Rosemary Rowe - The Chariots of Calyx

From many women, I might even have believed it — the avoidance of long, costly wrangles in the courts at any price. But Annia Augusta, I recalled, managed her own estates. I did not believe that she would part with five thousand denarii without requiring at least some evidence of the original bargain — and properly witnessed proofs of payment, too.

‘Forgive me, madam citizen, but I know that a large sum was involved. You had that kind of money in your possession?’

Her eyes flickered — only for a moment, but I was sure they flickered — towards the lifting mosaic in the floor.

I was instantly alert. I was sure that the last time I was in this room Annia Augusta had not known the hiding place was there. Also, she did not bridle, as she normally would, at my impudent enquiry, but gave me that imitation shrug again. ‘I do have money, citizen, from my estates. My steward has recently sold a large quantity of produce, on my instructions. It was most fortunate.’

Too fortunate, I thought. By now my suspicions were thoroughly aroused. It seemed much more likely that she had paid Eppaticus with money she had discovered in the hiding place. Perhaps I had even led her to it myself. But that did not explain why the money had disappeared from Monnius’ desk and been hidden in the first place. And what about that missing document? Was this one of Eppaticus’ less than legal deals?

I said, watching Annia closely, ‘I would still like the warehouse searched.’

Annia was not good at hiding her emotions, as I had just seen, so I watched her closely this time for some slight start of guilt or gesture of unease. However, there was no change in her expression of Vestal innocence, and my hopes of finding anything at the warehouse dimmed. I looked at Eppaticus, who was conscious now and must have heard the whole exchange, but he seemed entirely occupied with collecting his wits and not at all concerned about the proposed search.

Whatever that transaction with Monnius had been, I thought, there was no evidence of it left. But I had committed myself. I nodded to the escort.

‘As you command, citizen.’ The senior soldier stirred Eppaticus with his boot. ‘On your feet, you Trinovantine dog!’ The Celt struggled unsteadily upright and spread his hands expressively at Annia.

‘You see what happen, lady,’ he muttered indistinctly. ‘I telled you this. No paper for the warehouse, make trouble for us all. Monnius every time, fix documents.’ He stumbled forward as the soldiers tugged his chains, and forced him, still reeling, from the room. Junio raised his eyebrows at me, after this most interesting outburst, and followed them eagerly.

Annia Augusta did not wait for further questioning from me. ‘Instead of wasting time on that rogue, citizen,’ she demanded, ‘why do you not send this lying charioteer to the torturers? My son’s spirit will rest more easily if you expose the truth about how this man came skulking back from Verulamium and killed him while he slept.’

Fortunatus gave a bitter laugh. ‘Madam citizen, I did not kill your son. The day I returned to Londinium I was with Pulchrissima all night, as I’ve no doubt she will tell you, if you send for her.’

Annia Augusta snorted. ‘Pulchrissima?’ she said, in tones of disbelief. ‘What kind of name is that? Some paid girl from an inn who would say or do anything for a quadrans ? What court will pay the slightest heed to her? A prostitute has no rights under law. Do not believe him, citizen. Fulvia. .’

Fortunatus turned to me. ‘The lady Fulvia will not like to hear it, but it’s true, citizen, as Jove lives and rules. I came back from Verulamium to the team headquarters, gave my orders to my slave, and then went straight to Puchrissima at the inn. I have not left her room until today — any of the girls who work there could tell you that. In fact, we made ourselves the subject of ribald gossip, because we scarcely even troubled to send out for food and wine. Ask anyone in the tavern. A memorable few days, citizen. I am sure Pulchrissima could give you a detailed account.’

The two soldiers were examining their feet by now, trying to suppress their grins, but Annia Augusta was not amused. ‘You have the habits of a satyr, charioteer. Could you not confine your attentions to this Pulchrissima before, instead of dishonouring the wife of a respectable citizen?’

Fortunatus flushed slightly and answered with some spirit. ‘I dishonoured nothing. The lady Fulvia was a most unhappy bride. If it had not been me she welcomed to her bed, it would have been someone else. It was scarcely serious — we were very discreet, and I have managed similar affairs before.’ He shrugged his supple shoulders with a rueful smile. ‘I hope I do not shock you, citizen. This is not unusual, in my profession. And not without its benefits. Fulvia Honoria is very beautiful. And enthusiastic too. Since Monnius is dead it hardly matters if I confess that now.’

I looked at the young man with contempt. He and his Pulchrissima were well matched, I thought, in more ways than one. ‘You confessed it earlier, I think,’ I said drily. ‘To your team-mates in the barracks of the Blues. She could not get enough of you, you said. Yet when you came back to Londinium, you did not go to her.’

He had the grace to look discomfited. ‘She was getting too demanding, citizen. Wanting every minute of my time — insisting that I call on her whenever I was free from racing or the team. Sending messages and presents, in broad daylight too. She was becoming careless.’

‘Great Mars!’ Annia Augusta cried. ‘It was you who attacked her after all. You had had your fun with her, and when you tired of it you tried to kill her to get rid of her. You viper! Not even Fulvia deserved to be treated in that way.’

Fortunatus ignored her. He addressed himself to me. ‘I tried to tell her, citizen, but she would not listen. It was impossible to go on as we were — her husband would become suspicious, I would be disgraced, she would be exiled if not worse — and Glaucus and Calyx would have punished me severely for breaking my contract for training with the team.’

‘Besides, you were in danger of losing your golden fleece,’ I said. ‘Monnius already suspected, and had changed his will, leaving much less to Fulvia. Asked you to witness it, I think, to make quite sure you understood.’

Annia Augusta gasped. ‘So when you came back from Verulamium you crept in here and tried to kill them both?’

‘By all the immortals!’ he exclaimed. ‘I did nothing of the kind. I did not tell Fulvia I had come back. I went straight to the inn and found Pulchrissima. It was only the day after the next that Fulvia heard about my accident and tried to contact me — she sent a letter to Blue headquarters by one of the governor’s own palace servants. My team-slave came scampering over to the inn to alert me.’

I nodded. My reasoning about Superbus was confirmed. Annia Augusta had summoned him to the house (as she’d told me) and while he was there Fulvia had given him a message for Fortunatus. That had no doubt pleased him, since he knew that I had gone away on a fool’s errand to Verulamium. But I could imagine what alarm it had caused when he turned up at the factio , in palace uniform, after I’d been asking questions at the races, in Pertinax’s name. Glaucus had already come hurrying back to alert the camp for spies. So the unfortunate slave was taken to the cellar to find out what he knew, and had fallen to his death. Poor Superbus. I could imagine how self-important he had felt, taking that message to the charioteer. I hoped it had afforded him a little pleasure, at least, before he died.

I turned back to Fortunatus. ‘Fulvia didn’t come to you today?’