Danger in the Wind

by Jane Finnis

  “Other friends? You mean Quintus!” he almost shouted, whirling round to face him. “Did you have a hand in this?”

  “No. The first I knew of it was when I met Aurelia in Eburacum and she told me about her cousin’s letter and what had happened since. By then she’d made all her arrangements, and not least, she’d made up her mind. I’m sorry you’re angry, Lucius, but as things have turned out, I’m very glad she came. She’s been a great help in my investigations.”

  “Really? She doesn’t seem to have helped Jovina much.”

  It was a cruel comment, but I couldn’t deny it. “I don’t think anyone could have done, Lucius. I intend to help now though, to avenge her and bring whoever’s killed her to justice. You were right about one thing. There’s something seriously wrong here at the fort. I don’t know yet how deeply Jovina and her family are involved.”

  “We shall find out. That’s Quintus and Titch and I. Not you. I’m taking you home today myself. I don’t feel I can even trust you to go on your own under escort. We can stay at Albia’s tonight, and get to the Oak Tree tomorrow. Presumably Vitellia is still there?”

  “Of course not. Do you think I’d leave her all alone at Oak Bridges? She’s here at Isurium. She wanted to come with me, in the hope of seeing you. The gods know why.”

  “Here! You brought Vitellia here, into danger, against my express wishes…by the gods, Aurelia, that’s unforgivable.”

  There followed a long, fierce row, with Lucius ranting and me defending myself as best I could. I’ve had many arguments with Lucius—what brother and sister haven’t quarrelled, even when they are as close as we are?—but never one as brutal as this. I didn’t notice when Quintus and Titch slipped out of the office, but they obviously thought we were best left to sort out our differences in private.

  It went on for ages. We are both stubborn, and we were both angry and convinced we were in the right.

  We might be arguing there still, if Quintus hadn’t come back and said without preamble, “All right, you two. I’m going to have to interrupt your family council. Something bad’s happened, and I need your help. If you can’t or won’t give it, I need you to get out of my office so Titch and I can deal with it.”

  We both stared at him. Lucius said, “What is it? Not Vitellia…”

  Quintus shook his head. “Eurytus has been murdered in the village. The commander is threatening to take punitive action. The natives know about it, and the whole place looks fit to explode like another Vesuvius.”

  The silence was so absolute that I clearly heard marching feet somewhere outside, punctuated by sharp words of command.

  Eventually Lucius asked, “Where and how?”

  “The body was found on the road just outside Brennus’ house, which is on the edge of the village. He was stabbed with a silver-handled knife which was left beside him. The commander has sent men to arrest Brennus and he’s ordering all Roman civilians inside the fort.”

  “So Achilles has killed his Hector,” I said. “Will the next act in the drama be the Fall of Troy?”

  “I don’t know. Let’s hope we can find out who played Achilles before it’s too late.”

  “Vitellia and Chloe,” Lucius said, “are they here yet?”

  “No. They should be soon though. They were supposed to be following us here. No doubt they’re just not aware of the urgency. I’ll send Titch over for them with a couple of men.”

  “Vitellia should never have been brought to Isurium,” Lucius snapped. “Aurelia, if anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive you. If you’d done as I told you…”

  “How many more times? I will not do as you tell me, when what you tell me to do is unreasonable. You can’t order me about…”

  “That’s enough!” Quintus shouted. He rarely shouts, and the effect was frightening. “I can order both of you to do as you’re told, if I choose. And if all you’re going to do is squabble like children, then I order you to get out of my office and out of this fort. I’ve two major crimes to investigate, one of them so serious that if I don’t come up with an answer the whole of this village will be torn to pieces and none of us may survive, anyway. Curse you, you idiots, can’t you see I need your help? But I’ll do without it sooner than put up with your nonsense. So work with me and each other sensibly, or go. NOW.”

  There was another long silence, which I broke.

  “I’m sorry, Quintus.” I turned to Lucius. “Shall we call a truce, brother? We’re all on the same side, here to do the same job. Isn’t it better if we work together till the job’s done?”

