Simones glared at her.
In a short while Belisarius returned. "Antonina would be pleased to speak with you for a time, Olivia. You must not be too upset by her appearance. She has lost flesh and her pain has… changed her." He led her through the door, closing it on Simones. "Come." In an undervoice he added, "I am grateful to you for doing this. Many of her friends have ceased to visit her and that has been as hard a burden as her illness."
Olivia nodded once. "They are afraid," she said.
"Why should they fear? If there were contagion here, others would be ill, but it is only she." He paused at the door to Antonina's room.
"They are afraid because they fear their time will come," said Olivia gently. "It isn't the illness, it is the inevitability that terrifies them."
Belisarius regarded her uncertainly. He pressed the latch and opened the door. "My dear wife," he said as he approached Antonina's bed, "Olivia Clemens has come to see you."
"You are welcome, friend of my husband," Antonina said, more cordial than she had ever been; her voice was low and harsh, no longer musical.
"God give you a good recovery, August Lady," Olivia said with formal kindness.
"It will be God and God alone who does," said Antonina. She was indeed much changed. Her dark hair was now the color of tarnished silver, with a wide swath of chalk white through it. Her skin, always pale, had turned almost lunar, and there were deep hollows in her cheeks; her eyes were sunken but enormous and shiny with fever.
"Then we will pray for you, all of those who know you and care for you," said Olivia, aware that the woman was in agony.
"We're grateful for your prayers," Belisarius said when Antonina said nothing to Olivia.
"I have heard that you had goods taken from your house," Antonina said, making the information a challenge.
"Unfortunately I have been suspected of illegal activities and the Censor desires to clear up the matter before deciding on my petition to leave the city." Olivia watched Antonina as she spoke, a question unspoken in her eyes.
"You wish to leave Konstantinoupolis?" Antonina said with astonishment. "How can you prefer to live in another place?"
"I am a stranger here," Olivia said simply.
"Where would you not be a stranger?" Antonina inquired. She was breathing a bit too fast and a dull flush had spread over her cheeks.
"Roma, of course, but that isn't possible," Olivia said with an ironic smile. "You have been most gracious to me, Antonina, and I thank you for all you have done. Yet I know that I must find another… home." She moved a little nearer the bed.
"What foolishness," said Antonina, glancing to her husband for agreement. "Why have you agreed to this."
"Because she has been subjected to interferences. I know that she does not ask this capriciously." He sat on the bed beside his wife. "How are you, my dearest?"
"I endure," she said fatalistically. "The physician has given me another potion, but—" She did not bother to finish.
Olivia was more attentive than before. "Your physician? You are attended by a physician?"
"An excellent and pious man. My slave Simones found him for me and has watched over me while this Mnenodatos has administered his treatments." She leaned back against the cushions piled behind her. "I am alive today, I think, because of the skill of this man."
"Truly?" Olivia said. "That is an impressive recommendation. It takes a gifted healer to earn such praise."
Belisarius caught the hard note in Olivia's tone, and he glanced at her in surprise. "Olivia?"
"There are a few matters I must discuss with you before I leave," she said smoothly to him. "You are generous, Antonina, to permit me to take up your husband's time. I thank you for the consideration you show me." She emphasized this with a slight reverence to the woman in bed.
"He is a comfort to me. My husband is always steadfast." She patted his hand, and then said in a very small voice, "I did not know until recently how great a strength he is."
Olivia found it hard to speak. "You… you are fortunate to know this now. Many another has…"As her words faded, she made an odd, protective motion with her hands.
"It has been solace to me," Antonina went on, speaking entirely to Belisarius. "If you were not here, I would be long in my grave."
"Antonina—" Belisarius said, trying to moderate her emotions, concerned about the hectic brightness in her eyes and cheeks.
"It is true, it is true," she said, her grip on his hands tightening with convulsive strength. "You are my good angel, and I thank God and His Mercy for making me see this at last." Her face grew more pinched, but she went on talking. "I was angry with my blessed husband, do you see? I was certain that he had failed me when he was removed from command and returned to this city. I thought that he had been part of a conspiracy and that it had not succeeded and he had been found out." She gave a dry, hacking cough.
"Dearest wife, you need not say any more," Belisarius told her, stroking her hair and overcome with regret.
"It is good that I do. I have wanted to tell someone for so long. You are this lady's sponsor and you have said that she is not one to repeat rumors and gossip. Besides, who does she talk to? You? Drosos? You both know this." She stopped, breathless.
"You need to rest," Belisarius said, looking to Olivia for support.
"If you are too tired to speak, great lady," Olivia said in response to Belisarius' unspoken plea, "I will come another time, when you are feeling better."
"That will not happen, I fear," said Antonina, resignation in every aspect of her posture.
"You cannot be certain," Belisarius insisted. "Your physician is devoted to you. He will find a way to restore your good health."
Antonina looked at Olivia. "He is still my good angel, isn't he? That is why I am ashamed when I think of how I harbored cruel thoughts of him, and when he was in greatest need, I behaved more despotically than any barbarian prince might." She was exhausting herself, but she went on, her determination growing as her strength waned. "He has done everything anyone could hope for. He has comforted me, he has cared for me, he has stayed up with me when I could not sleep, and he has seen I was not disturbed when I could. He has never flagged in his aid, and his constancy has filled my heart to bursting. How could I think this man capable of any deceit, to me or to the Emperor? What made me assume that he would ever abjure his vows, to me or to anyone else? He has shown me his love with his duty."
"My love, please," Belisarius protested affectionately.
Antonina leaned back. "I wish I could tell the Court Censor these things."
"If there are spies in your household, one of them might," Olivia said, and got the worn smile she had hoped for.
"Yes, there are uses for spies, I suppose," Antonina said listlessly. "And if they will report this to Athanatadies, I will be satisfied."
"They might," said Olivia. "It depends on who is spying." She looked at Belisarius. "I do not wish to overstay my welcome. Let me have a moment of your company and then I will leave you to your wife." She made a reverence to Antonina. "I will pray for you, great lady, and I thank you for your kindness in allowing me to take up your husband's precious time."
"Be careful, Olivia," Antonina warned, her words just above a whisper.
In the hallway, Olivia glanced swiftly to see if they were overheard. "I must speak with you. Come out to my palanquin. I do not want listeners."
Obediently Belisarius fell into step with her. "She is in great pain, you know."
"Yes," said Olivia, steel in her tone. "I am amazed she is able to endure so much."
"My wife has always been a woman of mettle," Belisarius said. "From the first time I met her, I thought that I had rarely seen such substance in a woman."
"And she has courage," said Olivia. They were almost to the door, and the vestibule was empty. "You say she has a physician: are you satisfied with his treatment?"
"He works constantly to alleviate her torment," Belisarius said as they stepped out into the sunlight.
"And what has he done about the poison that is killing her?" She said it bluntly, her intention to shock him.
"Poison?" He shook his head. "He has said that this is not poison, but a corruption of her vitals."
"It probably is, and it is caused by poison." Before Belisarius could object, Olivia went on, "Give me some credit, my friend. I am a Roman and I have seen more of plots and poisons than you can imagine. Your wife is being poisoned slowly, so that it will not be suspected by you or by others. I can understand your doubt, but I cannot understand her physician not knowing what kills her. The course of the malady is clear enough; her breath is tainted with poison, and her eyes are changed because of it. There is something very wrong and you must act if you are to save her."