David Wishart - The Lydian Baker

I turned to the new guy. 'I was told he works here sometimes,' I said.

'That's right.'

'You know where I can find him?'

The man shook his head. 'I know him, lord, sure, but he isn't one of ours. Not a regular. He comes and goes. You want him special?'

'I think he might've done a job for a friend of mine. I wanted to check, that's all.'

'Uh-huh.' He looked doubtful. 'Who would this friend be, now?'

'A guy called Smaragdus.'

'Smaragdus?' His face split into a grin. 'Sure, I know Smaragdus. Then it's likely, although I can't say for certain. Tiny's choosy who he works for, but he has a soft spot for Smaragdus.'

'Choosy?'

He hesitated. 'You've met him, lord? Tiny, I mean?'

'Yeah. Once.'

'Then you'll know how he is.' He must've seen the look on my face. 'Oh, he's harmless. Tiny wouldn't hurt a fly. But he has his likes and dislikes, and you can't budge him. Smaragdus is one of the likes.'

Right. That fitted. 'How is he as a worker?'

'Like I say, it depends. When he works he works.' He nodded at the cement bags. 'I've seen him carry four of these, two beneath each arm, without breaking sweat. Keep it up, too.'

'Then maybe I should hire him instead of you, Bessus.' The master was back, and obviously I'd used up any goodwill there was going from that quarter. 'That cart isn't going to load itself.'

'No problem, friend,’ I said. ‘One minute more, okay?' The guy frowned, but there wasn't much he could do without telling me straight just to piss off. He drifted off again, and I took out a four- drach piece from my purse.

'My name's Valerius Corvinus,' I said. 'I've got a house in the City, on the Lyceum road past Hippades Gate. If and when Tiny shows up bring him round and I'll match this with another. Deal?'

Bessus shook his head. 'Save your money, lord,' he said. 'Nobody takes Tiny nowhere he doesn't want to go. And I'll tell you now that he won't.'

Bugger. Well, at least he was honest. 'Do your best, okay?' I handed him the coin and waved to the shipmaster. 'Thanks for your patience, friend.'

The guy gave me a sour nod. I walked back towards the harbour gates where I'd left Lysias with the coach.

Four cement bags at a go and a shine for Smaragdus, right? Maybe I'd hit lucky after all.

I spent the afternoon pottering around the city centre, doing all the little jobs I hadn't had time for these past few days. Like visiting my banker Simon, for example, and screwing some of Priscus's money out of him for expenses. I didn't mind helping the old guy out, but when it came to being beaten up on his account the free ride was over. When I got back Perilla was in the atrium. She didn't look happy. I kissed her, but that didn't seem to help much.

'Problems?' I said.

She threw aside the book she hadn't been reading. I could almost see the steam leaking out from above her earrings.

'Marcus, this is hopeless! You really will have to get rid of that damned bird!'

Oh, hell. Not Nestor again. I knew now how Orestes felt when he couldn't shake the Furies. I took off my mantle and tossed it onto a chair. 'What's he done this time?'

She was up and pacing the room. 'I don't mind so much for myself, but when it comes to insulting my friends I draw the line.'

Uh-oh. 'Ah…we talking general here, or have you someone particular in mind?'

'The latter.' She sat down, finally, on the couch next to me. 'And "particular" is exactly the right word. Euelpida.'

Shit. I saw the problem. Euelpida was one of Perilla's more strait- laced cronies, the wife of a top Lyceum scholar and a mean mind herself. Nestor couldn't have made a better — or a worse — choice. It was eerie.

'She called round earlier for a chat,' Perilla was saying, 'and we went out to the garden.' The 'chat' would've been heavy stuff: I was glad I'd missed it. 'It never occurred to me, of course, that Alexis might have Nestor there. He usually keeps him in his room.'

'And the bastard disgraced himself in front of Euelpida, right?'

'At some length. And in very pungent terms.'

'You remember what he said, by any chance?' I was really interested: Nestor's range of vocabulary was doing wonders for my Greek.

'Not in detail, no.' Sure. Like hell she didn't. Understood it, too: there were red spots high on the lady's cheekbones. 'And I certainly wouldn't repeat it to you if I did.'

Pity; but then I hadn't really expected her to. Some aspects of foreign language learning Perilla doesn't encourage. I lay back and cradled my wine cup. Bathyllus had left the tray out in the hall for me as usual, although there was no sign of the little guy himself. Hardly surprising. When Perilla was in a mood like this even spiders kept a low profile.

'Okay,' I said. 'I'll talk to Alexis later. Maybe we can work something out.'

'You had better. That bird is a liability. A corrupting influence.'

'You think Euelpida is open to corruption?' I gave her my best leer. 'Does Aristoboulus know?' Aristoboulus was Euelpida's husband, a long streak of a guy like an asparagus shoot soaked in vinegar.

'Don't be silly!'

'Yeah, well, you could be right.' I put my arm round her shoulders. 'But speaking of corrupting influences…'

'Now you're trying to fudge the issue!'

'Lady, I never fudge issues.' I nuzzled her ear. 'And I'm sure in Euelpida's case Aristoboulus would welcome some constructive corruption. The poor boob could do with a bit of domestic excitement.'

The sides of Perilla's mouth began to twitch; I was getting through to her at last. 'I suppose,' she said slowly, 'that in retrospect the situation does have its amusing side.'

'That's more than can be said for Euelpida.' I kissed her properly and felt the first small giggle break through. 'What did she say? After Nestor did his stuff, that is?'

'Nothing.' Perilla bit her lip. The lady was still holding on gamely to her Roman matron pose, but the cracks were definitely beginning to show. 'She just ran back inside.'

I stared at her. 'Euelpida? Run?' Jupiter! That I would've loved to see. As far as likelihood went, it ranked with the Academy doing a conga through the Marketplace with Alciphron on spoons.

'Like a hare!' The Roman matron pose finally collapsed, taking Perilla with it. 'Oh, and Marcus, she squeaked! It was so dreadfully embarrassing!'

'Yeah.' I kissed her again. 'Say what you will about Euelpida, the kid's no squeaker.'

'Corvinus, stop it, please!' Perilla was hugging her ribs. 'I've been trying to hold this in all day! It's not funny!'

'Is everything all right, sir? Madam?' I hadn't noticed Bathyllus sidling in. The little guy had evidently decided it was safe to break cover. He was radiating disapproval so hard he glowed.

'Yeah, we're fine, Bathyllus. At least, I am.' I was patting Perilla on the back while she choked into my tunic. 'Behave yourself, lady, you're upsetting the staff.'

'Meton says dinner will be served shortly.' Bristle, bristle: Bathyllus didn't even look at Perilla. 'If you're both ready, of course.'

'Whenever he likes. Oh, and tell Alexis to keep his pal with the beak under wraps when we have guests in future, right?'

'Yes, sir.' He left. I could hear his sniff all the way to the kitchen.

Perilla had finally come up for air. She was bright red, but at least she could breathe now. We settled down on the couch with my arm comfortably round her shoulders.

'I think you've just seriously undermined the empire, lady,' I said. 'Sleep with a knife under your pillow tonight.'

'Nonsense.' She kissed me. 'Anyway, I feel better for that. How was your day?'

'Pretty good, for a change.' I told her about Tiny. 'One gets you ten Smaragdus used him to shift the Baker, and in that case he knows where it's stashed. My only problem now is tracking him down.'