The guards at the compound opened the large wrought-iron gates and let our cart through. Cato had spent the entire journey staring off into the distance, fondling me idly with his free hand. I wished that he would place his fingers down between my lips, as the time in the box had made me shudder and shiver with anticipation, but I dared not make the request. If he wished to use his fingers on me then I could be certain that he would.
As the guards secured the gates Cato finally came to his senses and ran his fingers through his hair and slapped his cheeks to wake himself up.
“Draw me a bath when we get inside,” Cato commanded when the cart stopped outside the entrance to the building. He went into his chambers while I went to the well and began to draw water. It was a long process to draw a bath, as first I had to drag bucket after bucket of water to the vats for boiling, and then from the vats to the enormous square stone bathtub.