Part 5 (1/2)

He has brought a beautiful Roman lady to meet you. I think she is someone important.

I see. Thank you. I rushed back to the house, wondering why Viriato had asked for me rather than my father, who dealt with customers. The servant girl had not exaggerated the ladys allure. She was no older than I, but much taller, with a figure to make a sculptors heart sing. Her dark-golden hair looped around her shapely head in artful braids and tucks, winking with jeweled combs. Clad in an exquisite blue stola and a darker palla, she seemed to me the epitome of Roman elegance. Viriato stood to one side in silent respect as the woman examined a wall hanging, one of my fathers treasures imported all the way from India.

My lady, you are most welcome, I said to the back of her head. I am Elianna, daughter of Benjamin. Do you wish me to fetch my father for you?

The lady turned, her face wreathed in a wide smile. Viriato tells me you are the one I should see.

Viriato bowed. Lady Claudia, allow me to present to you Mistress Elianna. Lady Claudia is wife to t.i.tus Flavius Lepidus of Rome, mistress.

I had never heard of t.i.tus Flavius Lepidus. But it seemed clear, even to my untutored eyes, that Claudia was a lady of some consequence. I wondered what the likes of her was doing in Jerusalem, moldering in our unfavorable weather and troubled politics. I bowed my head, lost for words.

Claudia seemed to sense my confusion. Did you design those charming blankets? And the towels with the delicate embroidery?

Yes, my lady. I found myself fl.u.s.tered by her compliments. Since I rarely dealt with customers, I did not have opportunity to see their response to my designs firsthand.

I have purchased a dozen of each and sent a large bundle home for my mother and sisters. You have a unique talent for making ordinary things beautiful. Tell me, Elianna, daughter of Benjamin, do you have other designs that might interest me?

I have a number of freshly dyed fabrics that might suit your needs, my lady. If you like, I can design embroidery for each piece.

The large hazel eyes sparkled. That sounds lovely.

I spent the whole hour before noon showing fabrics and sketching designs for our new patron. For the first time, I felt that a client had come for the sole purpose of seeing my creations. Not my fathers. Mine. This sophisticated woman who had no doubt traveled through some of the most splendid parts of the empire was interested in my ideas. I could hardly keep myself from grinning like a fool.

Once we started speaking of flowers and leaves and designs, Viriato slipped out. I noticed him wiping his brow with a handkerchief.

The lady Claudia caught my scrutiny and smiled. He knows his wool, and has great charm, but for all his girth and strength, I think talk of fas.h.i.+on reduces him to a trembling lamb.

We looked at each other and burst out laughing. I sensed an odd affinity for her, this highborn Roman woman whose world and mine could never touch. I found myself wis.h.i.+ng she could be my friend. A strange and untenable thought for a Jewish girl. I had no liking for Romans in general. They had conquered our land and were hard on us. Daily, they squeezed us with their unjustified taxes and the force of their cruel army. But that day I began to learn that you could dislike a whole nation and still grow fond of the individuals in it.

Time sprinted ahead. A year pa.s.sed. For the first time I noticed gray sprinkled at my fathers temples and wrinkles at the corners of my mothers eyes. Joanna celebrated her fifteenth birthday and I turned eighteen. And yet oddly, nothing changed. It was as if we were trapped in ice, slowly suffocating. I continued to work in the workshop. My father sank deeper into his drink, and Mother grew more retiring, suffering from headaches and tears that came with unreasoning regularity.

My family disintegrated before my eyes with a quiet, inexorable force. Helplessly I watched, unable to alter anything. I worried most for Joanna. I had my work, my father his wine, and my mother her household management. But at an age when she should have received the most attention, Joanna started to fade into a terrible obscurity. She disappeared into the background of our lives, forgotten. She grew trapped in our sorrow, like a delicate sparrow with a broken wing caught in a dark barn.

Joanna was not like me. She had no interest in fabrics or business. I could not involve her in my world. She avoided the workshop as one might avoid a venomous snake.

My sisters pa.s.sions centered around the household. She loved attending the ch.o.r.es, seeing to our meals, guiding the servants. But these were my mothers responsibilities, and while she took pains to share them with her daughters, she could no more relinquish her position as mistress than she could stop the beat of her heart. This left Joanna with little to engage her mind and senses. She flitted about lost, lonely, and unmoored.

No one spoke of marriage arrangements for her, though I knew Joanna would make the best of wives. By now my parents should have spoken to her of the possibility. They should have sought the connections that might lead to such an eventuality. The hope alone would have brightened her heart. No one spoke of the future in our home, however. Too much grief bound our family in its poisoned tentacles. We were entrenched in the dark past; the future held no appeal for us. Neither of my parents showed interest in anything as joyful as a possible marriage for their younger daughter. My sister sank like a stone under the weight of our despair.

It had been some time since I had visited the market near the fortress of Antonia; I had little time for pleasurable pastimes anymore. I spent so many hours dealing with the needs of the workshop that my normal practice of visiting the market stalls”bakers, jewelers, cobblers, herb sellers, metalworkers, silversmiths, potters, and all manner of wonders”had gone by the wayside. In the old days, the markets would have provided me an enjoyable distraction even if I bought nothing.

