by Jane Finnis
While the purchases were being chosen and packed. I looked round for Baca and saw her further down the street, gazing at a table of bead necklaces. I walked a few paces towards her. “Baca, come over here, will you? You’ll have to carry some of this lot till Brutus comes back.”
“Coming, Mistress.” She turned slowly, and I saw then that there were two men with her, soldiers by their appearance and drunk by their behaviour. As she started to walk away, the taller of the two put a restraining hand on her shoulder and said loudly, “Don’t go yet, lass. Come along with us. We know how to show a girl a good time.”
Baca shook her head. “Leave off, will you? I’ve got my work to do. That’s my mistress calling me. You’ll be getting me into trouble.” She was smiling as she tried to push his hand away. She’d done plenty of bar work at the Oak Tree and knew how to deal with drunks.
But these two were persistent. “There won’t be no trouble, beautiful,” the shorter man said, leaning down and giving her a kiss. “We’re bodyguards to the Lord Eurytus, and all the girls love Eurytus’ lads.” He put his arm around her waist, so she was now pinned firmly between them. She flashed a glance at me, and though she still smiled, I saw she was scared.
Brutus must surely be back soon, but maybe not soon enough. I didn’t want the two men marching Baca off into some tavern up an alleyway. They were drunk enough to do it, and strong enough. I’d have to deal with this myself, not something I wanted to do in public in the middle of the street. I glanced quickly around. The faces of the market people and their customers, even at the stall we’d just been buying from, were blank and unresponsive. They weren’t going to intervene to help.
I smiled and walked purposefully towards the soldiers.
“I said come over here, Baca. Gentlemen, let the girl go, please. She’s with me, and she’s not free for fun and games just now.”
The taller drunk took a small step back but kept his hand on her shoulder. “Is she yours then, darling?”
“She is. And she’s got work to do. So why don’t you go and find yourselves some lasses with time on their hands?”
“Oh, we shan’t keep her long. What we’ve got in mind won’t take long at all.” He reached his free hand out towards me. “You can join us if you want, you know. Then me and my friend will have a girl each. Rich or poor, mistress or maid, we love you all. And after a few drinks, who can tell the difference?” Both men laughed.
I held my ground and kept my smile in place. I couldn’t allow them to take Baca out of our sight, because if they did it would be dangerous to follow. I’d have to play for time. “Ah, well, if it’s a drink you want, why not have one here?” I pointed at the wine-shop we’d just left. “Why don’t I buy you a jug of beer, to make up for the disappointment of having to let my girl get on with her work. All right?”
“We can buy our own beer. We’re Lord Eurytus’ boys.” The taller man lunged towards me very fast, taking me by surprise. He let go of Baca and put his arm round my waist. Bending so close I could smell the beer on his breath he began whispering in my ear. I expected it would be some bawdy suggestion or other, but was much more shocked by what I actually heard.
“Got a message for you, Aurelia darling. Stay away from Isurium. Keep your nose out of other folks’ business. Got it, Aurelia?” He added in a raucous drunken voice, “Come on now, darling, give us a kiss.”
“Are these idiots bothering you, Aurelia?” A cool voice behind me called out, and my heart gave a leap. I knew that voice.
“Quintus! Yes, they are.”
I turned my head in time to see Quintus and Titch leap forward together and spring at the two men, who went sprawling, releasing Baca and me as they fell. We ran back to where Albia and Vitellia stood watching in horror.
Quintus addressed the men on the ground. “I don’t know who you are, you scum, but you’re not in Eurytus’ service. If you were, I could have you crucified for this. So get back to whatever hole you crawled out of, and be thankful I and my friend haven’t time to give you a good thrashing. Stand up.”
They stood up, dusting themselves down. One of them whined, “It was only a bit of fun, sir…”
“Shut up. Apologise to these ladies.”
They were cowed now, and rapidly sobering up. “Sorry, ladies. We didn’t mean no harm,” the taller one said, and his comrade echoed “Sorry, ladies.”
