Rosemary Rowe - A Whispering of Spies

‘And that is not the end of it,’ the red-haired slave went on. ‘He turned on the attendant and started beating him. There was quite a rumpus and he had to be restrained — or at least dissuaded — by his dinner-guest. Otherwise he might have killed the mansio slave, who had done nothing to offend him except bring the message in. They almost called the guard. Are you surprised that Brianus is scared?’

This was a story which I had not heard before — surprising, given the speed at which rumour spreads around Glevum. It would be something to tell Marcus when I called on him. Supposing it was true! ‘Brianus saw it happen? You are quite sure of that?’

Minimus was clearly thrilled at knowing something we did not. ‘Of course Voluus paid the mansio handsomely to hush it up, and the man that he was talking to — who was the only one to see the contents of the note — was sworn to silence, too, on pain of the valuable contract falling through. But Brianus was there — outside the door waiting to be called on — and he saw and heard it all. He was absolutely terrified and I am not surprised. He was saved from any ill-treatment at the time, because Voluus set off for Gaul again that very day — but I don’t think Brianus is looking forward to his coming back.’

‘All the same,’ I said, trying to sound judicious, ‘there may be advantages to having his master in the house. Calvinus will have to feed him better from now on, for one thing. A half-starved slave is no use to anyone. Besides, soon there will be a mistress in the house, and that sometimes leads to lighter punishments.’

Junio looked doubtful. ‘That won’t help if the steward buys Brianus for his own,’ he pointed out. ‘He will still have power to. .’ But he got no further. We were interrupted by a rapping at the door.

I had half-expected to find that it was Brianus outside — it would not have surprised me if he had found some excuse to scurry back to us — but in fact it was the servant of the wealthy customer who had commissioned the mosaic that we’d been working on. I did not recognize the man, but I knew the uniform: the crimson cloak could only mean this was a senior slave. I knew what that meant — or I thought I did.

Florens, the town councillor, was an important man and if he had sent his prized servant out in all this rain, just to check on progress, it could only be because he thought the work would not be done in time for his impending marriage. He was preparing to impose that penalty — just as I had feared!

He had not left me a shadow of excuse. He’d done his best to facilitate the work: his servants had already prepared the site for it — a shady corner of the garden at his country house, which had been dug and cleared and provided with a roof, ready to become the summer dining-room. Even the weather could not be argued as much reason for delay. So I was relieved that we had an almost-finished article to show.

I was already talking as I ushered the visitor inside and showed him the prefabricated work. ‘As you can see, we have made this section here. It’s upside down on that thin skim of plaster, which is easily removed, so now we can attach it to a firmer backing piece which will keep the tesserae in place. Then we can slide the whole thing on to a carrying board and leave it there to dry while we come out and put the final touches to the place where it’s to go.’ I knew that I was gushing but I could not help myself. ‘We should be out with you tomorrow or the next day — if it’s fine — to smooth out the rubble and start putting down cement.’ He was still frowning so I essayed a little smile. ‘I assure you that it will be ready before the wedding day.’

The servant waved my eager explanations to one side. ‘I’m sure that my master is expecting nothing less! But that is not why he has sent me here. You have heard about the pillaging of Voluus’s cart?’ His manner and the question were extremely brusque.

I gaped at him. ‘Who told you about that?’ Behind me I heard Junio’s sharp intake of breath and young Minimus was standing as if turned to stone.

‘My master heard it at the garrison.’ The visitor gave me a look of ill-disguised disdain. ‘And clearly you have heard about it, too — though not from there, I think. Of course it was unlikely to remain a secret long — a bloodstained cart found standing in the road with a dismembered driver and a slaughtered guard is certain to attract attention in the end. And naturally the contents of the cart have gone — as I’m sure that you are aware, since you visited the lictor’s new apartment earlier.’

I suppose that I really should not have been surprised. I knew how quickly rumours in this town could spread — I had been warning people of this very fact myself — but I stood there boggling. Not so much that news of the robbery had spread, but that anybody should have noticed me! Who could have done so, except perhaps the people that I passed through on the stairs? And why was that of interest anyway?

Florens’s servant misinterpreted the pause. ‘Don’t bother to deny it. You were seen to come and go, and I have reason to believe that you had scarcely left the flat before a slave-boy from the household was sent here after you.’

I shook my head. The question of denial had not crossed my mind. ‘I do not contest that I visited the house. Surely there is nothing noteworthy in that?’

‘Beyond the fact that you are the only person from the town to call at the new apartment and be allowed inside?’ He was already taking off his cloak, and — uninvited and with as much assurance as if he were a councillor himself — handing it to an astonished Minimus to hold. ‘Though perhaps you were expected? It is quite evident, since Voluus is not here, that your business was with the steward of the house.’

‘My business was not with anyone in particular. I called at the apartment to enquire if Voluus wanted a mosaic made — though obviously that meant that I spoke to Calvinus. My patron was good enough to send a note with me, recommending my services.’ I was uneasy now. There was something in his manner which disturbed me very much. ‘Though who might have noticed me, I cannot understand. A trademan’s movements are hardly of much concern to anyone.’

The servant almost smiled. As he moved, his scarlet tunic gave off wafts of perfumed oils. ‘Perhaps you should not be too confident about that, citizen. Several people are prepared to swear they saw you there, immediately after the robbery was known. What is more, it seems that you were welcomed in — though previous would-be visitors had all been turned away.’ He had stripped off his leather mittens — a winter luxury which was presumably a sign of household rank — and began to tap them rhythmically against his open palm. ‘You are said to be a solver of mysteries, I think, so — if you were in my place — would you not think that very interesting? And also that this steward, whom you claim you have never met before today, is none the less a person whom you can call by name?’

‘But. .’ I protested.

A gesture cut me off. ‘And would you not be more interested still in the extraordinary fact that, immediately after a second message reached the house, this same Calvinus thought it fit to send a courier to you? If you did not know him, why should he do that? My master and some of his fellow councillors would be interested to know.’

It had taken me some moments to realize his drift, but all at once I understood what this was leading to. ‘You can’t mean that your master thinks I am involved in this?’ I was too startled even to expostulate. ‘I did not even know the cart was on its way. What’s more, I’ve never met the lictor in my life.’