Now, even though I needed to purchase a few necessities from the stalls, I would have preferred to send a servant. We had a large order of wool that needed my attention. But I had a good reason for wanting to go myself. It gave me an excuse to drag Joanna out, knowing how much she would enjoy meandering through the market. Joel and Keziah accompanied us, and we traveled through Jerusalems narrow streets on foot rather than bothering with the cart. The fortress of Antonia was not far from our home.

A large wall extended from the fortress, arching over the northern part of Jerusalem, enclosing a number of markets. By the time we reached the stalls, I had managed to make Joanna smile three times. I intended to make her laugh before we returned home. I felt my heart lift at the sight of the sparkle in my sisters eyes, and I realized that I had allowed work to swallow up too much of my time. I vowed to make more room for Joanna; nothing, not even my fathers business, could equal her happiness. She could not enter my world, but I could enter into hers, no matter the price.

The silversmiths wares drew Joannas attention and we approached his table, examining delicately carved rings and hair ornaments. Joanna had just picked up an ebony and silver armband to show me when a man shouted, his sharp voice causing me to jump out of my skin. Joanna gave me a dismayed look, and we both turned to find the source of the unusual clamor.

We dont have any! The unpleasant screech belonged to the merchant in the next stall.

Isnt that sweet incense on display behind you? You have a number of amphorae that seem to contain what I am looking for. I knew that soft, patrician voice. It belonged to Lady Claudia. I had seen her a number of times in the past year. She had become a faithful and enthusiastic patron.

Ive already sold those, the storekeeper said and turned aside to spit on the ground. I told you; we dont have anything you want.

I gaped, aghast at the rudeness of the man. Lady Claudia stood, regal and unflinching. Her maid, red in the face next to her, pulled on her mistresss arm in an effort to move her away from the stall.

I narrowed my eyes and marched over, my sister, Joel, and Keziah at my heels. We must have made quite a cavalcade.

What is going on here, Reuben? I knew the young man minding the perfumers stand. His father owned the business, and the son sometimes helped, though his sour disposition and foul temper made him a poor merchant. Ever since hed taken up with a group of zealots intent on overthrowing our conquerors by violent means, he had grown more petulant than ever. He was a disaster waiting to happen. I had no fondness for our subjugators myself and would see them gone if I could. Yet I knew that the violence of the zealots against a fierce power like Rome would only win us blood and misery in the end.

Besides, I liked Claudia, never mind her people.

This Roman wants to buy something I dont sell, Reuben said with a rude gesture.

This lady wishes to honor you by purchasing something from your shop. Now show me what you have, Reuben, and make no delay about it.

I turned to face Claudia and gave her a smile. My lady. Please forgive our rough manners.

Ive heard of the fire of resentment that burns in some of your people. Palestine has become legendary for the trouble it causes our army. I thought supporting the locals might render them less acrimonious.

Most of the merchants are happy for your custom, my lady. Some” I gave the perfume seller a warning glance”are unsociable by nature.

Reuben slapped a marble amphora in front of us.

Several more, if you please, Reuben. How about the one your father sold Lady Jerusha last month? I might wish to purchase a small jar myself; my mother admired it, as I recall. I turned to Claudia. If you like a touch of cinnamon, you will love the scent of this particular mix.

Reuben slammed a few more miniature urns and amphorae in front of us before slithering away and leaving Claudia, Joanna, and me to survey his goods at our leisure.

Who is this ravis.h.i.+ng creature? Claudia asked, gesturing toward Joanna.

This is my younger sister, Joanna. Joanna bowed her head, her cheeks turning vermilion.

Beauty runs in your family, I see. Venus herself must be jealous of two such stunning kinswomen.

I had heard of Venus, a Roman idol that heathens wors.h.i.+pped with a great deal of enthusiasm. She had her own temples around the world, and many avid followers engaged in unspeakable acts in her name. What these unspeakable acts might entail, I had no idea. I only knew they were exceedingly vile.

Once, while travelling with my father to Caesarea, I had seen a marble statue of her as it was being transported to some temple far from Judea. Naked except for a drape of fabric over her hip that tied low in the front, the marble G.o.ddess stood unashamed of her bare body. In spite of this callous exhibition, even I had to admit she was lovely. My father, catching me staring at her, had covered my eyes with the palm of his hand, though not before I noticed him staring at her himself.

I had no desire to make her or anyone else in the Roman pantheon take the least notice of me. But I did not know how to say so to Claudia without causing offense.

Thankfully, Reubens father turned up, rendering a response unnecessary. After that, our time pa.s.sed in a far more pleasant fas.h.i.+on, especially after the merchant dispatched his malcontented son to parts unknown. Claudia chose two expensive bottles of incense, enough to put a smile on the perfumers face, and I bought the one I knew Jerusha admired.

You have been very kind, Elianna. Thank you for coming to my rescue. Wont you and your family join t.i.tus and me for dinner one night?

I felt heat rise in my face. That wouldnt be possible, my lady.

She tapped elegant, gold-adorned fingers against her forehead. I forgot about your food laws. Forgive me. I am still new to your land. A shadow crossed her eyes. I had the sense that she had not landed in Jerusalem under happy circ.u.mstances. And please, call me Claudia, she said after a moment of hesitation.