Danger in the Wind (14 page)

Suddenly he leaned back on the couch and burst out laughing. He continued to laugh till the tears ran down his face. “It’s no good, I can’t pretend I’m angry with you when I’m not.” He turned to me and kissed me full on the mouth. “Aurelia, what in Jupiter’s name are we going to do with you?”

“If you don’t know by now, you probably never will.”

“You’re quite impossible. And I love you.” He kissed me again and slipped his arm round me. Relief swept over me like a wave. I relaxed, and ridiculous though it sounds, as the tension of the last couple of hours drained out of me, it was replaced by the fear I’d been suppressing. I found I was shaking.

“What is it?” he whispered, and I felt his arm tighten around me. “What’s wrong? Those two drunks in town scared you, didn’t they?”

“They weren’t just ordinary drunks, Quintus. They’d come looking for me. Me specifically.” I told him about the warning message.

He swore. “I’d no idea. I saw one of them whispering in your ear, I thought it was just the usual obscene rubbish…gods, why didn’t you say? I’d have killed the bastards.”

“Because they said they were Eurytus’ men, and I believed they were pretty much above the law. I just wanted them to go away. It was horrible, realising they knew who I was and were trying to scare me.”

“You’re safe now. I’m here.”

He held me tightly, and gradually I stopped shaking and was able to look at him. “Who were they, Quintus? You say they aren’t Eurytus’ men at all. But they were working for whoever it is that doesn’t want me to go to Isurium….this man Portius, I assume. So who were they, do you know?”

“Native malcontents, I’d say. They want Eurytus to be hated. From what I’ve seen of him, he can manage to achieve that all by himself, or at least with the help of his real guards. But there’s trouble brewing in Isurium, and they want it to come to a head.”

“Is that why you’re going there?”

“It is. And you’re going because your cousin wrote to you about danger. Do you still plan to visit her? Even in spite of this morning?”

“Yes. I shan’t change my mind.”

He smiled into my eyes. “As a matter of fact, I was delighted to hear you’re going to be there. As well as helping your cousin, you could be an enormous help to me. If you will.”

“I’ll consider it. As long as there are no lectures about Roman family values.”

He laughed. “None, I promise.”

“Then you know I’ll help all I can. What exactly are you investigating?”

“I think it may be linked to your visit. So first, I want to know what is so desperately important that it’s making you defy your brother and go haring off into danger.”

I told him all of it, starting with Jovina’s letter and following with everything that had happened at the Oak Tree. Finally I showed him the threatening message I’d received at Albia’s.

He barely read the note, but pounced on the box like a cat on a bird. “Aurelia, this is just the evidence I need. Brilliant!”

“Evidence? So it’s got something to do with why you’re going up to Isurium?”

“It has a great deal to do with it. When Lucius told me about Terentius, I felt in my bones there was a connection between what happened at the Oak Tree and the trouble at Isurium. This box proves it.”

“So Lucius was right that the situation there needs investigating?”

He nodded. “Without a doubt. He’s also right about possible danger. You’re sure you still want to go?”

“Haven’t I just said so?”

“Yes, but…”

“Watch my lips. I still want to go.”

“Right then. This is the situation. I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on Eurytus and his goings-on—I’ve been doing it ever since we left Londinium. It’s not been too bad, considering what an arrogant man he is. Anyhow, as you know Isurium is the next place to have the pleasure of his company.”

“He won’t get much pleasure out of it, if Terentius’ message is right. Someone wants to kill him there.”

He looked thoughtful. “Yes, this mention of a Greek. What do you make of it?”

“Two mentions,” I pointed out. “Jovina’s note to me mentions ‘Greeks bearing gifts.’”

“Lucius told me he has a theory about the identity of the Greek who’s frightening your cousin.”

“Mallius, you mean? I think that’s nonsense, and I told him so. Margarita had a much better idea, the doctor at the fort. All the medics are Greeks, aren’t they?”

“Most of them. And there may be others. You can help me find them.”

“Are you officially there to act as nursemaid to Eurytus? It won’t make you very popular. You may find people reluctant to talk to you.”

“Gods, no! I’m officially going there to inspect a bridge. Titch and I still wear our bridge-surveyors’ helmets occasionally, and they come in useful for something like this. We should be there already, but I stayed an extra day to talk to some of the senior men here first. And thank the gods I did, because Titch found out you’d be there, too. It couldn’t be better.”

I poured us out more wine. “What will you want me to do up there, apart from searching for Greeks?”

“What you do best. Keep your eyes and ears open while you’re staying with your cousin, and report to me anything suspicious.” He took a long drink. “There’s unrest among the natives around Isurium, and the governor’s getting reports that there’s something wrong at the fort itself.”

“You mean someone inside plotting with the Brigantes?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“But why? A man in the Roman army encouraging barbarians to attack the Roman army? It doesn’t make sense.”

“For money, perhaps, rather than conviction. And it’s probably more than just one man. This message Terentius was carrying was intended for someone with army connections, someone with good Latin who’d have understood the reference to Troy. That could be a native, but a Roman seems more likely. Mind you, of course the message has been intercepted and never got to Isurium. I wonder if that means they won’t go ahead with whatever they’re planning for midsummer?”

“The gist of the message has almost certainly got through.”

“What makes you say that?”

I told him how Margarita had heard Terentius’ servant talking about Troy, Achilles and Hector. “He knew the outline of what it was, and very likely passed it on to Portius.”

“I see. Yes, we have to assume he did. Then why has Portius gone on trying to find the other items in the box?”

I thought about it. “Maybe, if he’s doing this for money, he needs the half-coin to identify himself to the rebels in order to get paid.”

“That makes sense.” Quintus picked the box up. “I’ll take charge of this for now. Lucius has already given me the note and the other things that were in it. They all belong together.”

