Danger in the Wind (10 page)

I mopped the blood off Taurus’ face and saw that it came from a nose-bleed, which must have started when he fell. What had knocked him out was a blow to the side of the head, which now had a huge lump on it, but the skin was barely broken.

I noticed his assistant had appeared and was standing in a corner, pale-faced and almost in tears. He was a nice lad, a junior version of Taurus—large, gentle, not over-bright. I couldn’t believe he had anything to do with an attack on his master, but I had to be sure.

“Come here, Tappo, and tell us what you know about this. Have you any idea who attacked Taurus? When did you last see him?”

“I don’t know nothing, Mistress. I ain’t seen him since bedtime last night.”

“What about this morning? Didn’t you have breakfast with him and the other slaves?”

“No. I thought he’d got up earlier than us, he said he would, in case Master Lucius needed owt done before he left.” He rubbed his hand across his eyes. “By the gods, if I catch the man what’s done this, I’ll tear him in pieces.”

“Not if I catch him first,” I said.

“Don’t worry yourselves. I’m all right.” The words startled me because they came from Taurus himself. With a great surge of relief I saw that his eyes were open now, and he was stretching his right hand up towards the lump on his head.

“Taurus, thank the gods! You had us all worried. How are you feeling?”

“A bit sore. Somebody hit me, someone prowling around in here last night.”

“Can you remember what happened?” I asked him.

“I came back here just after moonrise, because I remembered I’d left my box behind. That little beech-wood box you gave me yesterday. I wanted to take it with me to my quarters. I didn’t bother with a torch, there was enough moonlight to see. I got to the door and heard a noise inside, like somebody moving in the shadows. I came in but it was too dark to see. I heard someone behind me, and before I could turn, everything went black.”

Timaeus bustled in and was relieved when he realised the situation. “Ah, he’s awake, that’s very good. No, don’t try to move yet, let me examine you first.”

He crouched down and gently felt Taurus’ head, and peered at his nose. “This doesn’t look too bad. Can you manage to sit up? Here, I’ll help you.”

Taurus sat upright. “I feel giddy. And my head hurts.”

“You had a nasty knock, there’s a bad bruise there. But there’s hardly any blood.” He smiled and patted the big man gently on the shoulder. “You’ll live, my friend.”

Taurus touched his face. “There’s blood here.”

“Just a nose-bleed. It’s not broken. Now then, you’ll be sore for a bit, but I can give you something to make it less painful. Just one more thing to check…what’s your name?”

We all stared, including Taurus, but he answered promptly. “You know my name. Taurus.”

“And what’s my name?”

“You’re Doctor Timaeus. Married to Margarita.”

The doctor smiled and stood up. “Good. That’s all right then. Sometimes a hard bang on the head makes men lose their wits. But not in your case, Taurus, I’m glad to say.”

Taurus smiled back. “Everybody always says I haven’t got many wits to start with, but they‘re all still here, I think.” He started to get up, and Tappo came forward to help him. “Thanks, boy.” He straightened to his full height. “I’m all right now, apart from a headache.”

Timaeus nodded. “Then I prescribe some warm wine, and I’ll add a little of my special powder for the pain. Rest this morning, and don’t do any heavy work this afternoon. Some light jobs if you feel like it.”

“You can rest for the whole day,” I put in. “Tappo can look after things for you, can’t you?”

“Yes, Mistress. I’ll take care of everything.”

“Then let’s go over to the kitchen now, and we’ll find you some wine. Timaeus will bring your medicine. Then you can go to bed and rest if you want.”

“Some wine would be good. And some breakfast, I haven’t had any.”

“Neither have I, come to think of it.”

“But first I must check if anything’s missing from here. Whoever hit me must have come to steal something.”

“I’ve had a look round,” Tappo said, “and everything’s in its place, like it should be. But your new box is gone.”

“My box? Oh, Saturn’s balls! Who would want to steal that? Nobody from here, that’s for sure. We don’t steal from each other here.”

