“Who?”
“Claudia.”
“By all the great gods! Longinus, I thought you would be marrying Claudia.”
“We had planned to be married.” Longinus paused. “But Tiberius and Sejanus made this other arrangement.”
Cornelius shook his head. “But what does Claudia say about it?”
“What can she say? To them, I mean. But to me she declares that nothing has changed between us. And judging by this afternoon and tonight—I’ve been with her ever since we reached Jerusalem until a few minutes ago—nothing has.”
“But couldn’t that be dangerous for you two?”
Longinus shook his head. “I hardly think so. Their marriage was an entirely arranged one, and furthermore, I’m convinced Pilate would do nothing to offend Claudia.”
“Tell me”—Cornelius leaned forward and tapped his friend’s knee—“you knew before we left Rome that this arrangement had been made?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t say anything about it then, Cornelius.”