Lindsey Davis - The Jupiter Myth

'I assumed the Old Neighbour rented out space to him,' Petro confirmed. 'He came and went right in front of me a few times, before I even realised that it was him. Then I soon worked out that he owned the place, that he was closely bound up in its activities.'

'So where else does he hang out?'

'Downriver. He has a boat,' Petro told me. 'It was the boat that alerted me. Remember, I saw someone standing in the prow that morning when the baker's corpse was being dumped?'

'You said something was bothering you.'

'I couldn't work out what. I yelled out loud when I realised it was him. The way he was stationed there, doing not a lot…' Petro scowled. 'He must have been watching his men dump the body over the side. Typical Florius. He enjoys observing. All the family are like that. They gloat over suffering, knowing they've caused it.'

'The sense of power and the secrecy. I bet Florius spies on customers when they are with the brothel girls.'

'Bound to.'

We fell silent. We had lost Florius and the weather was too grim to endure. It would do no harm to sit quietly to reflect.

We were still considering things when the door blew in. After the newcomers managed to slam it shut again on the blast, the barkeeper told them helpfully, 'No women.'

Since it was Helena and Albia who had stumbled inside, Petronius grinned and told him these bedraggled mites were with us. The barman assumed they were drabs and we were buying their services, but we treated them courteously anyway. As soon as she saw me, Helena came over with the same concern that Petronius had shown. 'Oh Marcus!'

'I'm fine,' I lied. Still standing, Helena put her arms around me; that nearly did for me. I choked back tears. 'Her friends have taken her. There was nothing anyone could do. You know that.'

When she released me, I steadied myself. She sat alongside.

Albia had calmed down from her hysteria, and was now completely silent. Helena wrung out her hair, then her skirts. The girl just sat. Helena tucked Albia's straggling hair behind her ears and dried her face as best she could on Petro's towel.

'Florius?' asked Helena quietly.

Petronius topped up his beaker, looking bad-tempered. 'We lost him. But this is a dead end province at the end of the world. He has nowhere to go.'

That was optimistic, in my opinion.

We all sat lethargically, wearied in our bones by the weather. If we stayed too long, we would all be chilled. Our soaked clothes were not drying, only becoming heavier and colder on us.

We did stay, because Helena Justina had an urgent project. She put her arm around Albia and spoke gently. 'You were very upset when you recognised that man. I want you to tell me – now would be best, my dear – what you know about him.'

'We know he runs that brothel called the Old Neighbour,' Petronius supplied in a quiet tone, to get the girl started.

'Did you want to go there, in the first place?' asked Helena.

'I don't know.' Albia sounded as if she feared being in trouble whatever she said or did. 'I didn't know where he was taking me.'

'Did you know who the man was?'

'No.'

'You had never met him before?'

'No.'

'So how did he approach you?'

'He came up and was nice when I was sitting where Falco left me.' Albia paused, then admitted shamefacedly, 'He said something to me, because I was crying.'

I cleared my throat. 'That was my fault. I had been angry. Albia may have thought that I had left her there and that I was not coming back.'

'But you were of course,' said Helena, more to reassure the girl than to applaud my honest intentions.

'Maybe she didn't know me well enough to be sure.'

'So Albia looked like a miserable young girl who had run away from home.'

'The man asked me that,' Albia piped up intensely. 'I said I didn't have a home.'

Helena pursed her lips. Strong feelings were affecting her. 'Well, let's get this clear: I am offering you a home, if you want it, Albia.'

Tears welled in the girl's blue eyes. Petronius dug me in the ribs, but I ignored it. Helena and I had held no private debate on the issue. Taking a wild child to Rome, and exposing our own daughters to an unknown influence, required thought. Even the impetuous Helena Justina was an advocate of traditional family councils. However, every Roman matron knows that domestic councils were devised by our foremothers purely so the views of the matron of a household may prevail.

I just went along with it. I knew how to be a patriarchal Roman male.

Helena leaned towards the girl: 'Tell me what happened to you, after you went to the Old Neighbour with Florius.'

There was a long silence. Then Albia spoke, surprisingly strongly, 'The fat woman told me I had to work for them. I never thought I would come back to you and Marcus Didius. I thought I had to do what they said.'

Helena managed not to react angrily, but I saw the muscles tighten around her mouth. 'And what about the man?'

'He made me do what you have to do.'

Helena was now holding the girl, half turned away from me. Petronius was gripping his hands, lest he smash something. I put my palm against Helena's back.

'Did you know about that already, Albia?' she murmured.

'I knew what people did.'

'But it had not happened to you before?'

'No.' The young girl suddenly began crying. Tears fell, almost without sobs. Her grief and desolation were heartrending. 'I made it happen -'

'No. Never believe that!' Helena exclaimed. 'I cannot change what has been done to you, but you are now safe with us. I will help you tell this story to the governor. Then the man and the old woman can be stopped from hurting other girls like you. You will know – and it may help you, Albia – that you have fought back against him. Him and his kind.' After a moment Helena added in a hard voice, 'Men are not all like that, I promise you.'

Albia looked up. She was gazing from Helena to me. 'Men and women can be happy together,' Helena said. 'Never forget that.'

Albia stared at me. This was the longest communication any of us had had with her, so what came next was understandable. She must have been brooding over it most of the time she had been with us: 'You find people. Will you find my family?'

It was always the most painful question an informer could be asked. Either you cannot trace the missing ones, and you never stood a chance of doing so, or you do find them and it all goes badly wrong. I had never known a good outcome. I refused to handle such requests from clients any more.

'I can only tell you the truth, Albia. I don't think that I can do it,' I said.

She let out a cry of protest.

Stopping her, I went on steadily, 'I have thought about it for you. I believe that your family must all have died in the fighting and the fire when Queen Boudicca attacked Londinium. You must have been a baby then. If anyone had lived, they would have looked for you.' Probably that was true. If they had run away and just abandoned the baby, it was best she never knew.

'They were lost, Albia,' said Helena. 'Love them – but you have to let them go. If you choose to come with us, we take you far away, and you can forget all that has happened in between.'

Her words made little impression. Albia was at her lowest ebb.

Petronius and I left Helena to take care of the girl as best she could. We went to the door, staring out at the rainstorm. He hopped on one foot, strapping back a boot.

'She will be scarred for ever. You'll have your work cut out to save her.'

'I know!' And that was even if Florius had not given her disease or pregnancy to contend with. Only time would tell us that. Helena would have to watch her carefully and tactfully.

Petronius Longus was lost in silence now. I had my own misery to preoccupy me. He, I knew, was thinking that somehow, somewhere, he would get Florius.