The Legacy Read online

  THE LEGACY

  Copyright 2017 by Carol Ashby

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means―electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other―except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Some Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  Some Scripture quotations are from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

  Cover and interior design by Roseanna White Designs

  Cover images from Shutterstock.com

  ISBN: 978-1-946139-04-7 (paperback)

  978-1-946139-05-4 (ebook)

  Cerrillo Press

  Edgewood, NM

  Scripture

  Dedication

  A Note from the Author

  Characters

  Cities and Towns

  Chapter 1: Almost Content

  Chapter 2: What a Girl Wants

  Chapter 3: Time for a Change

  Chapter 4: Dilemma Resolved

  Chapter 5: The Newest Brother

  Chapter 6: Fathers and Daughters

  Chapter 7: Unsuitable Prospects

  Chapter 8: Betrayal

  Chapter 9: The Legacy

  Chapter 10: Help for His Extra Son

  Chapter 11: New Head of the Family

  Chapter 12: Selling Claudia

  Chapter 13: No Way Out

  Chapter 14: A True Friend

  Chapter 15: Reason to Hope

  Chapter 16: Preparations

  Chapter 17: Slipping Away

  Chapter 18: Flight to Freedom

  Chapter 19: The Ugliest Man

  Chapter 20: More than a Beauty

  Chapter 21: Setting Sail

  Chapter 22: Distractions

  Chapter 23: Pleasing the Crocodile

  Chapter 24: A Good Day

  Chapter 25: Someone to Cling To

  Chapter 26: Meanwhile, Back in Rome

  Chapter 27: Sunsets and Stars

  Chapter 28: Not Important After All

  Chapter 29: End of Despair

  Chapter 30: Maybe More than Kindness

  Chapter 31: Seeing True Worth

  Chapter 32: Thessalonica

  Chapter 33: Handsome in her Eyes

  Chapter 34: No Man is Worth More

  Chapter 35: Last Day at Sea

  Chapter 36: Arriving in Perinthus

  Chapter 37: Transfer to Titus

  Chapter 38: Miriam

  Chapter 39: Not What He Paid For

  Chapter 40: Asking the Impossible

  Chapter 41: Help for a Sister

  Chapter 42: Willing to be Pleased

  Chapter 43: Proving Her Worth

  Chapter 44: Not Yet

  Chapter 45: Caring for Claudia

  Chapter 46: Missing Philip

  Chapter 47: Moving In

  Chapter 48: Two Broken Hearts

  Chapter 49: Something New but Not Enough

  Chapter 50: The New Helper

  Chapter 51: Shortcuts

  Chapter 52: No More Lions

  Chapter 53: More Music in the House

  Chapter 54: Philip Returns

  Chapter 55: Much More than Generosity

  Chapter 56: Time with the General

  Chapter 57: From His Own Mouth

  Chapter 58: How Much It Matters

  Chapter 59: Love Is Not Enough

  Chapter 60: Never Alone Again

  Chapter 61: Something Different About Her

  Chapter 62: Discovery

  Chapter 63: The Letter

  Chapter 64: Fever

  Chapter 65: Not Prepared to Die

  Chapter 66: A Very Different Claudia

  Chapter 67: Blaming Miriam

  Chapter 68: Still Wanted

  Chapter 69: Just Like a Lady

  Chapter 70: Sacrificial Love

  Chapter 71: No Longer Impossible

  Chapter 72: Hunting for Miriam

  Chapter 73: Finding a Treasure

  Chapter 74: Dreams That Can Never Be

  Chapter 75: Difficult Decisions

  Chapter 76: Better than Vengeance

  Sneak Peek at Second Chances

  Chapter 1: Husbands and Fathers

  Chapter 2: Time for a Change

  Chapter 3: The Perfect Ally

  I’d Love to Hear from You!

  Historical Note

  Discussion Guide

  Glossary

  Scripture References

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  The Light in the Empire Series

  Scripture

  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you,

  along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,

  forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

  Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV)

  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written,

  “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

  Romans 12: 19 (ESV)

  All that the Father gives me will come to me,

  and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

  John 6:37 (ESV)

  Dedication

  To my children, Paul and Lydia,

  for their love, support, and encouragement,

  to Mom and Dad, who passed on their legacy of faith,

  and especially to my husband, Jim,

  who’ll always be a hero in my own life story.

  And most of all, to Jesus.

  Soli Deo gloria.

  A Note from the Author

  Legacy. It’s a word that calls up images of wills and lawyers, of our parents’ house or the family farmland, of stocks and bonds and bank accounts, of family heirlooms and...the list goes on.

  But we leave behind a legacy much more important than material possessions. Is there a person alive who doesn’t want those they love to share the highest values that inspire and define their lives? As mothers and fathers, how many hours do we spend teaching our children what we know about God and praying for them to grow to know and love Him like we do?

