Buried Too Deep

by Jane Finnis

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time lately visiting our neighbours, the other farmers between here and the coast. Most of them are natives, but there are one or two settlers, and I went round all of them. I wanted to encourage them to band together, so we can defend ourselves and one another. But most of them aren’t interested.”

  “They don’t take it seriously, you men, or are they paying the Gauls protection money to be left alone?”

  “A few may be paying, perhaps, but not the majority. They mostly agree Voltacos’ men are a menace, and they’ve heard alarming rumours of their crimes. But they haven’t suffered themselves. I asked all of them whether they’d had any trouble on their own farms, and they said no, not personally, but they knew the situation must be getting worse because of all the rumours. I couldn’t find a single farm inland that’s been raided by the Gauls except ours and Belinus’.”

  “Do you think the Gauls are deliberately spreading rumours to frighten people, so when they do attack anyone, their victims will be readier to give them whatever they want?”

  “I suppose that must be it. But I was hoping I could persuade all the threatened farmers to combine against the Gauls, help each other, share information, that sort of thing. They all said they’re willing in principle, but don’t feel it’s very important at this stage.”

  “Disappointing for you. But at least you’re well protected now, thanks to Brutus and his boys.”

  “But I’m wondering if there’s more to it. Suppose, just suppose, that in fact the only farms the sea-raiders have seriously attacked are Esico’s and mine. Suppose we’re not dealing with random raids by a gang of opportunists, but someone has deliberately chosen to harass Esico and his family, and us?”

  “But why would they pick on you? You’re on such good terms with everyone, you and Albia. From what I’ve heard, you haven’t an enemy in the world.”

  He shrugged. “I can’t imagine. Anyhow, let’s forget about raids and pirates and all that gloomy stuff, and go and see Elli and the baby.”

  Elli was sitting up in her bed with Aquilo beside her. She wore that tired-yet-happy expression that new mothers tend to have, and Aquilo looked as happy and proud as if he’d just found Caratacus’ gold. I made the usual enthusiastic remarks about the little one, his size, his beautiful blue eyes, his resemblance to Aquilo, his appetite. All babies look much the same to me really, but I know one isn’t expected to say that, and I did my best. I tried not to think about Elli’s remark of yesterday: “My father would kill me if he found out.”

  I said, “Elli, do you want us to send a message to your mother? Secretly, of course, but just to let her know she’s now a grandma?”

  “I’ve been wondering about that. Do you think Candidus could spare a servant to take her a note from me?”

  “I’ll ask him if you like.” I strolled outside again and spotted Candidus some distance away in earnest conversation with Brutus. Before I could reach them, the twins came charging out of the house to see me, with Nasua following in their wake, ready to prevent them jumping all over me. In fact I wasn’t the centre of their attention for long, because a rider came cantering down from the direction of the main road, and they shouted and waved as he pulled up by the pond.

  “Titch!” I called. “Are you on your way to see Balca?”

  “Not this morning. Later if I’m lucky.” He swung down, and let his horse have a drink while he bent to greet the children. “All right, you young terrors, you go along into the house while I talk to Mistress Aurelia. You’ve got your hands full there,” he grinned at Nasua. “Being a nursemaid is hard work, eh?”

  Nasua flushed, feeling he’d been insulted, though I don’t think that was Titch’s intention. But I didn’t want any ill feeling between these two. “He’s their bodyguard. He keeps them safe for us, don’t you, Nasua?”

  “Yes.” He smiled proudly. “N-nobody will hurt them while I’m here.” He rounded up the twins and marched them off inside.

  Titch said, “I’ve some news I didn’t want them to hear. Magnus has been murdered.”

  My heart sank. “Murdered? Oh, no! This is what we’ve been dreading, the quarrel with Bodvocus getting completely out of hand. We’ll have a job to stop a civil war breaking out now.”

  He shook his head. “It’s true some of the Ostorius lads are blaming Bodvocus, but it doesn’t look like the murderer was one of the Parisi, nor the Gauls neither.”

  “Who then?”

