Rosemary Rowe - Requiem for a Slave

I nodded. ‘They obviously had plans for diverting him as well, probably to carry something to the site, where he could be imprisoned and later charged with theft — I think they always meant to plant that purse on him. I believe that the garden-boy met up with Virilis, no doubt by appointment — he told me he had another errand to perform and he would have to let the cursor know the coast was clear. When Virilis heard I’d gone in person in answer to the call, and realized that only Minimus was left behind, he came up with a plan. It was so simple that it was spectacular. After a little while, he sent the garden-boy again, saying that there’d been an accident to me at Pedronius’s house and telling Minimus he was to come at once. But Minimus complicated things by trying to send a message home.’

‘So he did send the messenger after all?’ my son exclaimed.

‘A red-haired slave, exactly as described. And he gave the message to the garden slave, who seems, in fact, to have delivered it after he had spoken to Virilis again, though this time Glypto found them at the pile and heard him saying that “everyone was out” and, by implication, that the coast was clear.’

‘Dear Mars!’ said Junio, ‘So Minimus hurried to the villa, supposing you were hurt, but when he got there. . what?’

‘I imagine that the steward took him in and sent to Quintus for orders what to do. I’m sure that Minimus was there. The gatekeeper told me that he’d seen no visitors, except a slave in a blue tunic. I thought he was talking about a different one — a boy that I myself saw scurrying out — but I realize now he must have meant Minimus all the time. The steward was no doubt perplexed in any case — first I turned up and then my slave-boy did, when he’d been told each time he was expecting you. He had orders to detain you in the garden, I expect.’

‘So he knew all about it? The attempt to murder you?’

‘I doubt that very much. It would be too dangerous. He was just obeying orders, as he always did — he used to work for Quintus after all, and no doubt his former master retains him as a spy. The man was saving for his slave price, and I’m sure he’d just received a small donation to the fund. When I went back later on, I saw him counting it.’

‘So he was the one who locked up your little slave?’ Scowler was incredulous. ‘I heard he’d been arrested by a private guard.’

‘Well, in a sense he was, though doubtless it was Quintus who began that rumour too — just as he lied to me when he denied that he knew who’d taken Minimus.’

‘But wouldn’t the whole villa staff have known of this? Someone would have told you when you visited the house,’ Junio objected.

I shook my head. ‘Not necessarily. Pedronius wasn’t there, and the steward, in his absence, has full authority and controls the keys. In fact, when I went there the first time in answer to the summons that never was, I did not even see a door-keeper. The steward came out to me himself to tell me that my errand was in vain — quick thinking, since he was expecting you! With no one at the gate, it would have been easy for him to let Minimus come in and march him to some storeroom and turn the key on him. Quintus had really put a warrant out, of course, and the steward probably believed what he had been told — that the slave-boy was a thief — especially when Quintus later sent the purse, claiming it was evidence against the boy.’

Scowler was still scowling. ‘This is all speculation. You have no proof of it.’

‘I think you’ll find that it is what happened all the same. As I am hoping that Junio will find out — if he gets there before Quintus Severus, that is.’ I turned to the soldier. ‘Then you can have your half-denarius.’

A crafty smile spread over Scowler’s face. ‘I think we can arrange that, citizen, don’t you? We heard the decurion tell his litter-men to take him home. If we can delay him for a little while. .’ He turned to his companion. ‘Get over there at once. Say that the garrison needs a written charge from him regarding this assault. Make sure you slow him down. And don’t say who sent you or anything you’ve heard, or I’ll have you down the lead-mines as fast as you can blink.’

The soldier nodded and set off at a run.

But Junio was still trying to follow what I’d said. ‘So when Virilis knew the coast was clear he came back to the shop and lay in wait for you? He must have spent a long time hiding close nearby. He might have been discovered — that was dangerous.’

‘Not for Virilis. He hid himself by visiting the tannery next door, pretending to be interested in buying hides. The tanner told me he’d had a customer with a jewelled cloak-clasp, and, of course, the cursor had one with a ruby set in it. I only saw the implication when it was far too late.’

‘Speaking of lateness,’ Scowler’s voice broke in. ‘I’m due off duty soon. Besides, you are supposed to be under my arrest. Come along, citizen, or I’ll have to draw my sword.’

‘I’m coming,’ I told him and made to follow him.

‘But, Father,’ Junio bleated, ‘suppose that you are wrong? Or the steward just denies that Minimus is there? Or locks me up as well!’

‘The steward thinks our slave-boy is a criminal and that he is holding him until he can be tried. Tell him that armed soldiers are already on their way, to take Minimus into official custody,’ I answered. ‘I’ll talk to the commander and try to make it true.’

Scowler pushed his helmet back and scratched his head again. ‘If it’s worth another half-denarius, I will make it true myself. As I say, I am off duty soon. Give me a few minutes and I’ll follow this young citizen. I’ll bring the slaveboy back to the guardhouse, if we find him there. If we have a bargain, that is, citizen?’

‘We have a bargain, soldier,’ I told him thankfully. ‘You bring the lad back safe and I’ll pay twice as much.’

So I let him march me towards the garrison while Junio scuttled off to find the bearers and the chair.

Even then it was not as easy as I’d hoped that it would be. There was no problem with my being charged, but my request to see the garrison commander was refused. He was very busy, the optio on duty told me with a sneer, trying to trace the owner of a murdered slave whose body had been discovered in the woods.

‘Hardly a matter for the senior officer,’ I said.

‘Depends what you believe. The commander seems to think the rebels are involved and that the boy was being used to carry messages. Nasty business: the brutes had strangled him.’

A strangled slave-boy! I felt my blood run cold. I took a swift decision. ‘It may be that I can help. Did this slave-boy have red hair by any chance? And a light-blue tunic?’

The soldier shook his head. ‘Not as far as I know. Scruffy little thing. We thought he was a street urchin, but he’d got a brand on him. Possibly a land slave, it says in the report. Dark-brown tunic and big boots. Nobody mentioned the colour of his hair.’

I got up from the wooden form where they had made me sit. (If I hadn’t been a citizen, it would have been the floor.) ‘Then I believe I do know who it is. And I know who owns him — or I think I do.’

He looked up from the written orders he was looking at. ‘And who would that be?’

‘Pedronius the tax-collector, if I am correct. I think this used to be a garden slave of his, though I believe that the boy’s been out on loan. To Quintus Severus, I think that you will find.’

The optio shuffled his bark sheets aside. ‘Then I’d wish you’d been here earlier. It would have saved a lot of time. It’s taken the commander half the afternoon to find out that it was the tax-collector’s slave brand. It seems you do know something. You’d better come with me.’