“Now get out of my sight.” As they slunk away, he turned to us.
“Well, now, Aurelia, and….Baca, isn’t it? Are you all right?”
“Yes,” I answered, trying to keep my voice steady. “Thank you, Quintus. I was never more pleased to see anyone in my life.”
“Nor me,” Baca said. “Thank you.”
“It’s wonderful to see you both,” Albia said. “What a lucky coincidence you were here.”
He smiled. “No coincidence. Titch told me he’d seen you in the market area and you hadn’t a male escort. I thought I’d come and make sure you were all right. The streets are crawling with these drunks. I’m glad we got here in time. But why haven’t you got a man with you?”
Brutus arrived just then, panting and dishevelled, and apologising profusely for having left us for so long. He and Quintus were old friends, but all the same Quintus gave him a stern look as he said, “Where did you get to? These ladies shouldn’t be left on their own. The streets aren’t safe.”
“Don’t I know it! I got held up by a street fight on the way back from Albia’s. Couple of Eurytus’ bodyguards were trying to rob an old couple, a shopkeeper and his wife. I stayed to help some of the army lads calm them down.”
Quintus told him briefly what had just happened.
Brutus nodded. “Thank the gods you were here. I’m very grateful for your help, both of you. Now, the quicker I get these ladies back to Albia’s, the better.”
“We’ll come with you,” Quintus said, and we began to walk home. “The point is,” he went on, “the two drunks here claimed to be Eurytus’ men, but they weren’t. And the ones who started your riot weren’t either. They couldn’t have been.”
“How’s that? They were wearing the badges his people all have, the head of a bull.”
“But Eurytus left for Isurium this morning, with his whole guard. I’m not saying that they wouldn’t be capable of getting drunk and molesting honest citizens. But today, it was someone impersonating them.”
Brutus scratched his head. “But why? Eurytus is unpopular, most people hate him even when they haven’t actually met him. So why would anyone pretend they’re connected with him when they’re not?”
“To make him still more unpopular; that’s my guess.”
We walked the rest of the way in a thoughtful silence. The others were presumably mulling over what Quintus had said. I was trying to work out who could have sent the men, whoever they were, to find me—me personally—and deliver yet another threatening message. They’d intended to frighten me, and though I managed to walk with a confident stride and my head held high, they’d succeeded.
Chapter X
Quintus accepted Albia’s invitation to stay for a bite to eat, but Titch excused himself, saying he had a previous engagement.
“I hope she’s pretty,” Albia smiled. “Vitellia, would you show Quintus into the courtyard while I just check how things are in the kitchen? I’ll send Crotus through with the wine.”
She touched my arm to stop me as I made to follow them outside. “Are you all right, Relia? You’ve gone quite pale.”
“I’m fine. They scared me a bit, that’s all.”
“Gods, I’m sorry. I wish I could have done something to help. By the time I saw what was happening…”
“There’s nothing you could have done. It’s all over now, and I’m not going to let a couple of drunks spoil a happy day. A beaker of wine and I’ll have forgotten all about them.”
“Good for you.”
I drank three beakers of cool white wine, which went well with the pleasant meal of fresh bread, smoke
d sausage, hard-boiled eggs and lettuce. It did indeed make me feel better, and I managed to join in the chatter about the morning and respond to Quintus’ teasing on the subject of women and shopping.
When we’d finished our meal, Albia stood up and said briskly, “Aurelia, you’ll probably want to tell Quintus what’s been happening at the Oak Tree. I know some of it’s confidential, so Vitellia and I will take ourselves off, and you can be private.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Albia, you’re right as always. But I hate the idea of driving you out of your own courtyard.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve a hundred things to do indoors, and Vitellia has letters to write.”
After they’d gone, he sat down on the couch beside me and took my hand.
“Before I saw you today,” he said softly, “I was all set to give you a stern lecture on Roman family values. Now…well, I don’t know. But I must admit I was taken aback to find you on your way to Isurium.”
