Ida felt all manner of emotions rushing through her like quicksilver. No longer a slave? Her life her own? Where would she go? What would she do? She remembered she had no family left and that scared her more than anything. She looked at him, unsmiling, and this confused Catus.
“Are you not pleased?” he asked.
“Oh, yes, Dominus. I am. It’s just that…” She did not know how to say it, but something in him recognized the absolute loneliness and fear they had in common.
“Of course…as a free woman, you can chose whichever employment you desire,” Catus said, hoping against hope that she would agree to the plan he was forming. “I cannot run this home on my own. Indeed, I don’t actually know how!” He laughed then, and loudly, at the absurdity of the fact. He looked around at the detritus of tha
