Her heart squeezed as she realized he must have believed his rescue would be stymied by their inability to access his fortune. How hopeless he must have been, waiting powerlessly for the deadline to expire and his fate to be sealed.
“I obtained a loan,” she replied. “Publius Calpurnius Lentulus was good enough to understand the circumstances and come to my aid. Though there will be substantial interest, I fear.”
“He loaned you eight talents of silver? I can’t believe anyone would undertake such a risk, interest or no.”
Lucretia hesitated. Should she reveal how far she had been prepared to go to see him freed? Or should she brush it off as an act of kindness on Lentulus’s part?
Tell him, she decided. He deserved to know how much he meant to her. “I did offer significant collateral.”
“Your house?” he demanded. “You risked your home—on me?”
She shook her head. “The house belongs to Marcus. I put up my ships.”
He stared at her, utter incredulity stark on every plane of his face. “Why, by the furthest reaches of Dis, would you risk such a thing?”
She smiled tremulously. “Because I love you.”
“You love me,” he repeated, as if he didn’t understand the words.
“Despite my better judgment, I fear.” Her smile grew. Warmth filled her, so strong it chased away the chill of the sea air, which grew cooler every moment after sunset. “I love you, Felix.”
His gray eyes searched her face, as if waiting for her to laugh and reveal it was all a prank. She gave him a few moments for the truth of her words to sink in.
“I love you too,” he finally whispered, and pressed his lips to her forehead.
Chapter 36
By the time they reached Ostia harbor, night had fallen. Lanterns swinging on the boat lit their way to the dock. The craft bumped gently against the wooden pier and the pilot tied a line to secure them. Lucretia rose to exit, eager to be on land, but Felix paused to speak to the pilot.
“Would you make one more trip out?” he asked. “I arranged for the other captives to be freed as well, and I expect about half of them are in the second boat behind us. But the rest will require transport.”
The pilot frowned. “I’ve only been paid for the one trip. But…” He looked Felix over. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind being owed a favor by Lucius Avitus Felix.”
Felix grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “You have my gratitude.”
Lucretia blinked at him. “What do you mean, you arranged for the other captives to be freed?”
Felix climbed off the boat and held out a hand to her. “Exactly that. I negotiated for everyone to be freed. Of course, that was before I realized the issue with the ransom money.”
Lucretia clasped his hand, grateful for the support as she stepped over the gap between the boat and the dock. Her mind whirled. Felix, one of the most self-serving people she had ever known, had not only sacrificed himself to save her son, but had also negotiated for the release of an entire shipload of captives? His rescue of Marcus could be explained by his affection for her son, but those other people were strangers to him.
“Why?” she demanded in shock.
He gave her a long look as the boat behind them pulled away from the dock. “Because I couldn’t live with the thought of never seeing you again, and I realized every person on that ship must have someone they felt the same about.”
She let out her breath in a shuddering rush. Before she could say anything further, a figure hurried down the dock toward them.
“Marcus!” Lucretia exclaimed. She wanted to chide him for being out alone at night, but bit back the impulse. Of course he’d want to witness Felix’s safe return.
“You’re back!” Marcus said.
“Clearly there was no cause to worry, thanks to your mother,” Felix said. “Was your journey from Cyrene smooth?”
Marcus nodded. He hesitated for a moment, then launched himself into Felix’s arms, wrapping him in a hug that made Lucretia’s heart clench in mingled joy and pain. It reminded her of the unrestrained, exuberant hugs Marcus used to give his father when he was younger.
Felix returned the hug for a moment before Marcus pulled back, wrinkling his nose. “Is that what pirates smell like?”
Felix chuckled. “I suppose so.”