“Were you?”
“Lucius told me he’s forbidden you to go there, because it’s dangerous.”
His serious tone surprised me, given how easy we’d been together so far. It also irritated me. “Quite true. But whatever Lucius says, I’m a free citizen, I can go where I please.”
“You shouldn’t be going anywhere against the clear wishes of the head of your family. That isn’t the Roman way of doing things. Is it?”
This was not only annoying, but alarming too. He knew my secret now and disapproved of my action. So presumably he would tell Lucius what I was doing.
“I’ve been invited by my cousin to her birthday party, and she’s asked for my help. I don’t know what her trouble is, but she thinks she’s in danger. Lucius says that Isurium itself could be dangerous. I don’t know whether he’s right, but if he is, Jovina needs me there more than ever.”
“He’ll be pretty angry when he finds out you’ve disobeyed him.”
“Perhaps, when he finds out. But that won’t be for a day or two. According to Titch, he’s been sent off on an emergency assignment to Morbium. That’s right, isn’t it?”
Quintus nodded. “I met him here a couple of days ago. He was all set to go to Isurium, he’d cooked up a wonderful cover story about missing army records, and then he was ordered to head further north still. He was told to call in at Isurium and warn them about Terentius’ message, but then to push on to Morbium, where apparently they’ve got some trouble already. It was quite a sudden change of plan, and he wasn’t best pleased with it.”
That thought gave me a perverse pleasure, and I smiled. “Serves him right. Being ordered to do something he doesn’t want to do will give him a taste of his own medicine. I hope it chokes him.”
Suddenly he leaned back on the couch and burst out laughing. He continued to laugh till the tears ran down his face. “It’s no good, I can’t pretend I’m angry with you when I’m not.” He turned to me and kissed me full on the mouth. “Aurelia, what in Jupiter’s name are we going to do with you?”
“If you don’t know by now, you probably never will.”
“You’re quite impossible. And I love you.” He kissed me again and slipped his arm round me. Relief swept over me like a wave. I relaxed, and ridiculous though it sounds, as the tension of the last couple of hours drained out of me, it was replaced by the fear I’d been suppressing. I found I was shaking.
“What is it?” he whispered, and I felt his arm tighten around me. “What’s wrong? Those two drunks in town scared you, didn’t they?”
“They weren’t just ordinary drunks, Quintus. They’d come looking for me. Me specifically.” I told him about the warning message.
He swore. “I’d no idea. I saw one of them whispering in your ear, I thought it was just the usual obscene rubbish…gods, why didn’t you say? I’d have killed the bastards.”
“Because they said they were Eurytus’ men, and I believed they were pretty much above the law. I just wanted them to go away. It was horrible, realising they knew who I was and were trying to scare me.”
“You’re safe now. I’m here.”
He held me tightly, and gradually I stopped shaking and was able to look at him. “Who were they, Quintus? You say they aren’t Eurytus’ men at all. But they were working for whoever it is that doesn’t want me to go to Isurium….this man Portius, I assume. So who were they, do you know?”
“Native malcontents, I’d say. They want Eurytus to be hated. From what I’ve seen of him, he can manage to achieve that all by himself, or at least with the help of his real guards. But there’s trouble brewing in Isurium, and they want it to come to a head.”
“Is that why you’re going there?”
“It is. And you’re going because your cousin wrote to you about danger. Do you still plan to visit her? Even in spite of this morning?”
“Yes. I shan’t change my mind.”
He smiled into my eyes. “As a matter of fact, I was delighted to hear you’re going to be there. As well as helping your cousin, you could be an enormous help to me. If you will.”
“I’ll consider it. As long as there are no lectures about Roman family values.”
He laughed. “None, I promise.”
“Then you know I’ll help all I can. What exactly are you investigating?”
“I think it may be linked to your visit. So first, I want to know what is so desperately important that it’s making you defy your brother and go haring off into danger.”
