Medicus

58

Ntilla had deliberately left the baker's for last and now, as she rounded the corner, there was Lucco sweeping the opposite pavement in front of the drawn shutters and the red writing on the wall. The boy sloshed a bucket of gray water across the stones, picked up the broom, and chased trickles of bobbing dirt down crevices toward the street drain.

Tilla glanced up and down the street and checked that the upstairs window of Merula's was shuttered. "Lucco!"

The boy gave the broom a final swish and looked up. "You've missed them," he said. "They've gone to the baths."

The goddess had granted her prayer: Bassus was safely out of the way. She moved closer to Lucco so she would not be overheard, "Do you know if Phryne was with them?"

The boy shrugged. "Dunno."

"No," said a voice. Strong fingers clamped around her bandaged arm and Bassus slid out from behind the shutters. He told Lucco to get lost. The boy scuttled into the bar. "Phryne's feeling a bit under the weather this morning," said Bassus.

Tilla felt a stab of pain as he squeezed her arm.

"Nice of you to ask, though."

She dared not move. She had thought the goddess would keep her safe. Now it seemed she was expected to manage on her own.

"Surprised to see me, are you?" he asked. "Stich took the girls out this morning."

Two women with baskets were standing chatting at the bakery counter across the street. Tilla announced loudly, "You are hurting my arm!"

One of them turned.

"I am not afraid of you!" she added, ashamed that the words were not true.

Bassus followed her gaze to where everyone had now stopped talking to watch what he was doing.

"If you hurt me," added Tilla, struggling to keep her voice level, "my master will have you punish with the law!"

There was a sharper stab as he pulled her against his chest. " 'Round here, girl," he hissed, "I am the law."

Before she could decide whether to scream, Bassus burst into laughter and released her. "It's all right, ladies," he called to the audience across the street, holding up both hands in mock surrender. "Just a lovers' tiff."

He turned back to Tilla. "Cheer up, gorgeous. You're worth too much to damage. Me and your doctor friend done a deal, did you know that?"

"You are lying."

"Am I? I'm going to introduce him to some people I know. We should get a good price for you."

She stared at the man's heavy, seamed face. She took a deep breath.

"My master will never deal with a man like you!"

Bassus shrugged. "Ask him yourself." He cocked his head to one side and examined her face. "What's the matter?" He smiled and shook his head. "Oh dear, oh dear. Gone soft on him, eh? You thought he was going to keep you, didn't you?"