David Wishart - No Cause for Concern

‘Oh, Paetinius has a reason. Or thinks he has, anyway. Paetinius Senior was Eutacticus’s partner, in the days when he was only an up-and-coming crook and needed one. Eutacticus suspected Sestia of having an affair with him, which was why he divorced her. She was pregnant with Publius at the time, she married Paetinius a month after the divorce, and she had Publius three months later.’

‘Ah.’ Yeah, that would do it right enough. Jupiter! ‘So Publius could’ve been Eutacticus’s son, or he could’ve been Paetinius’s and the reason for the divorce, right?’

‘Right. It’s the family scandal. Paetinius Junior hates Titus’s guts because he claims there was no affair, Eutacticus divorced his mother for no reason, he’s the legitimate son and Titus and his mother are scheming interlopers who’ve cheated him of his rights.’

‘Even if Titus doesn’t want anything to do with his stepfather?’

‘That doesn’t weigh with Paetinius. Titus has told him often enough, but he just doesn’t believe him.’

‘So what sort of guy is he? In himself, I mean?’

Bellarius grinned. ‘I told you. He’s a bastard. And not the sort you’d like to cross.’

‘Anything specific happen? Between him and Titus?’

‘Oh, they’ve come head to head now and again. Any time they’ve met, in fact. But it didn’t go beyond words, not until about two months back.’

‘Tell me.’

‘It was at the Elms. We were sitting at our usual table, Titus and me, when Paetinius comes up out of nowhere, canned out of his skull, picks up Titus’s cup and throws the wine into his face. Just like that, no warning, nothing. Titus hauls off and hits him, Paetinius goes down like he’s been filleted, and that’s the end of it.’

‘That was it? One punch?’

‘Just the one.’ Bellarius grinned again. ‘You’ve never met Titus, Corvinus. He may be quiet, but he’s a big lad who can handle his fists, and however Paetinius likes to pretend otherwise where fighting’s concerned he’s a talentless runt. Titus floored him completely, broke his nose and probably loosened a tooth or two. A couple of the waiters had seen the whole thing. They lugged him to the gate, dumped him outside and told him in no uncertain terms his future custom wasn’t welcome. Not that he was a regular, he must’ve come specially to make trouble, and it served him right. The whole thing was over in a minute flat.’

Gods! I didn’t like this more than half. It was probably just my conspiracy-theory thought processes that were kicking into gear, mind, but put together someone who’s disappeared without trace or prior notice and another someone who had good reason to wish him in an urn and the next link in the chain of reasoning isn’t too difficult. Besides, the cold feeling in my gut was telling me it was no coincidence. Maybe the guy’s mother – and his girlfriend – were right to be worried.

‘You know where I can find this Publius Paetinius?’ I said.

‘No idea.’ Bellarius held out the wine jug but I shook my head: good Caecuban or not, I had things to do. ‘We’re not exactly on friendly terms. And I don’t move in these circles.’

‘Right.’ I stood up. ‘Thanks for your help.’

‘You’re welcome. Any time. When you find Titus, tell him to get in touch.’

‘Sure.’ I turned to go. ‘The other way round as well. If not with his mother, then at least with Sempronia.’

‘I’ll do that. Oh, and Corvinus?’

I turned back. ‘Yeah?’

‘That introduction. To your wife. I’d really appreciate it. Ovidius Naso’s my favourite poet, and she might be able to give me a few pointers on the Art of Love.’

‘No problem.’ At least, I hoped not. Still, if there were and I’d been wrong about the no ulterior motive side of things after all then I was sure Perilla could handle them.

Time for another chat with Sempronia.

The slave showed me through to a sectioned-off part of the garden with a fountain and trellised rosebushes. Sempronia was sitting in one of a couple of wickerwork chairs, reading, with the maid I’d seen before parked on a marble bench behind her.

She looked up as I came over. She’d changed into a sky-blue mantle, and her hair was tied back with a ribbon. Taken together with the roses and the fountain, she could’ve come straight off a wall painting. Not one by that weird bastard Daistratus, either.

‘Back again, Corvinus?’ she said. ‘Did you find Quintus Bellarius?’

‘Yeah. Yeah, I did,’ I said. I pulled up the other chair and sat down.

‘Any news?’

‘No, I’m afraid not. Not as such.’

She put the book-roll carefully aside on the table next to her. ‘He didn’t have any ideas where Titus might’ve gone? None at all?’

‘I’m sorry, lady.’

‘Never mind. It was worth a try.’ She turned round to the maid. ‘Cleia. Go and fetch Valerius Corvinus a cup of wine. And a fruit juice for me. Cleia!’

The girl had been sitting with her head lowered, staring at the ground. She gave a start, her head came up, and she looked at me. I caught a glimpse of reddened eyes in a puffed-up face, and then she was gone, hurrying towards the house. I looked back at Sempronia.

‘She’s Lynchus’s girlfriend,’ Sempronia said. ‘He didn’t tell her he and Titus were leaving, either. Things have been…fraught.’

‘Ah.’

‘You forget they’re people too, sometimes, don’t you?’

‘Yeah. I suppose you do.’

‘Now. If you don’t have any news, Corvinus, why exactly are you here? Not that it isn’t nice to see you, of course.’

‘Publius Paetinius. Bellarius said he had a dust-up with Titus at the Three Elms a couple of months back.’

‘Oh.’ Her expression hardened.

‘You knew about that?’

‘Yes.’

‘Care to tell me about him?’

‘There isn’t much to tell. Paetinius is the skeleton in the family cupboard. I suppose Bellarius told you why?’

‘More or less, yeah.’

‘Then I can’t add much. Certainly not to give you the truth of the matter, because I was only eighteen months old when my father divorced my mother. Paetinius claims to be father’s son, and he hates Titus. Personally, I’ve never met him, and from what I know of him from Titus I’ve no wish to.’

‘How about your mother? You ever see her?’

‘No. After the divorce, father severed all connection. It may sound dreadful to you, Corvinus, but I don’t even think of her as my mother. I never have, and I’ve certainly no memories of her that might lead me to. Sestia Galla’s just a name.’

‘So you don’t know where she lives?’

‘Somewhere on the Esquiline. I don’t know exactly. Is it important?’

‘It’s an avenue worth checking.’

I’d kept my voice carefully neutral, but Sempronia was no fool. She flashed me a look.

‘You think Paetinius might have something to do with Titus’s disappearance?’ she said.

‘Probably not. Still, it wouldn’t do any harm to have a word with the guy.’

‘No. No, I suppose it wouldn’t. And as you said it’s something worth checking.’ She was quiet for a moment. ‘Corvinus, Titus is all right, isn’t he? I mean, you will find him, he’s just gone off somewhere, hasn’t he?’

‘Sure he has, lady. Nothing to worry about, I’m just looking at all the angles.’ Yeah, right; I wished I was as certain as I sounded, but it was what she needed to hear and there was no point in ringing alarm bells before I had to.

‘Yes. Yes, of course you are. You have to, I suppose. And Critias will know Sestia Galla’s address.’

‘Critias?’

‘Our major-domo, and has been since before I was born. We can ask him.’