by Nick Brown
‘You keep them,’ Indavara said.
‘Certainly not. Take yours and do with it what you will.’
Indavara reluctantly did so.
Cassius stopped as they neared the end of the corridor and another red curtain.
‘Now, remember. We are watching him, but we mustn’t look like we’re watching him. Act naturally.’
Cassius pulled the curtain aside and they stepped into a large, darkened room. To avoid the unpleasant smoke produced by oil lamps, the chamber was lit entirely by candles burning in strategically placed candelabra. Arranged around the walls were tables, chairs, couches and floor cushions. In the middle of the room was yet another statue of the Tyche. The candles around it lit the burnished bronze, giving the impression that the goddess’s legs were on fire. It was hard to tell how many people were in the room. Most of the men were sitting or lying down.
A girl approached with a tray of glasses balanced in one hand, her kohl-lined eyes sparkling in the darkness. She was barefoot and wearing a figure-hugging tunic, and gave a sultry smile as she passed.
Cassius nudged Indavara. ‘And that’s just the serving girls.’
An older woman appeared. ‘Welcome, gentlemen. Where would you like to sit?’
Cassius shrugged. ‘Somewhere with a good view.’
‘Follow me.’
She led them around the edge of the room. Though he was on the lookout for Octobrianus, Cassius took care not to pay too much attention to anyone – strangers might be unusual here. The woman found them a table next to the wall. Cassius sat facing the entrance, Indavara opposite him.
‘And what would you like to drink?’
‘Half and half. Something decent.’
‘Very well, sir. Would you like to see some girls?’
‘Not just yet.’
As the woman left, Cassius turned round. On the far side of the room were two corridors, one at each corner. A client exited the right-hand corridor, buckling his belt.
A high-pitched yelp, and a big man walked past with a girl thrown over his shoulder. She was flailing at the hem of her tunic, trying desperately to pull it down, but her wobbling buttocks were there for all to see. The man’s associates cheered and clapped.
‘I do believe you’re blushing, Indavara,’ observed Cassius.
‘It’s the candlelight.’
‘Ah, of course. Stay here a moment. I’m going to take a quick look around.’
Ignoring the panic on the bodyguard’s face, Cassius set off towards the back of the room. He passed a group of men laid out on cushions. Three girls lay among them, with at least one male hand on an intimate part of their body. None of the men was Octobrianus. A fourth girl was sitting with her knees on a chair, arms folded across the backrest, chin on her hands.
‘Excuse me,’ Cassius said, leaning close to her, ‘where would I find the gentleman’s?’
‘Keep going all the way to the back.’
Cassius passed two more groups of men before he reached the left-hand corridor. Again, no sign of Octobrianus. Along each side of the corridor were small private rooms. All the doors were shut except one. Cassius peered around the doorframe. Two girls materialised from the shadows. Taking an arm each, they pulled him inside.
‘Hello, handsome,’ said one. They were both clad in diaphanous cotton robes tied tight at the waist by a string of multicoloured beads. Cassius quickly established that their attributes were roughly on a par – one possessed the superior face, one the superior body.
‘Looking for a good time?’ said the second girl, so close that her hair brushed against Cassius’s shoulder.
‘Always.’
Cassius decided he must at least try to locate Octobrianus before indulging.
‘But I’m actually looking for my friend. Small chap, rather reserved. Came in just before me.’
The prettier girl spoke up: ‘Oh, I think he’s usually with Helena—’
The other girl slapped her gently on the arm and tutted. Her friend put her hand to her mouth.
‘We’re not supposed to talk about clients,’ explained the voluptuous girl.
Cassius dragged his eyes away from the stretched lines of cotton between her large breasts.
‘Of course. Quite right. I shall perhaps be back a little later, girls.’
Cassius planted a kiss on each hand, then continued along the corridor. He shook his head and whispered to himself: ‘Antioch.’
