Death at Pompeia's Wedding (25 page)

‘I don’t want to frighten her. Just tell her that I think I’m on the right track, and keep on guard yourself. Oh, and tell her that I’ve brought that writing block. I think I have established whose it really is, and that Antoninus had no right to it. So I can hardly keep it, when he sent it to me. She ought to have it, if anybody does.’

Pulchra’s plump face beamed with happiness. ‘There now! Aren’t you generous? What a nice idea. I thought she was overhasty giving it to you. Even if it isn’t hers, it’s so like the one she lost she ought to have been pleased to have it – that’s what I would say!’

‘But the initials on it show that it was sent to Anton . . .’ Minimus began, but I gave him a fierce look and silenced him. He went and stood by Neptune in something of a sulk, but I had other plans.

‘Go and tell the doorkeeper I’d like a word with him,’ I said. ‘About Antoninus and his dealings with the house. Ask the steward to send him a relief.’

Minimus nodded and trotted unwillingly away. I took advantage of a private conversation with the maid. ‘Just before you go and bring your mistress here, there’s one other question I’d like to put to you. Pompeia tells me that her sister liked your mistress very much. Would you agree with that? There was never any jealousy between the two of them?’

Pulchra looked at me in mock reproach. ‘Not a bit of it, citizen. Why, they were as close as –’ she looked around, as if she was seeking inspiration in the colonnade – ‘as that fellow Remus and his twin. You only had to see them together to know that.’

‘You went with Livia to visit her stepdaughter, I suppose? I can’t imagine she’d have taken any maid but you.’

Pulchra grinned proudly. ‘You’re right there, citizen. She wouldn’t go without me, not on a trip like that. She took me every time, and I was glad to serve – despite that awful journey, which always jolted me till my poor old teeth were rattling my head. It’s a long way, in a carriage – especially in the rain, when it’s harder for the heavy luggage cart to keep up behind. We couldn’t do what the master sometimes did, and go ahead by horse.’

‘And on that final visit, was that what he did?’

She shook her head. ‘The mistress was hoping she was you-know-what –’ she patted her own ample stomach to show me what she meant – ‘so he decided that he would travel in the carriage too. I’m lucky he didn’t make me follow in the luggage cart – that would have been a trial.’ She gave another grin. ‘But it was worth it when we got there.’

‘In what way worth it?’

‘They made a proper fuss. Honoria always did when Livia came to stay. Turned out of her own beds, more than once, and made Miles do so too, so that the master and mistress could have the nicest sleeping rooms. Even I was given a private cubicle. They put on banquets and entertainment every night, and always gave the mistress an expensive gift.’ She gave me that hostile glowering look again. ‘And see how the master repaid them for all this!’

‘You did not like Honorius very much?’

‘I did not, citizen. I’ll say it, now he’s dead. Livia was too good for him, and that’s the fact of it. And as for his mother – oh, but here she comes. I’ll go and get the mistress, excuse me, citizen.’

I could not blame her for avoiding Helena Domna’s company today. The older woman’s stony countenance was a match for any statue in the colonnade. She was still draped from head to toe in black, though today devoid of any jewellery. She was attended only by the page and she was not so much leaning on her stick as carrying it as a sort of potential baton in her hand. Remembering her prowess with the wedding fan, I promised myself that I would keep a wary eye on it.

The stick, however, could not have been more stinging than her words. ‘Pavement-maker! The steward informed me that you had come back. Presuming on your vaunted patronage again? Well, I hope you have something of importance to impart. Did you imagine that you’d be welcome here?’

I took a swift decision. Attack, I concluded, was my best defence. ‘Not as welcome as Antoninus, I suppose.’

There was a silence. Then: ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘Only that he was a fairly frequent visitor. And at such unsocial hours, I understand. The other night for instance.’

The grim face hardened further. ‘And what of that? It was my son Honorius that he came to see.’

‘And now they both are dead. Is that coincidence?’

There was a sudden spark of colour in the sallow cheeks. ‘I heard that Antoninus had collapsed and died. It’s most unfortunate.’