  I can think of no greater legacy that I could pass on to my family and friends than the knowledge of how much God loves them and how Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross opened the door to eternal life, if they only choose to accept the forgiveness and salvation He freely offers.

  I’m not sure there could be anything more gratifying than knowing your grown children have passed through the questioning years and decided their faith in Jesus is no longer a second-hand version of yours, but a deep, abiding, personal commitment of their own. Yet no matter how hard we try to pass on the legacy of faith, we can only plant the seeds and pour on water. It’s God Himself who brings the harvest.

  But what if you come to know and love Jesus after your children are grown? What if they are content with the culture that questions and rejects what you long to share? What if they have no interest in the faith you would be willing to die for?

  The Legacy is
the story of Publius Drusus and his three grown children. In middle age, he leaves behind the philosophies that had directed his life to become a God-fearer, following the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then he learns about Jesus and embraces Him as Savior. But his oldest son wants him dead so he can be free of his father’s control. Lucius betrays his father and arranges Publius’s execution as a Christian. In the face of imminent death, what can a father do to pass on the legacy of faith to his other children, Titus and Claudia? How will God answer a father’s final prayer for his children’s salvation?

  When we reach the point where we have done all we can, when time and opportunities have run out, there is One who loves our children more than we ever could. We might only set the ball in motion, but He can bring others into their lives to get it to the final goal. I hope you’ll enjoy this story of the faith of a father who plants the seeds but must trust God for the harvest as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. May we all know the joy of passing on a legacy of faith in the Lord we love.

  Characters

  CLAUDIUS DRUSUS FAMILY, SERVANTS, and SLAVES

  Publius: (49) Father of Lucius, Titus, and Claudia; Decimus’s mentor and friend

  Lucius: (33) Publius’s oldest surviving son

  Titus: (24) tribune serving in Perinthus of Thracia, Publius’s youngest son, Decimus’s best friend

  Claudia: (16) Publius’s only daughter

  Cornelia: (31) Lucius’s wife

  Malleolus: (61) freedman steward of the Claudius Drusus family

  Miriam: (19) secretly Christian slave bought by Titus

  ARISTARCHUS OF THESSALONICA FAMILY and FRIENDS

  Aristarchus: (50) wealthy Greek with merchant fleets and many estates, leads house church in Rome

  Philip: (25) youngest son, controls Thracian fleet and estates, leads house church in Perinthus

  Ariadne: (23) sister who is very close to Philip, lives in Thessalonica

  Penelope: (16) sister going to Perinthus with Philip to marry

  Nicanor: (33) Philip’s oldest brother, lives in Thessalonica

  Junia: (30) Penelope’s maid

  Hector: (32) Philip’s captain and best friend

  Phoebe: (23) Philip’s former betrothed and Ariadne’s good friend

  Nestor: lent to Titus by Philip to be house steward

  CORNELIUS LENTULUS FAMILY

  Tiberius: (47) governor of Germania Superior, Decimus’s father and close friend of Publius

  Decimus: (25) Titus’s best friend; senatorial tribune of XXII Primigenia Legion, son of governor Tiberius

  VALERIUS CORVINUS FAMLY

  Marcus: (33) Lucius’s best friend

  Septimus: (20) Marcus’s brother, tribune posted to Perinthus

  OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERS

  Appius Manlius Torquatus: close friend of Publius

  Quintus Flavius Sabinus: powerful Senator, friend of the Emperor; political power broker

  Cities and Towns

  1) Rome and Portus, Rome’s port where the Tiber enters the Mediterranean Sea

  2) Thessalonica, capital city of Macedonia

  3) Perinthus, capital city of Thracia

  4) Byzantium

  5) Odessus, town in Moesia

  6) Pontus Euxinus

  Chapter 1: Almost Content

  Rome, AD 114

  Saying goodbye was always hard. When it was your youngest daughter, that punched a hole in a father’s heart.

  Aristarchus stood in the doorway, watching Penelope chat with her maid under the grape arbor. His lips tightened as his mouth drooped. His last child was about to leave Rome for good. A lovely young woman of sixteen, ready to marry and discover the joy of having children of her own. She was ready, but he would never be.

  Philip walked up behind him. “Don’t worry about Penelope, Father. I’ve found three young men who would be good husbands for her. They’re all strong in the faith, and every one of them would cherish her and care for her well. She’ll get to know them over the next few months so we can wisely choose the one God intends for her.”

  Aristarchus’s gaze swung to his youngest son before he sighed. “I am sure you have done as well as I could myself, but I will miss having her here close to me.”

  Philip’s hand rested on his father’s shoulder. “You and Mother will just have to come to Perinthus more often. I’d like that as much as Penelope.”

