Lindsey Davis - A dying light in Corduba

'You said you wished to speak about my granddaughter, Falco.'

'This does affect her. Will you tell me what Constans knew?'

'I have nothing to say on that subject.'

'If Constans was aware of something illegal – perhaps the cartel I discussed with you recently, or maybe something even more serious – then you should consider the position very carefully. I knew them only a short time, but it seemed to me that Constans and Claudia were very close.'

'Claudia Rufina is deeply upset -'

'It's worse than that. She may be in danger. Other people, those who had an interest in your grandson's silence, may now be wondering whether Constans told his sister what he knew.'

Licinius Rufius made no remark, but he was listening to me much less impatiently.

'Don't lose them both!' I warned.

The girl was not my responsibility. Her grandfather possessed ample means for ensuring her protection. I had seeded his mind, anyway. He rose, looking gruff though on principle. He hated to acknowledge that anyone else knew better.

As he started to leave the room he turned to me with a faint smile. 'Your skills seem limitless.'

'Not at all. I cannot, for instance, lure you by any method I know into discussing the proposed cartel.'

At last he allowed me to mention it, though he still sang the old refrain: 'There is no cartel.'

'I may even end up believing that.' I smiled. 'Try this, sir: a group of you, chosen for your prominence in the business world, were invited to Rome by an influential senator. A suggestion was made which you rejected out of hand. Then somebody – not necessarily the senator himself – made a stupid mistake. It became known that the Chief Spy was showing interest in your group. Somebody lost his head and arranged a couple of murderous attacks. The rest of you recognised a dangerous bungle, one which only drew attention to the unpalatable plan. You left Rome fast.'

'Convincing,' Licinius Rufius commented coolly. He was now walking slowly, as if due to his age and his bereavement. This would allow us a certain period of discussion before we rejoined our companions.

'Then I turned up here, suggesting you were all still in the thick of the conspiracy… Actually, sir, I've changed my mind: those of you who were important enough to run a cartel are well placed, by your very prominence in the oil- producing world, to ensure fair prices. You could be the people who take a stand against price-rigging.'

'I told you that was my view, Falco.'

'Olive oil is a rich commodity? There will be enough for everyone?'

Licinius Rufius gripped my arm and stared at me keenly. 'What's more, because the product has universal applications, including large consumption by the army, we producers should take care. Otherwise the whole industry may be taken over and state-controlled.'

'Just as corn is! You are a man of sense – as well as probity.'

We now reached the intriguing situation where it was Rufius who wanted something from me. He had stopped again. We were standing in a corridor. He seemed much more frail than when I first met him, though I hoped it was temporary. I could not press him to a seat, for there were none. I just had to hope I could squeeze him before the old chap collapsed.

'When I was in Rome, Falco, one of the arguments tha't was put to us was this: somebody at the Palace is extremely eager to assume the state control I mentioned. It was suggested that we all get together in a position of strength -' a position which sounded like the cartel to me – 'Then we could resist that move -'

'By bribing the official?' I asked calmly.

He bridled, but replied, 'Was that a reasonable suggestion?'

'You mean, would it work? Only if there was nothing more subtle in the official's mind.'

'Is there?'

'I don't know. If we're talking about a particular official, then anything is possible. He has great power – and a mind like a Cretan labyrinth. Were you told his identity?'

'No. Do you know who it is?'

'I can guess.' Claudius Laeta was the name that floated through my mind. I could still hear him gloating 'Liquid gold!' when he and I were 'discussing olive oil.

Rufius was watching me closely: 'If the threat of state control comes true -'

'As far as I know, sir, that is not current policy.' I had seen a useful lever. Whatever Laeta might be intending, I had my own ideas about how I would report on Baetica once I returned to Rome. It was not necessarily Laeta who would be my first contact. After all, on other missions I had been received in private by the Emperor himself.

'Licinius Rufius, I am not empowered to make promises. But if I were putting forward official proposals, I might say that the oil producers of Baetica seem to me a responsible body of men who should be allowed to run their own industry.' It would be cheap at least. Vespasian liked any system that cost the Treasury nothing. 'Hispania has been a Roman province for a long time. We are not discussing some untrustworthy backwater full of savages in skins. And maybe it's time the Spanish provinces were thought about more carefully.'

'In what way, Falco?'

'I can think of a number of provisions that Vespasianmight consider. Granting wider rights of citizenship. Improved status for Romanised towns. Greater encouragement for Hispanians who wish to partake in the Senate or who qualify for equestrian posts in Rome.'

'Would he do these things?'

'All I can say is that, unlike others, Vespasian listens to advice.' And he knew the power of social bribes.

'You are very close to him, I think?'

'Not close enough for my own sake, sir!' I grinned.

I was still determined to extract his grandson's secret if I could. 'You won't talk about Constans. I accept that, sir -' His protest died, fairly quietly. Perhaps his resolve was softening. 'May I just ask you again about your visit to the proconsul?'

Licinius Rufius sighed. He breathed deeply and slowly. I let him take his time. 'Falco, I had a long discussion with my grandson after the party given by the sons of Annaeus Maximus.'

'You were angry with him for going to the party without telling you?'

'To start with. That became a minor matter. I sensed he was in serious trouble. He was afraid of something. He told me there had been a dancer at the party who was asking questions. It was rather confusing -'

'There are two dancers,' I explained.

'So it seems. All I ever persuaded Constans to say was that he had political information involving one of them.' 'Not the one at the Annaeus party?'

'I think not. There was another girl Constans and his friends had known, a local entertainer. I dread to think what class of girl -'

'Not a very good dancer,' I told him.

'You know of her?'

'Her name is Sella; she comes from Hispalis.' She had tried to kill me three days ago; I kept that to myself. 'What's the story with Constans?'

'He had been involved in hiring her once. I cannot imagine how it came about; my grandson was a quiet lad -'

Light was dawning. 'I think it was Quadratus who wanted her hired – but he had gone back to Rome for the Senate elections. So he wrote and asked Constans to organise this girl from Hispalis to dance at that dinner we all went to on the Palatine?'

'Something like that.' Licinius was trying to avoid telling me. He had failed to appreciate how important it was. 'It sounds perfectly harmless. My grandson paid her fare and appearance fee – though, as you know, he didn't even attend. It's annoying, and a waste of money, but young people do far worse things. Frankly, I could not understand why Constans became so exercised about it.'

'And how did this come to light, sir?'

'Annaeus Maximus had ridden over here after his sons' drinking party.'

'To complain about Constans being a guest?'