Chapter 10
Orphic MusicA few days after the centurion had been to dine at the house of Aulus, Lucius and Decius Brutus chanced to meet at the public baths. Both men were at the stage of being oiled, massaged and scraped when they became aware of each other.
Decius greeted the young man cautiously, not forgetting the antagonism Lucius had shown towards him at their first meeting. Lucius returned the greeting, somewhat shamefaced. For a while the slave worked on the bodies of the two men and no words were spoken. Lucius broke the silence at last.
“I owe you an apology and an explanation, sir,” he said humbly.
Decius looked at him enquiringly, but said nothing.
“My sister’s belief that she is the daughter of the Emperor is sometimes hard to bear. I was embarrassed the other night. What m