  “He was stabbed while he was taking a bath. That means it must have been one of the family. No outsider could have got into the Fort, let alone into that bath-house, without being noticed and stopped. When you see the layout of the place you’ll understand. It’s as secure as a real military camp. More so than some I’ve been in.”

  “Who found the body?”

  “One of his slaves, and he wasn’t quite dead, but near enough. She said he muttered summat about being betrayed by the family, and mentioned Aquilo. He wasn’t making much sense mind, and he died soon after.”

  “When was this? Last night?”

  “Dawn today.”

  “Then at least the murderer can’t be Aquilo. He’s been here all night.”

  “Ah.” Titch nodded. “That’s what Quintus Antonius asked me to check, because we thought he hadn’t been anywhere near the place.”

  “If this slave is speaking the truth, and the murderer was one of Magnus’ family, it can only have been either Vividus or Ferox.”

  “Vividus was with Quintus Antonius most of the time, and Ferox has disappeared.”

  “Has he now? Interesting…Does Quintus want Aquilo to return to the Fort?”

  “He does, as soon as possible. And he says could you please go too?”

  “Try and stop me! I’ve been wanting an excuse to visit the Ostorii.”

  “He thought you’d say that. And he said he’ll spill the rest of the beans when you arrive.”

  I laughed, because “beans” was Quintus’ favourite password, and it meant he needed my help. “Are you riding back there now, Titch?”

  “No, I’m to go and fetch Master Lucius and his men. They can look for Ferox, and if we end up having to arrest either him or Vividus, we’ll need extra muscle. They’ve got half a cohort of guards in the place. Seems like everyone who ever served in the army with either the uncle or the nephews got a job from them afterwards.”

  “Right, I’ll ride over with Aquilo. You’d best be on your way.”

  “I expect I’ll see you later.” He vaulted onto his horse cavalry fashion, to show he’d no need of a mounting-block. “That is if I haven’t been sent off on another errand. I swear I’m covering more miles these days than I did in the army!” And he rode off, waving cheerfully.

  The news of Magnus’ death was received with horror, and everyone jumped to the conclusion that he’d been killed either by one of Bodvocus’ men or by the Gauls.

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “It sounds more like someone from inside the household.” Aquilo wanted to ask questions, but I cut him short. “Let’s talk as we go, Aquilo. Quintus Antonius wants us to ride to the Fort as fast as we can.”

  “Us? You’re coming too?”

  “Yes. Quintus has asked me to. You need someone who can vouch for the fact that you were here all of last night.”

  He looked shocked. “You mean they might accuse me of killing him? In that case I suppose I’ve no choice. But I hate to leave Elli and my son.”

  “I’m sure you can be back here again tonight, if you want to.”

  “And you know we’ll take good care of them for you,” Albia reassured him. “Now I suggest you go and tell Elli what’s happened. The sooner you start, the sooner you can come back. Candidus, could you organise horses for them please? Relia, I wonder if you ought to pack a spare tunic and a comb and strigil in your saddlebag? You might end up staying overnight at the Fort.”

  “And people say I’m the bossy one in the family!” But I did as s
he advised, because I’d a feeling she might be right.

  Chapter XX

  Aquilo and I took the short cut Titch had mentioned. Apart from the first mile or so it was all across country, following rough native tracks that meandered between farms, and sometimes using no tracks at all. From the higher points we could catch occasional glimpses of the sea, blue and sparkling in the morning sun. It was more interesting riding than the roads would have been, and quicker.

  To start with we set only a moderate pace so that we could talk. Aquilo wanted to know exactly what Titch had told me, and when I relayed the account of Magnus’ dying words, he let fly some curses that I wouldn’t have thought came naturally to a poet.

  “Gods. I suppose it was Niobe who found my uncle.”

  “Who’s Niobe? One of your family slaves?”

  “My uncle’s concubine. None of us brothers are married, so she rules the roost as mistress of the house. A scheming little piece. She’s never liked me. I don’t like her either.”