‘And just before I was due to visit him,’ I said, softly. ‘Was that a coincidence as well? Or was there somebody who knew that I was going to call on him – and that he had something he was going to tell me when I arrived? Something that they’d rather I didn’t hear?’

She turned away, the fingers gripping more tightly round the stick. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘Oh, I think you do.’ I was insistent now. ‘You knew that I’d been asked to call there, didn’t you? Not immediately – as one might have thought – but later on. Now why would Antoninus stipulate a thing like that? So there was time to pay him off, if a sufficient bribe was to be offered him? And who – apart from you – knew what was in that note?’

‘I don’t have to answer this,’ she said. ‘Besides, it is pure conjecture. You have no proof at all. In any case, the note was sent to you – why should he suppose that I should even learn of it?’ But she had waved the page away, so he was out of earshot, I observed.

‘Because he sent a writing tablet that he knew would catch your eye – indeed, the eye of almost anyone living in the house – because it looked like one that Livia had lost.’

She stamped an impatient foot at me. ‘But, fool, how could he know that I would see it – as I said before?’

‘He made sure that it was delivered to me here. I would obviously receive it in the company of you or Livia. I’ve heard that Antoninus had a little trick of taunting people with the evidence he had – and I think that writing tablet was a case in point. He let this household know he had it, and that was itself a threat.’

She looked at me stonily. ‘It was no threat to me. I simply knew that Livia had lost one like it, at one time – through her own stupidity. Carelessly left it where a thief could get at it, though it was a rare and valuable thing. She never did appreciate the fine things in this house . . .’ She broke off as hurrying footsteps echoed in the court and Minimus came hastening back to us, nodding to signal that his mission was complete.

I gestured to him to remain where he was, beside the figure of Minerva in the court. I turned to Helena Domna. ‘Fine things? Like that statue where my servant’s standing now?’ I said.

That silenced her. For a moment, anyway. She slashed at the pathway in frustration with her cane, and when she spoke again her passion frightened me. ‘Get out of my house – you tradesman – before I throw you out. Mourners or no mourners, I will have it done. What right have you to come here and insult me in this way?’ Her voice was rising to an impressive pitch. ‘Get out, do you hear me? Seize him, page, and thrown him out of doors.’

Given that page was no more than eight years old, and that even Minimus could have felled him with a single blow, it was not a realistic prospect. The poor lad gazed at me, then galloped off towards the atrium as fast as he could go, shouting as he did so, ‘Mistress! Steward! Come!’ It echoed round the courtyard, and even the tuneless wail of the lament, which had been issuing from the atrium all this while, momentarily faltered before it rose again.

Livia burst into the courtyard, from the little passage to the front part of the house. She was accompanied by Pulchra and the steward too. ‘What is this disturbance? Libertus, is it you? And mother-in-law, whatever is the meaning of this irreverence? You, of all people, to disturb your son’s lament!’

Helena Domna had recovered a little of her lost patrician poise. She glared at me with baleful hatred in her eyes. ‘This upstart pavement-maker is accusing me of personal involvement in this sordid affair concerning Antoninus. He insulted me. I simply ordered that he be removed, but all that useless little page could do was shout for help. But now that you have come you can throw him out yourself. You should have had him locked up yesterday, when I suggested it. I will not be insulted in my own home like this.’

Perhaps it was that last remark that saved the day for me. Livia bridled. ‘But, Helena Domna, I am mistress here. If Libertus has accusations, then we should hear him out. But not here in the courtyard. Let us go inside. In the
triclinium
would be the best, I think, where there are seats enough for all of us and the steward can bring us some refreshments while we talk.’

And with quiet dignity, she turned and led the way.

Twenty-Three

The feasting room had been returned to something like its normal state by now. All the additional seating had been whisked away, leaving only the main table and the three enormous dining couches round three sides of it. I wondered what had happened to the other furniture – no doubt it would be required for the funeral feast: Honorius’s household would be careful to observe the traditional three days between a man’s death and his cremation pyre. I smiled. Given what I had to tell the family, I was unlikely to be invited to the feast.

Livia took the top couch, rather self-consciously, and indicated that I should sit down on her right-hand side, which left Helena Domna in the inferior seat. We were sitting, not reclining, obviously – since there was no question of a proper meal – but we were grouped around the table on three couches all the same.