I told him all of it, starting with Jovina’s letter and following with everything that had happened at the Oak Tree. Finally I showed him the threatening message I’d received at Albia’s.
He barely read the note, but pounced on the box like a cat on a bird. “Aurelia, this is just the evidence I need. Brilliant!”
“Evidence? So it’s got something to do with why you’re going up to Isurium?”
“It has a great deal to do with it. When Lucius told me about Terentius, I felt in my bones there was a connection between what happened at the Oak Tree and the trouble at Isurium. This box proves it.”
“So Lucius was right that the situation there needs investigating?”
He nodded. “Without a doubt. He’s also right about possible danger. You’re sure you still want to go?”
“Haven’t I just said so?”
“Yes, but…”
“Watch my lips. I still want to go.”
“Right then. This is the situation. I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on Eurytus and his goings-on—I’ve been doing it ever since we left Londinium. It’s not been too bad, considering what an arrogant man he is. Anyhow, as you know Isurium is the next place to have the pleasure of his company.”
“He won’t get much pleasure out of it, if Terentius’ message is right. Someone wants to kill him there.”
He looked thoughtful. “Yes, this mention of a Greek. What do you make of it?”
“Two mentions,” I pointed out. “Jovina’s note to me mentions ‘Greeks bearing gifts.’”
“Lucius told me he has a theory about the identity of the Greek who’s frightening your cousin.”
“Mallius, you mean? I think that’s nonsense, and I told him so. Margarita had a much better idea, the doctor at the fort. All the medics are Greeks, aren’t they?”
“Most of them. And there may be others. You can help me find them.”
“Are you officially there to act as nursemaid to Eurytus? It won’t make you very popular. You may find people reluctant to talk to you.”
“Gods, no! I’m officially going there to inspect a bridge. Titch and I still wear our bridge-surveyors’ helmets occasionally, and they come in useful for something like this. We should be there already, but I stayed an extra day to talk to some of the senior men here first. And thank the gods I did, because Titch found out you’d be there, too. It couldn’t be better.”
I poured us out more wine. “What will you want me to do up there, apart from searching for Greeks?”
“What you do best. Keep yo
ur eyes and ears open while you’re staying with your cousin, and report to me anything suspicious.” He took a long drink. “There’s unrest among the natives around Isurium, and the governor’s getting reports that there’s something wrong at the fort itself.”
“You mean someone inside plotting with the Brigantes?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“But why? A man in the Roman army encouraging barbarians to attack the Roman army? It doesn’t make sense.”
“For money, perhaps, rather than conviction. And it’s probably more than just one man. This message Terentius was carrying was intended for someone with army connections, someone with good Latin who’d have understood the reference to Troy. That could be a native, but a Roman seems more likely. Mind you, of course the message has been intercepted and never got to Isurium. I wonder if that means they won’t go ahead with whatever they’re planning for midsummer?”
“The gist of the message has almost certainly got through.”
“What makes you say that?”
I told him how Margarita had heard Terentius’ servant talking about Troy, Achilles and Hector. “He knew the outline of what it was, and very likely passed it on to Portius.”
“I see. Yes, we have to assume he did. Then why has Portius gone on trying to find the other items in the box?”
I thought about it. “Maybe, if he’s doing this for money, he needs the half-coin to identify himself to the rebels in order to get paid.”
“That makes sense.” Quintus picked the box up. “I’ll take charge of this for now. Lucius has already given me the note and the other things that were in it. They all belong together.”
“Be careful. That box seems to bring trouble wherever it goes.”
“Anything marked VVV means trouble just now.”
“That’s what Lucius thinks. Silvanius too.” I relayed what Clarus had said.
He nodded. “With Eurytus there, any sort of native discontent could turn into outright violence. That would suit Venutius and his friends very well. They need an excuse, a rallying-point to make the Brigantians turn against the settlers. And Isurium is regarded as sensitive at present. The governor especially wants to avoid trouble there.”