  He hesitated for a few heartbeats, then answered gruffly. “Yes, it is. A truce…All right. I’m sorry too, Quintus. Tell us what you want us to do.”

  “Thank you. Lucius, I suggest you and Titch go to Mallius’ house and fetch Vitellia, Chloe, old Statius, and the servants. Leave only a couple of the male slaves there to watch over the house. On your way, Titch will tell you the details of what’s been happening. I’ll go to Brennus’ house and try to find out how Eurytus met his death. If I haven’t returned to the fort by the time you’ve brought everyone safely in, come and join me there.”

  “I will. The house is fairly close, isn’t it? I shouldn’t be long. Anything else?”

  “Not yet. We’ll have to plan on the hoof as the day develops. And make sure you keep Aurelia informed about what’s happening, your progress and your plans. I’ll be doing the same. She’ll be staying here as our contact point. We’ve no choice but to split up, and it’s important there’s someone here who has all the information we’re collecting.” He turned to me. “All right, Aurelia? You’ll be holding the fort here, more or less literally by the looks of things.”

  “All right, if you think that’s best.”

  “It’s vital. Eurytus’ assassination has to take priority for now, because of the way the natives are getting worked up. But we still need to investigate Jovina’s death, find out whether Mallius is sticking to his confession, and if not who else we should be looking at. Can you handle it?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Good. But stay inside the fort, won’t you? Don’t leave it without me or Titch or Lucius for any reason whatever.”

  “But…”

  “No buts. Promise me.”

  “I promise.”

  Gambax knocked and came in. “I’ve got four mounted men for escort, sir. That’s all the commander will spare us. The rest are out patrolling, or standing guard here.” He grinned. “I know you wanted more, I made sure to pick good lads.”

  “Better than nothing. Two will go with Lucius and Titch to fetch everyone from Mallius’ house, then follow on to Brennus’ place as soon as they’ve done that. The other two will come with you and me, Gambax. We’ll go straight away.”

  After they’d all left I sat alone in the office for a while, letting the tension of my quarrel with Lucius gradually drain out of me. I felt limp and exhausted, but this was no time for allowing tiredness to stop me working.

  Fresh air and a change of scene would help. I’d walk over to the medical block again and see if Mallius was awake yet. And I’d try to catch another word or two with Nikias’ assistant Pythis.

  As I reached the hospital I heard raised voices from inside. A feverish patient in a delirium? No, as I entered the building I recognised one of the voices as Nikias’, though speaking Latin, not Greek.

  I hesitated outside the surgeon’s room, unwilling to walk in on yet another argument. I’d had my fill of rows for one morning.

  “I wasn’t asleep, Master, honestly.” It was a very young voice, too high-pitched to be Pythis, talking in Latin with a Brigantian accent. Another assistant? Perhaps a slave? He sounded scared, whoever he was. “I was sleepy, but I made myself stay awake. You said it was important somebody was on watch all night long.”

  “Don’t lie to me, you little runt. You were asleep.” That was Nikias’ voice for sure, also speaking Latin. It was followed by the sound of a hard blow, and a yelp.
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  “Please, Master…”

  Nikias’ angry answer was accompanied by another blow and a louder yelp. “Gods, I wish I’d never bought you, you useless lump of lard. Get out of here!”

  I just had time to step aside as the door flew open and a small chubby boy rushed out, one hand clutching his left cheek, his eyes streaming with tears. I don’t believe in striking slaves, especially children, but this wasn’t my affair, so I didn’t move as he ran off.

  The door was swinging shut again, and I heard Nikias say, in Greek this time, “Pythis, you’re not much more use than he is. What did you put in that medicine for Fabianus? How many times have I told you to be careful about quantities?”

  “I looked in your notes,” Pythis answered, “but they didn’t always give the exact amounts, so I did my best. The poor man was raving, trying to escape, mad from the pain. I had to do what I could to calm him.”

  “But you know as well as I do that quantities are all-important in medicines. Some of the herbs we use are beneficial in small doses, but lethal in larger ones.”