“I think I know,” I said. “Wine first, and explanations later.”

When we’d got Taurus comfortably ensconced in the kitchen, and both he and I were making up for having missed breakfast earlier, I told him about Portius’ visit yesterday. He hadn’t seen the man during the afternoon, but the barmaids had told him and all the other servants about him, and how he’d been desperate to find the box and its contents.

I said, “He wasn’t at all pleased when I said I didn’t know anything about it. He must have come back later to have another look for it, and spotted the box in your workshop. But it’s odd he should steal it when it was empty.”

“But it wasn’t empty. I put some beads in it. Some special green glass beads I was going to make into a necklace for my girl’s birthday. I hadn’t locked it though.”

“So when Portius found the box shut, and with something in it that rattled, he must have thought it was what he was looking for.” I laughed. “He’ll be disappointed when he opens it up.”

Taurus yawned. “Whatever the doctor has put in my beaker is making me sleepy. I think maybe I’ll have a nap, just till noon.”

I sat for a while in the kitchen, oblivious to the morning bustle around me. We’d underestimated the resourcefulness of Portius, as well as the importance of the box. But what
was
the importance? And when he found the box contained only beads, would he come back to the Oak Tree yet again? I felt suddenly alone and alarmed. I wished Lucius were here now, or Quintus. I needed someone I could talk the situation over with. But there was no one.

So the best thing was to keep busy, and there was plenty to do. I consulted my list of jobs, but I knew that the most important task of all wasn’t on it. I must speak to Margarita and find out what Lucius had said to her about my travel plans. I believed I could count on her not to hinder, even if she couldn’t actually help. But all the same I couldn’t take it for granted.

When I asked her to look into my study for a quick chat, she came straight away. We sat down and I took a deep breath.

“Margarita, can I trust you to keep something confidential…from the staff, and from your husband too?”

“You can trust me with your life, Aurelia. I owe you mine.” For a little while we were both quiet, remembering a river-boat in Eburacum, where a terrified mother and child depended on me to protect them from being kidnapped, probably killed.

I shook the memories off. “This holiday of mine, visiting my cousin at Isurium. Lucius isn’t keen on my going.”

She nodded unhappily. “He said so to me. He thinks it isn’t safe for you, and he doesn’t want any of us giving you any help to get there. It’s only because he cares about you.”

“That’s as may be. But I can’t let him stop me.”

Her worried frown vanished. “You’re going anyway?”

“I’ve no choice. My cousin is in trouble, but not because the place isn’t safe. She’s got some personal problem, and she’s asked me to help. I‘m making arrangements to go without involving anyone here. Clarilla is lending me transport, and I’ll stay with Albia on the way. I’m hoping you’ll help too. But if you feel uncomfortable about disobeying Lucius, I’ll understand.”

“Of course I’ll help you. After what you did for me and Spurius,
I
haven’t got a choice either.”

“Thank you. That’s a tremendous relief.”

“Did you really doubt it?” She smiled at me. “Just tell me what you need me to do.”

“Clarilla is providing drivers and guards, so I’ll only need to take one maid, I haven’t decided who yet. That won’t leave you too short-handed, will it?”

“No. Anything else?”

“Just not to mention what Lucius said to the rest of the staff.”

She nodded. “Secundus knows, and he’s prepared to turn a blind eye. It’ll stay between the three of us.”

“Thank you. That’s excellent.”

“If you think of anything else, you only have to say. Will Vitellia be going with you?”

“I haven’t mentioned it to her yet, but I’m intending to take her as far as Albia’s in Eburacum. After that, we’ll see. She doesn’t know Lucius has forbidden the trip, and it’s better to keep it that way.”

“There’s just one thing that worries me then. What happens if you get to Isurium and Lucius is there already? He said he might be sent to the fort. When he sees you…”

“I’ll make it very clear that you didn’t give me any help at all.”

“That’s not what I mean. He’ll be pretty angry when he realises what you’ve done. Won’t he just send you straight home again with your tail between your legs?”

