A Noble Captive Read Online Free Page B

Hopefully no one else had noticed. Aunt Flavia’s eyes were deep emerald green, not her much paler shade. She gazed over his head at the frieze of Kybele’s life and attempted to draw strength from that. ‘We are very alike. People have commented on that before.’
    ‘Many apologies.’ A small dimple appeared in his right cheek. ‘Beautiful eyes must run in your family.’
    A tiny flutter in her stomach caused Helena to swallow hard. She tried to damp down the tiny bubble of happiness by calling his words flattery, but they did please her.
    ‘The sibyl does not take kindly to such mistakes,’ she said, making her voice sound stern. She kept her eyes carefully trained on the frieze. ‘Please refrain from making them in the future.’
    ‘Will I be able to meet her and express my gratitude properly?’ His voice was smooth like polished wood or the touch of silk.
    Helena blinked and regained control of her wayward thoughts.
    ‘If it can be arranged…’ Helena allowed her voice to trail away. ‘But for now she has given me authority to house you and is busy with other things.’
    ‘It appears we are to be here for some time. I sincerely hopethe sibyl might find time in her busy schedule at some point. I believe we have much to discuss.’
    He knows.
    Helena cleared her throat, unsure of what exactly to say, when Tullio took a half-step forward and swayed in front of her.
    Her hands came up to catch him, to break his fall. His shoulder knocked into a statue of Kybele and caused it to rock. Helena held her breath. If the statue fell, it would be an omen of Kybele’s disapproval. The statue stayed upright on its plinth.
    Tullio’s strong fingers gripped her forearms for an instant before he stood up straight. His masculine scent enveloped her and she felt the fluttering begin again in her stomach. Two of his men rushed to grab him. He waved them away.
    ‘Forgive me, it has been a long day and we have not been fed at all.’
    Helena tilted her head and eyed the tribune. Was this a ploy to make her feel sorry for him? Then she caught sight of the jagged wound running down his leg.
    She clapped her hands and motioned to one of the guards.
    ‘Show the Romans to the pilgrimage rooms and provide them with any medicine they require.’ She turned to go before she made a bigger fool of herself. ‘There is lentil and barley soup with cheese bread. We eat simply at the temple, but you should have sufficient.’
    ‘Helena, wait,’ Tullio called.
    ‘Is there some further problem?’ she asked and tried to ignore her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
    His dark eyes crinkled at the corners, and, despite the marks from the beating, Helena could see that he was a handsome man, possibly the most handsome she had seen. Not in a pretty sort of way, but rugged. A man who could fight battles. But whose?
    ‘Shall we meet again?’ he asked in a low voice as his eyes seemed to deepen.
    Helena hesitated, confused.
    He was her enemy. Rome had always been the temple’s and the seafarers common enemy. It was Rome who had driven them to this remote island and forced them to live off the seas. She had to remember that. She had no business thinking he was handsome. Her hand trembled as she tucked a stray lock of hair back into place.
    ‘I doubt that very much. The temple guards are well versed in solving pilgrims’ problems.’

Chapter Three
    H elena shut the door to her aunt’s apartments with a decisive click, closing it against the world and the Roman tribune with the piercing gaze.
    He unnerved her. She’d admit that. First at the quayside and then just now, when he had nearly guessed…That was all it was: a guess, a ploy, a Roman trick. He wanted her off balance.
    Worse, her treacherous body reacted to him. A Roman. The last sort of man she wanted to be attracted to.
    She’d ignore it and it would disappear. Her passions would not rule her as they had ruled her mother. She knew what she wanted in this world and why she would