As he actually did need to use the latrine (and might well be able to learn something there) he pushed through the wooden door and went inside. There was only one occupant, a large fellow sitting on the bench. With the autumn rains yet to arrive, there was no water running below to clear the waste, but the latrine was at least well perfumed.
‘Evening,’ said the man cheerfully.
‘Evening.’ Cassius walked past the bench to the trough and reached for the hem of his tunic.
As he relieved himself, the man spoke up again: ‘Enjoy your youth, lad, it’s only downhill from your thirtieth year.’
‘Is that so?’
‘Half an hour I’ve been on here. It’s always the same these days. Half an hour twice a day adds up to a lot of wasted time.’
‘I suppose so. Tell me, friend, do you know if Helena is working tonight?’
‘Haven’t seen her. Though I think she usually uses the rooms on the other side.’
‘Ah, thank you. I shall check over there. Hope you can get away soon.’
The man nodded ruefully as Cassius left.
After some subtle enquiries in the other corridor, he established that Helena was indeed busy, and unlikely to be available any time soon. Seeing no sign of the procurator on the other side of the room, he concluded Octobrianus was occupied.
Indavara had been joined by three girls. One of them was urging the bodyguard to flex his biceps. Unaware that Cassius was behind him, he did so. Each of the girls had a turn at touching his arm and it took him a while to notice he was being watched. Cassius grinned as he sat down. Indavara pulled his arm away and shook his head irritably as another of the girls played with his hair.
‘Leave us a moment, would you, ladies?’ said Cassius. The girls reluctantly complied, one giving a parting stroke to Indavara’s neck.
‘Have you chosen your favourite yet?’ Cassius asked.
Before Indavara could answer, one of the doormen walked past carrying a large candelabra which he set down in the middle of the room. A serving girl came along to light the candles, and was joined by another holding a flute. Some of the men left their seats and gathered round. An extremely statuesque young lady then made her way gracefully into the circle formed by the men. She removed her robe and threw it to the serving girl. Underneath she was wearing only a thin belt with little chains hanging from it. Her nipples had been tipped with silver paint. The flautist began playing, and the girl swayed to the music. The men looked on in lustful silence.
Cassius recognised a couple of familiar faces from the House of the Dolphins, including the newly arrived and unmistakable figure of Magistrate Quarto, dwarfing the men either side of him. Cassius alerted Indavara then indicated that they should turn away. It would hardly be a disaster if the magistrate saw them there, but he would prefer they remain unnoticed.
‘Well? Which girl are you taking?’
Indavara shrugged.
‘They not to your taste? Plutarch said: When the candles are out, all women are fair. Wise words.’
‘It’s not that. They’re beautiful. They’re all beautiful.’
‘Don’t tell me it’s your first time. What about when you were a fighter?’
Indavara chose to drink rather than reply.
‘Well,’ Cassius continued, ‘I’m going to spend my token. We need to be done before Octobrianus comes out, so if you’re intent on doing the same, I suggest you hurry up.’
As Cassius stood, Indavara locked a hand on his wrist.
‘Wait.’
Cassius shook his hand a
way.
‘Sorry,’ continued Indavara. ‘It’s just . . .’
He sighed and brushed his hair away from his face. Cassius sat down again.
‘There were women. But it was all so . . . rushed. I never knew when they were coming. Or who would come. Then they would disappear. I never had a chance—’
‘—to get good at it.’
Indavara shrugged.
Cassius waved a hand at him. ‘That’s natural. It takes time, training – just like anything. Listen, these girls are professionals. You’re in capable hands. In any case, don’t feel you have to go all the way, so to speak. I won’t be. They may look like goddesses but they can carry all manner of pox. My cousin got the most awful fright when – well, perhaps it’s best not to go into that. Let me put it this way. There’s no need to sheathe the sword, but that doesn’t mean the blade can’t be touched. See what I mean?’
Indavara nodded.
Cassius stood again, then leaned closer to him.