She’d touched on the one weak link in my chain, but I didn’t want to admit its weakness even to myself. “I’ll just have to brazen it out. He won’t want a big family row in public, admitting to the world that he can’t control his own sister. He’ll have to make the best of things, and let me stay there at least one night to see Jovina. But I can talk him round, I’m sure of it.”

“You’re taking quite a chance all the same.” She smiled at me as she got to her feet. “But you’ve obviously thought it all out. I’m sure you’re doing the right thing, and
you
can be sure I’ll take good care of everything here.”

She went back to the kitchen, and I looked again at my list of jobs. They all seemed quite simple, now that I’d tackled the hardest.

I sorted out the clothes and sandals I’d need with me, and organised some presents for Albia—wine, and some of Cook’s famous honey cakes. I discussed the farm work with Ursulus, who had everything well in hand. Brutus came round with Silvanius’ two letters, and said he was bringing our vehicles, drivers and guards over to the mansio that night, so we could make an early start in the morning.

The only sad tasks in the otherwise cheerful rush were sending Terentius’ body off to Eburacum, and arranging a pyre for his servant’s remains.

About midmorning I realised I hadn’t set eyes on Vitellia since her tearful outburst early on. I ought to see how she was bearing up, and tell her about the trip to Albia’s. None of the kitchen-girls had seen her either, and she’d eaten no breakfast, which probably meant she’d gone back to her room.

Whatever I thought of her, I didn’t like the idea of her moping alone all day, so I went to our private wing to see. As I walked along the passage, I heard voices, and stopped to listen. Probably a gossip session among the maids. Yes, I recognised Baca’s voice, but to my surprise, I realised the other voice was Vitellia’s.

“I can’t bear it,” she was sobbing. “How will I manage without him?”

“Don’t be too sad, Miss,” Baca said. “I know what it’s like when your boyfriend is away. It feels like you’ve got a big hole inside you. But he won’t be gone for long, I’m sure he won’t.”

“I don’t know what to do with myself. I can’t think of anything but him. I feel so alone here. Everyone’s trying to be kind, but you’re all so busy, nobody has time for me really. I miss Sosia, my maid. Lucius said there was no need for me to bring her up here because he’d be with me all the time, she’d just be sitting about with nothing to do. And now he’s gone away.”

“Perhaps I could be your maid,” Baca suggested, “just while you’re here. I could look after you, do your hair and that. You’ve got lovely hair. And I could do your sewing. I noticed the blue tunic you had on yesterday has a little bit of a tear in the hem. I can fix that for you if you like.”

“Oh, thank you, Baca. But you’ve got your own work to do.”

“I’m in the kitchen mostly. I’d much rather be looking after you.” I heard her give a little giggle. “Believe me, sewing ladies’ clothes is a lot nicer than chopping onions and pounding herbs. And maybe I could even come with you when you all go on your little holiday.”

“Holiday? I don’t know anything about a holiday.”

Curse the girl, I thought, I was hoping to break that bit of news to Vitellia myself. Well, I suppose she had to find out sooner or later.

“Perhaps I’ve got it wrong then,” Baca was saying. “Maybe it’s just the mistress who’s going. So how about if I look after you while you’re at the Oak Tree? Of course if it doesn’t suit you…”

“Oh, but it does, Baca. Only…would Aurelia let you, do you think?”

“I’m sure she would. Ask her.”

“I don’t like to. To tell the truth she frightens me. I don’t think she likes me, and with Lucius not here to stand up for me…”

“Of course she does. And she likes that brother of hers too, she’d do anything for him. Don’t you fret. She can be a bit sharp sometimes, but she’s all right, is the Mistress. Her bark’s much worse than her bite.”

Thanks, Baca, I suppose that’s a compliment of sorts. I crept back to the door that led in from the hall, opened it noisily, and strode down the corridor calling out “Vitellia! Vitellia, are you here?”

She answered from her room. I went in and managed to sound surprised and pleased when she shyly asked me whether Baca could serve as her maid.