a tiny bronze spoon, flipping out a leaf onto the ground.
'Claudia Rufina, since I became an informer I have talked to many people who have told me one thing-only to realize they should have been saying something else.' Sometimes, in wild moments I longed for a witness who would break the pattern and surprise me by croaking-under pressure of conscience or perhaps my own fingers squeezing their neck a little too tightly- that they were sorry to cause me extra work but they had mistakenly given me
'You are not the first person who ever changed their mind,' said Helena softly.
The girl was still hesitating. 'It is better to have the truth in the end,' I stated pontifically, 'than never to learn it at all.'
'Thank you, Marcus Didius.'
There was no point being cruel to her. I could have said, sometimes truth that emerges so late in the day is too late to help. But I'm not that kind of dog.
'This is very difficult.'
'Don't worry. Take your time.'
'My grandfather has forbidden me to talk about it.'
'Then we won't mention this conversation to him.'
'Constans told me something-though he made me promise never to reveal it to anyone.'
'You must believe it's important, or you wouldn't be here now.'
'It's horrible.'
'I thought it might be. Let me help you: has it to do with some violent events in Rome?'
'You know!' I needed her to tell me. Finally she forced herself to come out with it: 'When my brother was in Rome he was involved in killing somebody.'
That was more than I expected. All the others were keeping silent and still. I too handled the situation as calmly as possible. 'My dear, you cannot change what Constans did. It's best to tell me exactly what you know. What I most need to hear is who else was involved? And what exactly happened?'
'It was to do with the plan to regulate olive oil.' Regulate was a nice new word.
'Did your brother give you details of the plan?'
'Tiberius and his father were in charge. My grandfather and some other people had gone to Rome to discuss it, though they all decided not to become involved.'
'Yes, I know that. So be assured your grandfather is safe; he retains his position as an honorable citizen. Now I want to talk about what happened in Rome, Claudia. Your brother was there; he was of course a very close friend of the younger Quinctius? Quadratus was older; they were like patron and client. I already know that your brother, at the request of Quadratus, had arranged a special dancer to appear at a dinner where the olive oil plan was being discussed.'
'Yes.'
'Your brother and Quadratus did not attend that dinner. Is this what you want to tell me? Did Constans tell you where they were instead?'
'They stayed away from the dinner-because of what was going to happen.' Claudia's voice was now barely a whisper. 'There had been a discussion at the Quinctius house about certain officials who were aware of the plan and taking too close an interest. The father-'
'Quinctius Attractus.'
'He said those people had to be stopped. I think he meant just pay them some money to go away, but Tiberius thought it wouldn't work. His plan was to hire someone to attack them instead.'
'Just to frighten them, perhaps?' I suggested.
Claudia, who had been staring into her lap, now looked up at me. She was a straightforward girl. 'Marcus Didius, I don't believe we should pretend. They were meant to be killed.'
'Who carried out the attacks?'
'The dancer, and some men who helped her.'
'Were your brother and his friend there?'
'How did you know?' I just raised a rueful eyebrow; Claudia steeled herself and finished her story: 'Quadratus persuaded my brother to be present-first when he hired the people to do it. Then-this is the gruesome part-they both hid in the shadows that night and watched as the first man was killed. My brother was horrified and ran away. Quadratus went with him. They got drunk somewhere, and later went home and pretended they had been to the theater.'
I replaced my cup on the table in front of us. The tray wobbled; Helena reached out quietly and adjusted it.
'So Quinctius Quadratus and Rufius Constans were present during one of the attacks. Do you know which one?'
'No.'
'Did either of the young men strike the victim at all?'
'Not as far as I know. Not Constans, I am sure of it.'
I linked my fingers, still trying to sound calm. 'Thank you for telling me, Claudia. Is that everything?'
'That is all my brother told me. He was hysterical about it. I helped persuade him to go with Grandfather to admit everything to the proconsul-but they weren't able to have an interview. What should I do now?'
'Nothing,' I said. One step at a time. I might later want to ask her to consider becoming a court witness, but there were difficulties about calling a woman, especially one of refined birth. Somebody male had to speak for her; it always weakened the case.
Helena glanced at me. She had realized that her plan to invite Claudia to Rome might be doubly useful now. We could get the girl there without antagonizing her grandfather, then maybe ask Claudia to make a statement for the investigating judge, even if she was never called into court.
'Have I done the right thing?'
'Yes. Go home now, Claudia. I shall have to interview Quadratus, but I won't tell him where I learned my information. You need not even tell your grandfather you talked to me, unless you feel you want to.'
'So everything is all right!'
Nothing was all right. But we called for her carriage and her armed guards, then we sent her home.
Dawn is the classic time to surprise a villain, though I never knew why. You run a great risk that his doors are locked. While you are kicking them in he wakes up in a sweat, realizes what is happening, and gets his sword out ready to run you through.
It was still early evening. I decided to tackle Quadratus at once.
Aelia Annaea stayed behind with Helena. Marius Optatus came with me. We took his strongest male slaves, plus Marmarides. I strapped on my sword. The others were armed with whatever came to hand, mostly rakes and sticks.
The Quinctius estate was much like others I had visited, though it bore signs of the absentee landlord at his most astute: abundant flocks, tended by the fewest possible shepherds, and secondary cereal crops growing below the olive trees. Everything looked in respectable condition. Moneymakers don't neglect their land. Believe me, there was a great deal of land.
The house had charm and character. Thick walls to keep it cool in summer and cozy in winter. Vine-clad pergolas leading to statues of coy maidens. A separate bathhouse. A terrace for airy exercise. It spoke of wealth, yet wealth possessed by an honest country family. Long harvest lunches taken with the tenantry. Girls with pink cheeks and boys who were keen on horseflesh. Life lived with a constant supply of fresh fodder and an old earthenware jug of home-produced wine always ready to hand.
Amazing. Even their damned house lied.
We told the escort to wait quietly but to rush in like ravening wolves if we signaled them. In the event even bringing them proved unnecessary. Quadratus was not there. He had listened when I advised him to take up his job as quaestor. The same day he came home from staying with us he had packed some note-tablets, taken a litter and a pack mule, a personal bodyslave, clean tunics and a mapskin of the area, then he had told his servants
