw the pouch of coins in the water. “She would not take them, my lord?”
“Obviously not.”
Lagos moved to fish the pouch out, but jerked his hand back quickly when Atretes barked at him, “Leave it!” The servant knew by the dark look on Atretes’ face as he turned and strode away that his master would spend the day in the gymnasium.