‘Don’t take too long to choose. The ones you reject will be angry. And don’t forget to enjoy yourself.’
Cassius still hadn’t made up his own mind; so it didn’t particularly concern him that when he arrived back at the room, the voluptuous girl was alone. She was sitting in front of a lamp, examining her face in a mirror. Cassius held the token up. She smiled and came to him, then led the way back down the corridor to another room. As Cassius went inside, she turned and locked the door. The room was small, half its space taken up by a substantial bed covered in fine cotton sheets. The only other features were an oriental-looking rug and a hexagonal wooden table. On the table was a pile of clean towels and a large bowl of water. While the girl lit a lamp by the bed, Cassius bent down, untied his boots and took them off. The girl then led him over to the table. She put his hands in the perfumed water and began to wash them. He looked down at her and reflected that he’d perhaps judged her a little harshly. Her face was too chubby ever to be considered beautiful but she was certainly pretty, with a full mouth and big brown eyes. She glanced up at him and smiled. She had finished washing him, and now examined his fingers.
‘Someone looks after you well.’
‘My attendant.’
‘He attends to all your needs?’ she asked with a provocative smile.
‘No. For that I need a woman. What’s your name?’
‘Athena.’
‘That’s your real name?’
‘Does it matter?’ she replied, unbuckling his belt.
Cassius shrugged as she laid the belt on the table.
‘And your name, sir?’
‘Cassius.’
Athena ran a finger down his chest. ‘Well, Cassius. What are we to do tonight?’
‘I shall tell you. I shall tell you precisely what to do and when to do it. You can start by helping me undress.’
Cassius bent forward. Athena took hold of the tunic and pulled it off over his head, leaving him in only his loincloth. He always wore underwear if there were likely to be attractive women around – to avoid embarrassing bulges under his tunic. Athena took off the loincloth and dropped it on the table with a smile.
‘Now go and sit at the end of the bed,’ Cassius told her.
‘Shall I take my robe off?’
‘Did I ask you to?’
Athena smiled. As she walked away from him, Cassius stared at the transparent cloth clinging to her bottom. He waited for her to sit down, then joined her at the bed. He lay down, and adjusted the pillows until he was comfortable.
‘Now, come and sit on my chest.’
Athena clambered along the bed, then lowered herself on to him. She pushed her dark tresses of hair away from her face.
‘Pull your robe down.’
Athena loosened the robe and eased it down over her shoulders, first one, then the other.
‘Further.’
Now the robe cut a line across the swell of her breasts.
‘Slowly.’
Cassius watched the hem as it descended past her cleavage.
‘Stop there.’
He reached up, took the material in both hands, then slid it down, revealing as fine and full a pair of breasts as he had seen.
‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Antioch.’
Indavara returned to the table just after Cassius. He slumped down in the chair, a bottle of wine in his hand. It was almost empty. He looked more relaxed, more at ease with himself, than Cassius had seen him.
‘I hardly need ask, but how was it?’
Indavara shook his head and grinned. ‘She’s so lovely. Her skin’s so soft.’
Just as he spoke, what Cassius had previously thought were two separate groups of men stood up together and made for the back of the room. As well as Magistrate Quarto there must have been a dozen others. They filed out through the right-hand corridor, moving quickly and quietly, strangely purposeful.
Indavara was staring into space over Cassius’s shoulder. He took a hefty swig from the wine bottle.
‘Are you drunk?’
The way in which the bodyguard’s eyes took time to re-focus was all the confirmation Cassius needed.
‘No. I just – her skin, it was –’
‘Yes, yes, so soft. I heard you the first time.’
Cassius took the bottle of wine and placed it on the far side of the table. ‘That’s quite enough for you.’
Indavara nodded towards the rear of the room. ‘There’s Octobrianus.’
‘What’s he doing?’ asked Cassius without turning round.
‘Just kissed a girl. Now coming towards us. I think he’s leaving.’
‘Then try to reclaim your wits, bodyguard, because in a moment so are we.’