“Be careful. That box seems to bring trouble wherever it goes.”

“Anything marked VVV means trouble just now.”

“That’s what Lucius thinks. Silvanius too.” I relayed what Clarus had said.

He nodded. “With Eurytus there, any sort of native discontent could turn into outright violence. That would suit Venutius and his friends very well. They need an excuse, a rallying-point to make the Brigantians turn against the settlers. And Isurium is regarded as sensitive at present. The governor especially wants to avoid trouble there.”

“I know. Silvanius told me. He also said there’s been a bit of unrest at Isurium already.”

“There’s been nothing near the fort itself yet but a bit of low-level violence in the area round about. Small bands of Brigantians attacking Roman soldiers away from base, picking on small patrols or lads on hunting trips.”

“That’s not so unusual, surely. Especially if discipline has got a bit slack.”

“But the natives round Isurium have been a little too well-informed about troop movements, when and where new patrols are being sent out, that sort of thing. They can only be getting information from a contact in the army.”

I took a sip of my wine. “And whoever that contact is, he could be the Greek mentioned in Terentius’ message, the one playing Achilles to Eurytus’ Hector? A potential killer, in plain Latin.”

“That’s our best guess for the time being.”

“And Terentius, based in Londinium, got wind of Eurytus’ visit to his own area before it was public knowledge locally and wanted to warn someone about it?”

“So it seems. We’ll know more when we’re established at the fort. You, me, and Titch…we make a good team.”

“The only thing is, I shan’t have much to do with the soldiers. My cousin lives outside, in the civilian village.”

“But you’re bound to have some contact. Your cousin’s husband is deputy commander of the whole fort. Because of his Greek connections, he’s one of the people we want to keep a closer eye on. His son is another would-be Greek, I’m told, so he’ll bear watching too. So all you have to do is be alert for anything out of the ordinary, big or small, and report it to me.”

“I don’t much like the idea of spying on Jovina’s family. Marcus is an old friend.”

“But suppose Lucius is right when he says Mallius is the cause of Jovina’s trouble, the reason she asked for your help? You’ll have to look into that, even though you don’t accept it yourself. So you’ll be watching your cousin’s family anyway, won’t you? Now you’ll be doing it for two reasons, not just one; that’s the only difference.”

I laughed. “I hadn’t quite thought of it like that. When will you and Titch get there?”

“Tomorrow evening. You’re leaving tomorrow too?”

“Yes. You’ll be staying at the mansio, I suppose?”

“To start with, but I expect I can persuade someone at the fort to give me a billet. As I said, we’re inspecting the Isurium bridge. It’s in a dreadful state, I’ve heard.” He grinned suddenly. “I’ll need to be in the area several days, I’m certain. And it should be easy for us to meet casually. Two old acquaintances, one on duty, the other visiting relatives on holiday. What more natural than that they’ll bump into one another occasionally?”

“I can try to visit the fort, too, if Marcus doesn’t come to see Jovina in her own house. I’ve known them as a couple for ages, it would be odd if I didn’t want to meet him. And then there’ll be this birthday party. I might pick up a few bits of gossip there.”

“I’m sure you will. All kinds of personal things that Titch and I can’t get near. And I’ll be there to look after you, if there’s any serious trouble. But now at least we’re ready for it.”

“I may need looking after all the same, if Lucius gets to find out I’m there, instead of meekly minding the mansio.”

“He won’t find out from me.” He got up reluctantly and stood looking down at me for a few heartbeats. “This is an important case, and I want you there to help.” He kissed me again. “I’m not going to be the one to get you sent back to Oak Bridges. So I’ll keep your secret, if you’ll keep mine.”

“Yours? Do I know any secrets of yours worth keeping?”

“Only this one. Who do you think it was who advised the Eburacum commander that Lucius was the best man to send to Morbium to deal with the emergency there, and that
I’m
the most suitable man to send to Isurium?”

Chapter XI

The journey from Eburacum to Isurium was hot and dusty, but uneventful and not too slow. We set off early, because now that I knew Lucius wasn’t at Isurium there was no need to delay our arrival till late afternoon. Eburacum was busy, and the main highway northwest had plenty of traffic on it. Most of it was military, soldiers marching along in formation, cavalry trotting by and forcing civilians to give way to them in their usual arrogant fashion. Almost all of it was heading north towards the distant frontier, though we met one long convoy of army supply wagons coming southward, complete with a mounted escort. From the smell of them, they were carrying freshly tanned hides. The gods know how the drivers stood the stench. I was glad they weren’t going in our direction. If you’re unlucky you can get stuck behind a wagon train like that for miles.

We reached Isurium in midafternoon, and drove straight to the fort to ask directions to Jovina’s house in the village. As we approached the big main gate I had a pleasant feeling of anticipation, almost of homecoming. All the forts in the Empire are built along the same lines, whether large or small, on a frontier or in peaceful countryside. So when you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. I’ve seen plenty in my time, having a centurion for a father.

Brutus and I approached the fort on foot, leaving the carriages parked on the road outside. As we came to the gateway I knew at once that this wasn’t, as I’d expected, a quiet friendly little base where nothing much happened. There was a tension in the air that said, as loud as any drill-master on the parade-ground, “Stand ready now. We’re expecting trouble.”

The four gate-guards on duty were certainly standing ready. They were on edge, and barely civil. The senior one barked: “State your names and business.”

Brutus was equally brusque. “This is Mistress Aurelia Marcella, come to see your deputy commander, Mallius Melandrus. We’re on our way to stay at his wife’s house in the village. Would you tell the deputy commander we’re here, please?”

The men looked at each other and relaxed slightly, but not much. The chief guard shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s not possible to see him at all today.”