The steward had already gone to fetch the ‘refreshments’ that were spoken of, but Livia signalled that the page and Minimus should leave. ‘This is clearly private business – not for servants’ ears.’ And the two of them reluctantly withdrew to wait outside. Pulchra however, made no move to go.

‘I’ll go, mistress, if you insist, of course,’ she said, but I held up my hand.

‘I think there are matters which you could help us with, if your mistress will permit it?’

Livia nodded. ‘Very well.’ The maidservant looked pleased and took up a position behind her owner’s chair.

‘Now then, citizen Libertus,’ the young widow began, but she was interrupted by the steward bursting in.

‘I’m sorry to disturb you once again, madam, but there are three citizens out here. They have forced their way in past the mourning queue and say that Libertus is expecting them. The usual doorkeeper has been relieved –’ he shot a look at me – ‘and his deputy could not deal with them. They were making a disturbance, and he’s had to let them in.’

I ignored the implied rebuke. ‘Three citizens?’ I murmured. ‘I’d been expecting five. Do you know who they are?’

‘Gracchus, and Redux and another younger man. I don’t know him, citizen, but he claims to be your son.’ The steward managed to convey polite affront.

I frowned. Where were Vinerius and Maesta in that case? I was about to ask the question when Helena Domna spoke. ‘Oh, show them in, by all means. Let the whole of Glevum come. This house is no longer private property, it seems. This . . . pavement-maker,’ she said with real venom, ‘appears to treat it as his own inviting anyone he likes.’

Livia looked rather doubtfully at me. ‘Is this connected with the accusations that you spoke of, citizen?’

‘I hope these gentleman will be able to help confirm the truth.’

‘Then we’ll have them in by all means. In any case – your son apart – they are not strangers here.’ The steward had bowed himself away and she turned to me again. ‘So you shall have your way. But I hope, citizen, that this is justified. Otherwise I shall be compelled to send out for the guard and have them throw you into prison for impugning our good name.’ She said it gently, but it was a threat – and a real one, as I was aware.
Injuria
was a criminal offence, and the punishments for it were surprisingly severe.

I nodded wryly. ‘I am in danger of arrest in any case. I am due to report to the garrison at noon – and if I have not found a full solution by then to both the deaths, then the commander is threatening to imprison me. There has been a formal charge against me by that tribune that you saw.’

‘You see!’ The grandmother was on her feet again. ‘The man’s a criminal. How can you believe a single word he says?’

‘Perhaps, Helena Domna, I should be the judge of that – with the help of these three citizens, who are at the door.’ She rose to meet them, very graciously, and after greetings and introductions had been made, she indicated that they should find a seat. Helena Domna was compelled to shuffle up a bit and allow Gracchus a corner of the couch that she was on, while Redux and Junio sat down on either side of me.

‘What happened to the vintner and his wife?’ I asked my son.

He shook his head. ‘They’re both under arrest.’

There was a sudden hush. Everyone was looking at him now.

‘There were some documents discovered in Antoninus’s apartment,’ he explained, ‘which proved that Vinerius had been watering his wine, so that for every ten amphora of Rhenish wine he bought, he somehow managed to sell eleven on.’

‘Vinerius?’ Helena Domna muttered furiously. ‘And after all that wine we bought from him! I’ll see him flogged. I’ll go and see him tried and get our money back. He will be tried, I suppose?’

Junio nodded. ‘It seems that the garrison commander sent to bring him in and Maesta was discovered in the act of making hemlock draughts – so she was taken into custody as well, on suspicion of abetting a conspiracy to kill.’

‘And Citizen Libertus has some views on that,’ Livia resumed. ‘He has some accusations that he wants to make. They concern Helena Domna, I believe?’

I saw the three newcomers exchange a baffled glance. ‘That is correct,’ I said. ‘Her dealings with Antoninus, in particular. He was a blackmailer of course – as I think other people around this table know – hence his sudden rise from nowhere and his undoubted wealth.’ Gracchus and Redux were both staring at their feet, and looking rather embarrassed by these words, I saw – and Livia had allowed her jaw to drop and was staring at Helena Domna with disbelief.