XXVI
By the time they got outside, Octobrianus had vanished. They ran back down the street to the corner. The procurator was there, thirty yards away, swiftly retracing his steps. As they followed, Indavara stumbled off the kerb.
Cassius tutted. ‘Don’t tell me I’m going to have to teach you how to drink too.’
‘I’m fine.’
Octobrianus turned another corner. They sped up; and had almost reached it when a large group of men appeared out of the darkness ahead. Cassius spied several well-dressed figures and numerous attendants and bodyguards behind them. Like the men in the brothel, they too were silent and seemingly intent on reaching their destination quickly.
Cassius cut right into an alley. ‘Quick. In here.’
‘What are you—’
‘Quiet.’
Cassius turned to face the street, knelt down and untied one of his boot-laces. He was retying it as the group passed and was able to get a good look at them. He saw Ulpian’s huge African bodyguard, then the general himself. Neither was in military attire. A couple of the bodyguards took a cursory glance at Cassius and Indavara but said nothing. The group turned left into a side street behind the square.
‘Was that—’
‘Yes,’ replied Cassius. ‘Ulpian and your dark friend.’
‘We should hurry – Octobrianus.’
‘Chances are he’s going home. I’m rather more interested in where the general and his friends might be headed at so late an hour with so great a sense of purpose. Come.’
Cassius led the way down to the side street. The men were just passing the back of the brothel, where the group from inside had already gathered. After a few hushed greetings, they all moved off together, now swollen in number to twenty or more.
‘Curious,’ Cassius whispered. He and Indavara had to move carefully as they followed; there was only the moonlight to guide their way, and all manner of refuse in the side street to avoid. Cassius made sure they kept their distance. There would be serious consequences for himself, Abascantius and the investigation if they were discovered following Ulpian’s party.
Thankfully there wasn’t far to go. After crossing two more streets that ran down to the river, the men came to a stop by a gate at the front of a high-walled villa. Cassius and Indavara got as close as
they dared, then waited and watched. They heard the chime of a bell, then a few murmured comments. A lantern appeared, illuminating the gate and the faces of the twenty-six men Cassius counted filing inside. The lantern-bearer walked out on to the street, took a brief look around, then joined the others, locking the gate behind him.
‘Most curious,’ said Cassius. ‘We shall make a circuit of the walls.’
The left side of the villa ran along the street they had just crossed. They started up the shallow slope and, about fifty feet along the wall, came to a second gate. They kept walking until they reached another large, walled villa. Unlike the first building, it was flanked by a row of high poplars.
A bark of laughter from behind them; and they turned to see two men emerge from an alley.The laughter faded quickly as the pair hurried across to the gate.
Cassius tugged on Indavara’s tunic and nodded at the trees. They ducked through the stiff branches and soft leaves into cover. Once again they heard a bell ring. Cassius made his way back down the slope, rounding each tree carefully in turn. Indavara followed; and just as they came to the last poplar, a light appeared. The elongated shadows of the two new arrivals stretched back across the street.
‘State the number,’ said an impassive voice from behind the gate.
‘7-6-9-1-3-5.’
‘Enter.’
The shadows disappeared, then the light. The gate clanged shut. Indavara was already whispering the number to himself.
‘Relax,’ said Cassius quietly. ‘I’ve got it.’
They tiptoed back up the street.
‘So – we going in?’ asked Indavara.
‘We can’t risk it,’ replied Cassius.
‘But we heard the code. They didn’t even ask for names.’
‘Perhaps they know their faces. Whatever’s going on in there, I doubt surprise guests will be welcome.’
‘I can take care of the guards,’ said Indavara.
‘I’m sure. But then what? We walk up to the front door and ask what’s going on? And we have to get back out.’
‘Let’s at least try it. If you didn’t want to know what’s going on, you wouldn’t have followed them here.’
‘You seem very adventurous,’ said Cassius. ‘I think you’re still drunk.’
