Mary Reed - Four for a Boy

“A thought that has crossed my mind more than once, Aurelius. But then you are a father yourself.”

“Yes, it won’t be long before Penelope and I will have to start considering matrimonial alliances for Anatolius. Not to mention placing him in a good post at court. Now, if only your Anna were younger or my son was older.”

The conversation was interrupted by two laborers in dirt encrusted breeches. The men strolled across the atrium, paused to give Opimius vague, deferential bows and continued on their way.

Aurelius raised his eyebrow again.

“The bath house hypocaust is not working,” Opimius explained. “Of all times to fail. Naturally just when I’d prefer not to be obliged to venture out to the public baths.”

“A problem with the flues perhaps?”

“Possibly. Fate can be unkind even to senators,” Opimius replied, going on to suggest they repair to his office. One glance was all John needed to know that his attendance was required there also. He could not help thinking that if Opimius’ greatest worry was a malfunctioning hypocaust, then perhaps Fate treated senators very lightly indeed.

As soon as the men were settled John poured them wine from the glass flask on Opimius’ desk.

“Opimius, if you will forgive me for saying so, with the state the city’s currently in, it is not a wise idea to allow unknown workmen to wander through your house. I’ve mentioned this before and I wish you’d heed my warnings.”

“Of course, you are right,” Opimius muttered absently. “You know, Aurelius, the view from this office is much more pleasant when the garden is in full bloom.” He scowled at the closed panels. “Anna has been talking about new plantings a lot lately although spring still seems very far away.”

Aurelius sipped his wine. “Yes, she loves her gardening, does Anna. At times I wish I had only a daughter to look after. Anatolius is a difficult boy, I fear. Headstrong and yet given to scribbling poetry. Oh, you can laugh, but believe it or not the other night he shaved the front of his head and ran off to play with a bunch of Blues. This was the same night the Gourd put on his little exhibition. The boy nearly got himself killed.”

“Just as well Justin didn’t hear about him being involved in that escapade.”

Aurelius waved his hand. “Oh, Justin no doubt knows all about it. It would have reached his ears before dawn that the son of one of his senators was involved in that frightful business. He’d realize the boy’s too young to have meant any harm. I’m more worried about the Gourd taking it on himself to investigate. You can’t tell what the man is liable to do.” He held out his wine cup for John to refill.

John did so, maintaining a carefully neutral expression. Even after some years laboring at the palace, he still found it strange that men would blithely speak of the most secret matters in front of their servants, or anyone else’s servants for that matter. It was obvious they considered them no more than furniture, and furniture could not hear. Even so, judging from Aurelius’ slighting remarks about the Gourd, it was evident that John’s new assignment had not yet become common knowledge. No doubt it would be soon enough.

“But what really angered me,” Aurelius was saying, “was that when he arrived back home in the middle of the night, the boy had the temerity to tell me some ridiculous tale about hiding in a huge pig and being rescued by an excubitor and a tall fellow with a strange look in his eyes.”

Opimius smiled. “Sounds like a budding Homer to me.”

“I see you are as amused as I was! Or as amused as I was after I punished him. It’s one thing to go out and risk life and limb. We all did that when we were young. Nonetheless, I will not have him lying to me. I sent him off to stay with his uncle Zeno for a while. Away from the city. That’ll keep him out of mischief!”

“Zeno? Is that wise? Isn’t he the fellow who aspires to launch himself from a tower and fly across the Golden Horn?”

“You’re thinking of the man who calls himself Avis. Zeno has some eccentric interests, but he’s harmless. The gods forbid that Anatolius should ever make the acquaintance of Avis.”

“I wish they hadn’t seen fit to allow Anna to meet Avis.” Opimius sounded rueful. “Luckily she has sense enough not to try out these wings he’s said to be working on. Or at least I hope not. Unfortunately she insists on contributing to his expenses on a regular basis. I fear her fancies sometimes run away with her reason. Penelope must have been frantic over your son’s adventure.”

“Indeed she was. She’s already upset about our impending move. She doesn’t want to live closer to the palace, and I don’t blame her. I think she’ll grow fond of the new house in due course, especially since she has a free hand with its decoration.”

“When are you moving?”

“Next month. By the time Anatolius returns from his little holiday at the seaside, we’ll be settled in.”

“He does know you’re moving to a new house?” Opimius asked with a twinkle in his eye. “I mean, he won’t get back and find the old one shuttered and deserted?”

“What? Oh, yes, I see. Very good jest, Opimius!” Aurelius laughed.

John came to a sudden decision. “If I may speak, Senator Opimius?”

He had spoken quietly, but Opimius’ expression could not have been more startled if his desk had begun to recite Ovid. The tone in which he granted permission clearly indicated there would be a price to be paid later for the impudence. John forged ahead anyway.

“Senator Aurelius, your son told you nothing but the truth concerning his odyssey the other night.”

Aurelius’ classical features twisted into a most unclassical scowl. He looked John up and down.

“And how would you know?” he barked. “You’re obviously not a Blue and they were the only ones there at the time, apart from the Gourd’s men.”

“My apologies, senator, but I was there also.” John rapidly described what had transpired after he and Felix had discovered the boy in the butcher’s shop. He was careful to say nothing of the nature of his assignment beyond a brief mention that it had placed Felix and himself into temporary service with the Gourd.

Aurelius’ expression softened as the details John gave proved the truth of his claim. “So, you are working for the Prefect, whom I have just jestingly been referring to by his nickname…and you are the tall man my son spoke about? I hear that your cloak was torn to shreds?”

“It was ruined by pig’s blood, senator.”

“Certainly. I was just testing the veracity of your statements,” Aurelius admitted. “If Senator Opimius will permit you to come to my house later today, I will be happy to reward you for your swift action. I’ll also reimburse you for your cloak. And the excubitor’s name?”

“It was the German, Felix. He is one of Justin’s bodyguards. But if I may…” John paused and then, taking heart from the fact that given his task he was surely under Justinian’s protection, plunged on, ignoring the darkening expression on Opimius’ face. “I would wish to ask for something different as a reward.”

Aurelius waved his hand airily once more. It had the studied look of a much-practiced gesture. “And this would be?”

“I wish to ask you a couple of questions.”

“I see! This is a shrewd fellow indeed, Opimius. He values a senator’s knowledge more highly than gold. Proceed! I am not promising I will answer, mark you.”

“Senator, you know most of the court and many landowners and wealthy citizens. Are you aware of any who harbor ill will toward the emperor’s nephew, Justinian?”

The two senators looked alike in their surprise.