“Of course you weren’t,” Septimusreplied dryly, but it was me he addressed next. “Gnaeus, what doyou think? Should we come back later?”
“No.” Even if he had not wanted me tosay this, I would have, and I walked over to the moneylender so Icould look down on him as I added, “I wouldn’t trust thiscunnus with a brassobol.” As I expected, he did notlike this at all, but he was not going to do anything but glare atme, and we both knew it. “Besides,” I taunted, “are you telling methat you don’t know how to add?”
“I know how,” he snapped, his faceflushing. Apparently, he realized he had no choice, because hesighed, then turned to the slave, ordering him to bring thenecessary items.
Since we had left Gaius and Bronwenout in the street with the cart, I pulled Alex aside to tell him,“Go ahead and go with them to the villa, Alex. Septimus and I willstay here and make sure this cunnusdoesn’t try anything.”
“Just the two of you?” he asked, thenquickly corrected himself as I glared at him, saying hastily, “I’msure the two of you will be enough to handle anything.”
He left without another word, leavingSeptimus and me to watch as Salinator, with a slowness that Iinitially thought somewhat humorous, opened the lid of the firstchest that Septimus had unlocked.
As we watched, I whispered to Septimus,“What did you mean about having a week to spare?”
“It wasn’t a week,” he whispered back.“It was more than a week.”
“Well, it obviously wasn’t two weeks,or you would have said that.” I tried to convey my irritation whilekeeping my voice low. “And don’t try being clever. What did youmean?”
For a long moment, Septimus would notanswer, but just when I thought he had no intention of responding,he replied, “The terms that I agreed to said that if I didn’t repaythe loan with the agreed interest in less than three months, Iforfeited the villa, plus another fifty thousandsesterces.”
I could not restrain myself from gaspingloudly enough that it drew Salinator’s attention, who looked upsharply from his counting, eyeing us suspiciously.
“But you didn’t have any more money!He could have taken you to court!” It took a massive effort to keepmy voice down, but Septimus only offered a simple agreement, “No,we didn’t. But,” he looked over at me, his expression sober, “ifyou think that we wouldn’t have sacrificed everything for yourfreedom, you don’t know us at all.”
Not knowing what to say, I only turned backto watching Salinator, who was so obvious in his slowness that italerted both of us.
“He’s doing this for a reason,”Septimus muttered. Then he looked around the compound. “Where’sthat slave?” Before I could say anything, my uncle called out toSalinator, “Can we trouble you for some refreshment, Salinator?” Hesmiled as he indicated the two of us. “As you said yourself, we’vejust completed a long journey and we’re about to make you somemoney, so I think some wine is in order, don’t you?”
I cannot say that Salinator panicked,but he came close, his eyes darting about, and I did not wait foranything to come out of his mouth, striding over to him as I drewmy gladius.
“If you think that you’re going tosurprise us by having some collegiarabble suddenly show up, you need to know this,” I snarled asI placed the tip of my blade at his throat. “You won’t live longenough to see what I can do to a bunch of fucking old gladiatorsand bully boys.”
“I…I…I’m not! I mean…I’m not planninganything! I swear it!” He was holding both hands out, but Iwrinkled my nose as I shot back, “That’s not what your prick says,because you just pissed yourself, you cunnus!”
It was the smell that informed me since,between his loincloth, tunic, and the folds of his toga, there wasno way I could have spotted it; now, he flushed with shame andguilt.
“I…I might have…sent Menander on anerrand,” he said weakly. I suppose that he calculated that if hesaid why, I would have ended him right there.
It was not an idea, so much as an impulse,but while I kept the tip of my blade at his throat, I turned toSeptimus.
“Your friend Salinator here wasplanning to betray us, Septimus. What do you think I should doabout that?”
“He’s not my friend,” he did nothesitate to reply, and I saw by the look in his eye, he understoodwhere I was going. “And I think you should just gut him right here.Nobody,” he actually was addressing Salinator, “would blame us. Notwith Tiberius Salinator. He’s cheated people before.”
“Is that true, Salinator?” I askedthis with wide eyes, as if I was surprised. “Have you cheatedpeople before?”
“No!” He actually was about to shakehis head, but I suppose he was worried that he might accidentallyslit his own throat. “Not,” he allowed, “that there have not beenaccusations. Groundless,” he insisted, “accusations. But that’s tobe expected with anyone successful in commerce!” His eyes went downto the point of my blade, which had not wavered a bit, and I sensedmore than saw his sudden surrender. He closed his eyes and said,“But, in the spirit of the goddess Concordia, I have a proposal tomake.”
“Oh?” I looked over to Septimus with agrin. “Did you hear that, Septimus? He has a proposal!”
“And what proposal is that,Salinator?” Septimus asked coldly.
“As long as the principal is here,”Salinator replied miserably, “I’ll consider that sufficient tohonor the terms of our agreement.”
“Why,” Septimus smiled broadly, and weexchanged a mirthful glance, “that is very generous of you. And,” he bowed with amocking gravity, “of course we’ll accept. For the sake ofConcordia, of course.”
It was less than a third of a watch later,well before any of Salinator’s gladiators could have responded,that