  “It’s as well for you that you were with Albia and Candidus last night. Your friend Trimalchio can’t be brought to give evidence, but they’ll stand witness for you, and they’ll be believed. Now according to Titch—well, according to Quintus, I suppose—the murderer must have been one of your household, someone your uncle trusted, because an outsider couldn’t have found a way into the bath-house unobserved.”

  “No, especially not now. We keep a guard on the gate all the time, and sentries on patrol at night.” He smiled. “All our neighbours used to laugh at my uncle’s military ways, I know they did. But just lately, with these pirates about, I don’t think they’re laughing so loudly.”

  “Had your uncle…” I stopped to choose my words carefully. I wanted to ask Aquilo about the likelihood that either of his brothers was a killer. “Had your uncle quarrelled with anyone in the house over the last day or two?”

  “He’d had rows with nearly everyone yesterday, especially Vividus and Ferox. I heard them quarrelling myself. Well I could hardly avoid it, I expect ships passing the Headland could hear them, the din they were making. But that wasn’t so very unusual. We’re the kind of men who have furious arguments in the morning, and make our peace by lunch-time. I never dreamed…Surely Vividus or Ferox wouldn’t have…I mean we owe Magnus a great deal, the three of us. ”

  “We haven’t got all the facts yet, Aquilo. It sounds grim, I know, but we can’t be certain of what happened till we get there.”

  “You ask a lot of questions.” His tone was accusing. “And you said that investigator Antonius asked you to come with me. Are you some kind of assistant of his?”

  “I sometimes help a little in his investigations.” Time for a change of subject, I thought. “Aquilo, I think we ought to get moving. The quicker we get there…”

  “Yes, I know, the quicker I’ll be home. By the way, please remember none of my family know about Elli yet. You won’t tell them, will you?

  “I won’t tell them. I promise.”

  So we urged our horses on and rode flat out, or as nearly so as the country would allow. He was a good rider, as Titch had discovered, and the fast pace was exhilarating. I forgot the grim circumstances that made it necessary, at least until we came in sight of the Fort.

  Then sheer astonishment caused me to bring Merula to a stop so I could sit and stare. “What an amazing place!” With a name like the Fort, I expected it would be some sort of foursquare, military-looking structure. But this was built along standard military lines. The outside wall was a stone rampart with a walkway on its top and a deep ditch in front of it. The main entrance was through a huge heavy gate that needed only a couple of sentries outside it to make it look like any porta praetoria belonging to any legion in the Empire.

  “My uncle’s pride and joy,” Aquilo remarked dryly. “What do you think of it?”

  “Impressive. Very impressive.” That was the only positive description I could come up with, and indeed it was impressive. But it was also sinister, and simultaneously almost comic, because in this green, gentle landscape it was utterly out of place.

  Aquilo laughed. “Tactful. Very tactful. And I suppose you’re right, it is impressive in its own weird way. Uncle and the others love it, it reminds them of their glory days. I hate it.” The last few words were said softly but bitterly.

  We rode through the gate, and inside the rampart I was relieved to find the resemblance to a fort was less complete, but still too overwhelming for my comfort. There was a road leading straight ahead to a central range of buildings, where presumably the family lived. In front of these buildings was a large open space, and other buildings were spread out in a rather higgledy-piggledy fashion, at any rate not in the serried ranks and rows that characterised military bases. They were more typical of a farm too: store-rooms, stables, carriage and cart sheds, and barns. “The main house is built round a courtyard,” Aquilo said. “And you’ll be glad to hear there’s a bath-house just behind it.” Indeed I was relieved. In a real fort the baths would have been outside the walls, or at best in an annex.

  We paused just inside the gateway, and I realised there was a sentry of sorts on duty after all, he just wasn’t visible from outside. He came forward to intercept us, and I recognised him as one of the big Gaulish bodyguards who’d accompanied Magnus and Vividus to the Oak Tree when they came to buy my horses. He gave a military salute, which Aquilo didn’t return. “Master Aquilo, thank the gods you’ve come. We’ve had a disaster here. Your uncle, our old master…I’m afraid he’s dead.”

