think. We need the freedom and the challenge of working alone.'
'Get rid of them, then,' said the loving sister of the two Camilli callously.
When Aelianus called on us that evening, still complaining sulkily about his conditions, I told him he ought to be more placid and even tempered, the way I was. I felt much better after mouthing this hypocrisy.
He lay on some grass with a beaker balanced on his stomach. The whole Camillus family seemed to have a drink problem on this trip. Even Helena was diving into the wine tonight- though that was because baby Favonia was crying endlessly again. We sent Hyspale into our room with both children and told her to keep them quiet.
Iux followed her to supervise. After that I could see Helena all keyed up, expecting trouble indoors. I was listening out for it myself.
'What's the matter around here?' scoffed Aelianus. 'Everyone is growling like unhappy bears.'
'Falco has toothache. Our children are niggly. The nursemaid is moping after a fresco artist. Maia is plotting alone in her room. I/ maintained Helena Justina, 'am complete serenity.'
Being her brother, Aelianus was allowed to make a rude noise.
He offered to tie a string to my tooth and slam a door on it. I said I had doubts that the door furniture installed by Marcellinus in the old house would survive. Aeiianus then passed on some horror story Sextius had told him, about a dentist in Gaul who would drill out a hole and stick a new iron tooth right in your gum…
'Aaargh! Don't, don't! I can unearth buried corpses or change a baby's loincloth, but I'm too sensitive to hear anything that teeth doctors do… I'm worried about my sister,' I diverted him. Maia had slunk off indoors by herself; she often did. Most times, she wanted nothing to do with the rest of us. 'We got her away from Anacrites temporarily, but it's no real solution. Some day she will have to go back to Rome. In any case, he's a Palatine official. He will learn that I am on a mission to Britain. Suppose he guesses that Maia came with us and sends someone after her?'
'In a province like this,' Aelianus soothed me, 'a trained spy will stand out rather.'
'Nonsense. I'm a professional myself and I meld in.'
'Right.' He chortled. 'If anybody comes to get Maia Favonia, we are here. She is more closely protected than she would be in Rome.'
'And in the long term?'
'Oh you'll sort something out, Falco.'
'I don't see how.'
'Deal with it when you need to Aelianus was sounding like me these days. He lost interest in my problems. He sat up. 'Well, I want to do something, Falco. And I'm not going back to mind those damn statues. Sextius can mollycoddle his own junk
'You are going back right now I had to keep this trooper in line. Anyway, I had a plan. 'I am coming with you There had been the usual tramping of booted feet all evening as the labour force marched off into town. 'By the sound of it, they have all gone to see the wondrous female entertainer Justinus mentioned. Bare flesh, bad breath, leather knickers and a ratty tambourine- while the labourers afc trying to paw her bikini strings, the coast is clear for us. You and I are going to have a look in some of those delivery carts. Something's going on.'
'Oh I know what it is!' Aelianus amazed me by saying as he scrambled to his feet. 'It has to do with them sneaking materials off site. A new cart came in today; all the drivers looked at me, and said loudly, 'Here's the stolen marble; don't let Falco find out!' nudging each other.'
'Aulus! I should have been told about that hours ago you're a lot of use.'
As I went to fetch light, boots and outer wear, the baby started wailing again plaintively. Helena jumped up and suddenly said she was coming with us.
'Oh no!' cried her brother. 'Falco, you can't allow it.'
'Hush; be calm. Someone has to hold the lantern while we search.'
'What if we run into trouble? What if someone discovers us?'
'Helena and I can fall down on the ground in a passionate clinch. We'll be two lovers having a tryst in the woods. Perfect alibi.'
Aelianus was outraged. He could never cope with the thought of me making love to his elegant sister least of all because he rightly sensed that she liked it. Publicly I gave him credit for some experience and he of course played the worldly type, yet for all I knew he was a virgin still. Nice girls of his own age would be chaperoned, he would be scared of disease if he paid for his fun, and if he ever eyed up his mother's matronly friends for a little adultery across the generations they would only tell his mother. Senators' sons can always jump on their household slaves- but Aelianus would hate having to meet their eyes afterwards. Besides, they would tell his mother too.
He became extremely pompous. 'And where does that leave me, Falco?'
I smiled gently. 'You are a pervert, spying on the leg over from behind a tree, Aulus.'
XXIX
rome has its deep areas of darkness at night. Nothing quite like the open country, though. I would have felt safer in narrow twisting alleys, unlit courtyards and colonnades where any lamps had been doused by passing burglars. There even seemed to be fewer stars in Britain.
We took the service road around the palace, going up carefully on the eastern side then along the north wing, past the secure depot. Walking on the metalled road was easier than tripping across the site, with its mud and fatal pitfalls. A young fox let out a bloodcurdling scream from nearby undergrowth. When an owl hooted, it sounded like a human wrongdoer signalling to lurking friends. Noises carried alarmingly.
'We are mad,' Aelianus decided.
'Quite possibly,' whispered Helena. She was unperturbed. We could hear that my supposedly sensible lady was now thrilled to be up and at an adventure.
'Face it,' I told her brother. 'Your sister never was the docile type who would happily fold tablecloths while her men went out to spend, bet, feast and flirt.'
'Well, not since she noticed Pertinax doing all those things without her,' he conceded. Pertinax had been her short-lived first husband. Helena hated to have a failed marriage, but when he neglected her she took the initiative and issued a divorce notice.
'I saw her reaction, Aulus, and I learned from it. Whenever she wants to play outside with the boys, I let her.'
'Anyway, Falco,' Helena murmured silkily, 'I hold your hand when you're scared.'
Something quite large rustled away in the undergrowth. Helena grabbed my hand. Perhaps it was a badger.
'I don't like this,' Aelianus whispered nervously. I told him he never liked anything, then I led my companions silently past the specialist finishers' huts.
The mosaicist had his window shuttered tightly; he probably still mourned his dead rather. From the fresco painters' hut came a smell of toasted bread; someone inside was whistling loudly. We had already gone by when the door was flung open. I sheltered our lantern with my body; Aelianus instinctively moved closer to help block the light. A cloaked figure emerged and, without a glance our way, skipped off in the opposite direction. He was a fast, confident walker.
I could have called out and initiated a deep argument about crushed malachite (which is so expensive) as against green earth celadonite (which fades), but who wants to start libelling 'Appian green' with a painter who is known to thump people?
'Your Stabian, Falco?'
'Presumably. Toddling off to thump your brother again.'
'Or serenade Hyspale?'
'I bet he hasn't even noticed her. He and Justinus are on a promise with a wine bar-dainty called Virginia.'
'Ooh, I can't wait to tell Claudia!' Aelianus sounded as if he meant it, unfortunately.