  “I plan to.” Aristarchus rubbed his bearded chin. Philip would not like his next words. “You have found good men for Penelope, but when are you going to find a good woman for yourself? It is time you married and started a family. At twenty-five, I already had Nicanor and Leander.”

  Philip shrugged. “As Solomon wrote, ‘For everything, there is a season.’” His gaze shifted to the floor, then back to his father. “But not for me. Not yet. I can marry anytime I want. If I let it be known that I’m looking for a wife, fathers as far away as Byzantium will line up to offer their daughters to the merchant prince of Perinthus.” His mouth twitched up, then straightened. “But I don’t want someone who only wants to marry me because I’m rich.”

  “Any woman would grow to love you deeply, no matter why she first married you. Phoebe was too young and foolish to see your true worth as a husband.”

  Philip adjusted the strap of his eye patch. “I don’t want to force some woman to marry a man she could only stand to look at on a moonless night. Phoebe only said what any woman would think. She was right to be honest about how she felt. I’m glad she found a man she can love even when her eyes are open.”

  Aristarchus’s brows dipped before he shook his head. “You are wrong, son. Women do not just care how a man looks. I was never a handsome man, but the best and prettiest woman on earth was happy to marry me and not for my fortune. Your mother has blessed my life in so many ways that I could never tell you all of them. I want that for you, too.”

  Philip’s eye focused on distant nothing before he turned it back on his father. “It’s your love for me that keeps you from seeing the truth, Father. Phoebe made the way women truly feel very clear. If it’s God’s will for me to marry, then I’ll marry, but I haven’t seen any sign that it is. He allowed the burns and scars. I’ve just learned to be content with the results.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Most of the time, anyway.”

  Aristarchus saw the wistful look flit across Philip’s face, and then it was gone. “Never underestimate the power of God or His desire to give you what is best for you, son.”

  “I never do.” The shrug that accompanied Philip’s weak smile signaled his eagerness to change the subject.

  “Mother has some things she wants me to take to Ariadne, so I’m planning to land briefly in Thessalonica. Did you have anything for her or Nicanor?”

  Aristarchus switched to the new topic for Philip’s sake. He didn’t like to see any of his children in pain, and the memory of Phoebe’s rejection seven years earlier was still a poorly healed wound in Philip’s heart, no matter what he might say to the contrary. Only the love of the right woman would let it finally heal.

  But first, Philip had to be willing to risk being hurt again to find that love. Aristarchus would be praying for that kind of courage for the best of his sons.

  Chapter 2: What a Girl Wants

  Publius Drusus leaned back in his chair and flexed his shoulders. He’d been sitting too long, but the new history on the conquest of Dacia had enthralled him.

  The music of Claudia’s laughter and her maid Graecia’s response reached his ears before his daughter swept into the library and came to the desk to give him a kiss.

  “It was lovely at the baths today, Father. Lucretia and Portia were there. Portia had the most exciting news.”

  Her head tipped as a teasing gleam brightened her brown eyes. “Well, aren’t you going to ask me what it is?”

  Publius set the scroll aside. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he turned to look up at her. “Could I keep y
ou from telling me, even if I wanted to?”

  “No.” She picked up a stylus and rolled it between her fingers. “I have two things, actually. Lucretia’s betrothed is coming home from Britannia. He’ll have a posting in Rome, and their marriage will be the first auspicious day after he returns.”

  Publius tipped his head to acknowledge her first report. “And the second?”

  “Portia is now betrothed to Quintus Palma.”

  The corner of Publius’s mouth twitched. “I’m sure her parents are ecstatic about that. I’ve met young Quintus. I wasn’t impressed, but his father is very wealthy and a leader in the Senate. He has the emperor’s ear as well. That will open better opportunities for Portius’s sons if their sister’s father-in-law decides to promote their careers.” He shook his head. “Not the best reason for arranging a marriage. But maybe his sons want the political life.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “I never did.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t, Father. I’d miss you terribly if you were off leading a legion in some frontier province. It’s bad enough that Titus has been tribune in Thracia these past four years.”

  She placed the stylus back on the desk. “Portia’s happy with the choice, but I wouldn’t be. He’s so...dull. I’ve never heard him talk about music or philosophy or poetry. It’s always which faction won the most at the races that week and how much he won gambling.” A short giggle brightened her eyes. “He never says how much he lost.”

  She held out her arms and twirled one circle. “I know what I want in a husband.”

  Publius was hard pressed not to laugh. “What is that?”

  Her eyes turned dreamy. “Someone as handsome as Titus, as big and strong as a German warrior, and as brilliant and kind as you.”

  The laugh escaped. “That’s a challenging list. Just where do you think I’ll find someone like that?”

  “I know one already. Guess if you can. You should be able to. You’ve known him for years.”