  “I’ve heard, Rinacus. A disaster indeed. I came straight back here as soon as I got the news. I was staying with friends last night…never mind that now. Where are my brothers?”

  “Master Ferox is out, sir. We think he’s on the farm somewhere, he usually is at this time of day. Master Vividus is with that investigator Antonius. Shall I tell him you’re here, you and…er…your friend?” He glanced at me uneasily. I thought, why do the Fates keep directing my steps to places where an independent-looking lady is such a novelty?

  “This is Aurelia Marcella,” Aquilo said. “Aurelia, Rinacus is our chief guard.”

  “We’ve met before, Rinacus, I believe, when you came with Magnus and Vividus to the Oak Tree Mansio.”

  “Ah yes, of course.” But it was clear he didn’t remember me.

  I said, “I’m a colleague of the investigator Antonius, and I’ve brought urgent information for him.”

  “Equally important,” Aquilo said, “she’s here as my guest, so make sure she has everything she requires to make her visit comfortable.”

  “Of course, sir. Will she be staying the night here?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll tell them to prepare a guest room just in case. Now we’ll go straight to Vividus, don’t bother announcing us. Where is he?”

  He nodded towards the house. “At Headquarters, sir, in the big sitting-room. If you’d like to leave your horses here, I’ll have one of the lads take care of them.” He gave a shrill whistle, and a thin stable-lad came and took the bridles.

  “Headquarters?” I asked as we walked across the wide space towards the big main building.

  Aquilo grunted. “Another of Magnus’ whims. It’s positioned where the garrison headquarters would stand in a real fort.”

  But the house itself, to my great relief, wasn’t military at all. It was considerably bigger than it appeared from the gate, because it had two wings of rooms jutting out at right angles behind it, forming in effect three sides of a courtyard. The fourth side was open, and there was a wide space with a few troughs and tubs of plants, meant to make the place look homely I suppose, but to me they just accentuated the grey drabness of it all.

  The main part of the house was two-storeyed, which surprised me because there was plenty of space for building at ground level. When we mounted the stairs to Vividus’ sitting-room on the upper floor I realised the reason for the design. It was pleasant to have some rooms
high enough up to look over the ramparts and out into the countryside beyond.

  Aquilo knocked, paused for a heartbeat and then walked in without waiting for a reply. I followed, and as we entered I heard Quintus’ voice, half irritated and half amused. “But none of this is real proof, is it?”

  Quintus and Vividus were seated on chairs on opposite sides of an ornately carved round table. Before them stood a young slave, a house-boy from his dress, white and scared. A beautiful woman was sitting on a stool near the window, but something about her pose told me she wasn’t part of whatever discussion was going on. A jug of wine and several beakers stood untouched on a side table.

  Quintus and Vividus turned towards the door as we entered, and Vividus jumped to his feet.

  “Aquilo, where have you been? I’ve had men looking all over for you.” I thought he was going to embrace his brother, but instead he went to the door, took a pace out onto the landing, and yelled, “Guard!”

  Two burly men appeared. Vividus pointed at Aquilo.

  “Secure Master Aquilo. Tie him up.”

  “Now wait, Vividus,” Aquilo protested. “You can’t do this! Don’t touch me, any of you.”

  The guards hesitated, as well they might, but Vividus barked, “Do it!” and they obeyed. I expected Quintus to intervene, but he sat looking on impassively while the guards tied Aquilo’s hands behind his back. The woman by the window watched closely too, but said nothing. The young slave boy glanced quickly round him and scuttled for the door, and nobody stopped him.

  “Now,” Vividus said, “we’ll get to the bottom of this. Where were you last night, Aquilo?”

  “I sent you a message by Antonius’ lad Victor,” Aquilo said, trying his best to keep his dignity. “I stayed with Candidus and Albia last night, because I got word that an old friend of mine from Londinium was visiting there.”

  “Can you prove it? Have you witnesses to confirm you were there all the time?”

  “Of course I have. Why?”

  “Why do you think? Because our uncle has been murdered, and with his dying breath he accused…”