Page 96 of Enslaved
“He’s gone riding in this inclement weather. Over the fields at the back of the property the Archaeology Society has what they call a ‘dig.’ Spends hours there sometimes, but he definitely said he’d be back in time for dinner.”
Diana slipped into bed anticipating Mark’s return, but all she could think of was what she would say to Prudence.
When the earl came striding into her bedchamber, Diana’s spirits soared. She pretended complete indifference, of course. He hadn’t joined her for dinner and she was almost finished when he arrived. She tested the water by referring to the food of Aquae Sulis. When Mark did not dispute that she had been there, she relaxed, knowing she did not have to pick and choose her words.
Though the earl enjoyed her company, he knew he must keep his mind occupied or his thoughts would focus on how much he wanted to make love to her. “Do you play chess?” he inquired politely.
“Yes, I used to play with my father.”
As Mark set up the board between them, she said, “The last time I went shopping in Aquae Sulis I bought a Roman board game called Robbers.”
Mark was immediately interested. “I’ve heard of it, but I could never learn the details of how it was played.”
“Well, I’m not very good at it. It’s similar to chess, but more abstract with very elaborate moves. The men are ‘soldiers’ and ‘officers,’ and mine were made of crystal.”
“I wonder…” Mark said thoughtfully.
“What?” she prompted.
“Well, one or two silver soldiers have turned up from time to time in Bath. I assumed they were children’s toys, but perhaps they are game pieces from Robbers.”
“Nora told me you have an archaeological ‘dig’ on your property.”
“Yes, but that’s not the only one. There are two or three in the surrounding district. I’m starting up a museum. I have a display of artifacts here at the Hall, but so many are turning up, I think they should be in a museum where the general public can see them.”
“That’s a good idea. I’d love to see your artifacts and I’d like to see your dig.”
“I rode out there this afternoon. I wanted to give the dogs a run. A friend of mine gave me a pair of young mastiffs a couple of weeks ago.”
“Oh!” Diana cried. She knelt up in the bed and reached across the board with her hand. Then she covered his mouth. “Don’t tell me their names!” she warned. “I’ll tell you.”
The moment she touched his face, desire shot through him like molten lava, making his blood hot and demanding. “Romulus and Remus!” she said with delight. “How did you know?” he demanded. “No, don’t tell me. Marcus had a pair of mastiffs called Romulus and Remus.”
Diana slid back beneath the covers. “Exactly!” she said with deep satisfaction.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Mr. Burke could have told you. He greatly admires those dogs.”
“But he didn’t,” she insisted, “and here’s something else that’s uncanny—I firmly believe Mr. Burke was your slave master, Kell.”
“The one with the flagellum?” he asked, amused.
“The very same. I can laugh about it now, but he terrified me in the beginning.”
“Burke has that quality—he terrifies me sometimes.”
She laughed. “Liar. I doubt very much if anything terrifies you.”
His mind did not seem to be on the chess game, and yet he took her knight and then her castle. “When you went back in time,” he said carefully, “what year was it?”
“It was 61A.D.Boudicca had led the uprising of the Celtae tribes and burned Londinium less than a year before. As a result, Paullinus, who was in charge of the Roman army, was systematically wiping out the Britons, tribe by tribe.” They both forgot the game as she became absorbed in her story.
“Julius Classicianus, the Procurator of Britannia, wanted to get rid of Paullinus. He needed a more statesmanlike leader to restore the support of the Britons. Marcus and Julius were very much in agreement on this issue, so Julius asked him to go to Rome and speak to the Senate.” Her voice trailed off, and a look of great sadness came into her eyes. “I should have stopped him from going.”
He didn’t want her to cry, so to take her mind off her sadness, he thought to provoke her by challenging her story. “You actually make it sound credible.”
Diana glanced at the chessmen, saw she had no possible way of winning, and abruptly moved her legs beneath the covers to scatter the pieces.
Mark’s black eyes danced. “Willful little vixen,” he murmured. “You like to play games but you don’t like to lose.”
