Three days pass before Cottia is able to return to the garden. She confesses that Aunt Valaria insists properly brought up young Roman maidens do not visit strangers. Marcus urges his uncle to be friendlier to his neighbors so that he can see Cottia more often. Uncle Aquila reluctantly complies, although he has little regard for the pompous magistrate and his wife. Despite his protests, Uncle Aquila is obviously fond of Marcus. When Marcus stoically denies the pain in his leg, Uncle Aquila calls him a liar.
Uncle Aquila is concerned that after almost a year, Marcus's leg is still not healed. He calls an old friend, Rufus Galarius, to treat the wound. Galarius is a former surgeon with the Second Legion. He proclaims that there are bits of.....