  I decided that, row or not, I couldn’t wait all day for a discussion on the properties of herbs. I knocked and pushed open the door.

  Nikias and Pythis were both looking angry, Nikias flushed and his assistant impassive.

  “I’m sorry to trouble you again,” I said, “but I’m wondering how Mallius is getting on. His daughter will be arriving here soon, I’ll have to break the news of—of what happened last night. Is he by any chance awake?”

  “Not yet, but I don’t think it’ll be long,” Nikias said.

  “May I see him?”

  “I suppose so. Just let me go and check.”

  As he left the store-room I saw Pythis shoot an angry glare after him, and wondered if he, like the boy, had been a victim of Nikias’ temper. His next words gave me the answer.

  “Don’t mind the master. He’s a touch grumpy this morning.”

  “Lack of sleep, I expect,” I answered. “It goes with your job sometimes, I imagine.”

  “Woman trouble.” He stopped guiltily, as if he’d said too much. “Or not enough sleep, as you say.”

  “Don’t worry, I can keep secrets. I was in my cousin Jovina’s confidence, and she told me about…about somebody she hoped to meet yesterday afternoon at the party. Did he manage to get there all right?”

  He nodded. “It’s bad enough having to do his work as well as mine while he goes out for hours, but then he comes back in a foul temper and says after all that he couldn’t find her. And Fabianus was delirious from his fever, and I’d made him up some medicine, but he said I hadn’t done it right. And now of course he’s devastated, because the lady was killed.” He stopped, looking guilty again, and said in a lower voice, “Don’t say I told you, please don’t. He doesn’t like it known that he leaves me in charge on my own.”

  “He’s lucky to have such a conscientious assistant,” I said, just as Nikias came back into the room.

  “Come through with me. Mallius is sleeping very lightly now. It won’t be long before he’s conscious.”

  He led me to the small room where Mallius was in bed. The guard lounging outside straightened up and saluted as we entered.

  He lay on his back, his left wrist bandaged. He was pale and calm, and I could see he was breathing regularly. But there was something odd about the way he was lying. I looked down at him and tried to work out why he looked strange, but I couldn’t. It must be because he was unconscious and his limbs were awkwardly stretched out.

  As we approached his bed, he turned his head towards us and opened his eyes.

  “Could someone fetch me a drink of water please?” His voice was husky, but clear.

  “Deputy Commander, you’re awake again. That’s very good. How are you feeling?”

  “Thirsty. And sore. And confused. What are you doing here, Nikias?”

  “Two of those problems I can remedy.” Nikias went out and returned with a jug of water. He poured a beaker, which Mallius drank straight off. “You ask why I’m here? It’s because you’re in the fort hospital. You passed out at the party. Then later you had a bad time. Do you remember anything about yesterday evening?”

  “Not much.”

  “Jovina’s party,” I prompted. “We were all by the river celebrating her birthday.”

  “Jovina…gods, yes, I remember. They found her dead in the river. And I killed her.”

  He was sticking to his story then, and there was no doubt he was sober now. “It was all my fault. I’m sorry…so sorry.” There were tears in his eyes.

  “You told us that,” I said. “Then you collapsed. The commander had you brought here to the hospital.”

  “I remember the news about Jovina, but not much more.” He moved restlessly. “Why is my wrist bandaged up? Was there a fight?”

  “No,” Nikias said. “But something happened after you’d been brought here and put under guard. You really can’t recall anything about it?”

  “Not a thing, no. Did somebody attack me?”

  “I’m afraid you cut your wrist and opened your vein.”

  “Did I?” He looked down at his wrist, then back at the doctor. “I did this?”

  “Yes. You were feeling so wretched about your wife’s death, you lost your reason for a while.”

  “Well, if you say so. It’s just so unlikely.”

  “I’m sorry. But at least we found you in time.”

  “I’ve no memory of it, none at all. But my thanks to whoever found me. Was it you?”

  “All part of our job, Deputy Commander. So you don’t remember anything after you collapsed at the party?”

  “Nothing. I can only remember Jovina. Jovina…oh, I’m so sorry. What was I thinking of? How could I have done such a thing?”

  I felt anger rising in me. He really had murdered my cousin. But I controlled it, because some instinct told me I could only get him to talk fully about it if I spoke softly.

  “Doctor,” I said, “I wonder if it might be possible for me to have a few words with Mallius in private? I won’t tire him, but I do need to discuss one or two family matters with him. You feel strong enough to answer a few questions, Marcus, don’t you? Just one or two things we—er—weren’t able to clear up last night.”

  Just for a heartbeat I fancied there was a flash of understanding in his eyes, then it was gone. “Certainly, Aurelia. Yes, there are one or two things…is that all right, Nikias?”

  “Of course. I’ll be within call if you need me.”

  When he’d gone, I said, “Let’s not beat about the bush, Marcus. You told us last night that you wanted Jovina dead because you were jealous of her lover. How did you kill her? Some sort of poison in her food, or in her wine?”

  “Poison? No, of course not.”

  “But you said you started before the party, and then had to wait for the outcome, and it happened quicker than you expected. What was it you started?”

  “The curse, of course. I put a curse on her.”

  “The curse?” I felt a shock of understanding and relief. I’m not sure whether I believe that curses work at all, but certainly if they do, then they are performed by the gods themselves, not by other mortals. The point was, Mallius believed it and was convinced it had worked.

  “There’s a small sacred spring about a mile from the fort,” he went on, his words tumbling out now that he’d decided to tell me. “A shrine to Taranis, the natives use it, with a deep pool for petitions to the god. They write their curses on pieces of lead and throw them into the water. I hadn’t any lead, I wrote on a note-tablet and weighted it down with a stone. I threw it into the pool yesterday on the way to the party. That’s why I came on horseback, and alone.” He began to sob. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

  I asked, “What was the curse, Mallius? That she’d become ill again and die?”

  “To drown her in the river.”

  “In that case, your curse didn’t work.”

  “Of course it did
. I heard them say she was floating in the water. That’s when I realised the gods had granted my wish. Only by then I’d stopped wishing it. Oh, Jovina, Jovina…” He cried like a child.

  “She wasn’t drowned,” I said.

  “Not drowned? But she was in the water.”

  “Listen, Marcus, Jovina’s dead, but not by drowning. Someone killed her by hitting her on the head, and then they put her body in the river, hoping it would be carried away downstream. That was an evil deed done by an evil man. But it wasn’t because of you.”

  It took me some time to make him understand what had happened, get him to accept that he wasn’t to blame. Then his guilt turned to anger, and he began to rage against whoever had killed Jovina.

  “By the gods, Aurelia, I want to know who’s done this, and I want him punished. Will you help me?”

  “Of course I will. But the important thing now is for you to rest and get your strength back. And, Marcus, if you really want to help us avenge Jovina, there’s something you can promise me now.”

  “Anything. Just tell me.”

  “Don’t get drunk like you were yesterday, or like you were when I first got here. It seems to me you’re relying too much on Bacchus and not enough on Mars just now. Will you promise me to try to stay sober? We need you clear-headed and active, not incapable or unconscious. Will you promise…for Jovina’s sake?”

  “I promise. May the gods be my witness, I promise.”

  “May they help you, and all of us. Now I’ll go and see Trebonius and get you released. Till then, you’ll have to stay here. There’s a guard outside. Take the chance to rest and recover. I’m sure the doctor will give you some medicine.”

  “What I’d really like is a bath,” he said. “I feel as if I’ve just come off a battlefield.”

  “I’m sure that can be arranged.” On the little table by the bed was a bronze hand-bell, and I rang it vigorously.

  Nikias came in at once. I assumed he’d been waiting close by and had heard everything Mallius had said, so I didn’t need to give lengthy explanations. “I’m satisfied that Mallius didn’t kill his wife,” I said. “There’s been a misunderstanding, but it’s clear now.”