He nipped into a side street heading away from the Via Sacra and started to walk as quickly as possible along the busy narrow lane. He found the going easier off the pavement despite the ordure squelching between his toes.
At the far end of the street he turned left in what he hoped was the direction of the Quirinal. Suddenly a hand clamped over his mouth and the sharp point of a dagger pressed into the small of his back.
‘My master is going to be so pleased to make your acquaintance,’ hissed a thickly accented voice in his ear. The pungent smell of raw onion and wine hung on the man’s breath.
Vespasian froze. He looked at the passersby for help but to a man they ignored the situation, unwilling to get caught up in someone else’s argument.
‘Now be a good boy and you may meet him intact. Bring your hands behind your back.’
Slowly Vespasian obeyed. He felt the dagger withdraw and heard it being slipped back into its sheath. He took his chance. Thrusting his hands back between the legs of his assailant he grabbed the man’s testicles and squeezed. Immediately he felt teeth bite into his shoulder and the hand on his mouth move down to his throat and clasp it. He squeezed harder. A huge roar of pain exploded behind him and he was released. Vespasian pelted forward. A quick glance behind him as he rounded the next corner told him that his attacker was doubled up on his knees, his long, oiled black hair completely covering his face.
Hasdro.
Vespasian ran.
CHAPTER XV
Gaius was waiting back at the house.
‘Dear boy, how are you?’ he said, waddling out of his study as Vespasian was let in slowly by the ancient doorkeeper. ‘Where is Sabinus? Did your parents find you? I told them not to go but I’m afraid when my sister wants something there’s no stopping her. Sit down and tell me what happened.’
Gaius clapped his hands and ordered some wine from the waiting slave boy. Vespasian sat down and caught his breath. Once he had been served his wine he gave his uncle a quick rundown of the last twelve hours’ events.
‘As for Sabinus,’ he said, finishing his story, ‘I’m hoping that he’ll be back here soon.’
‘It sounds like you had quite a night; it was lucky that none of you were hurt. Did Hasdro see your face?’
‘He couldn’t have done, he was always behind me.’
‘Pray to the gods that you are right.’ Gaius suddenly looked puzzled. ‘What I don’t understand is why didn’t Sejanus go straight to Antonia’s house instead of following Magnus down the hill?’
‘He didn’t see which house we went into, it was too dark and pissing with rain.’
‘Yes, but only one other person knew that Caenis was at Livilla’s house and needed rescuing, and that was Antonia. As soon as the attempt was detected why didn’t he go straight to her house?’
‘I don’t know, perhaps he’s just stupid.’
‘Never think that of Sejanus. But look at you, you must be tired, my boy, I’d say that you need a bath and a good rub down. I’ll have them prepared.’
‘Don’t worry, Uncle, I must organise my packing. I’m leaving for the north tonight.’
‘My steward will do that for you. Now go and relax, I must insist, dear boy; you have plenty of time, it is not even midday yet.’
Vespasian suddenly found himself too tired to argue and headed off in the direction of the baths.
An hour later, dressed in a fresh tunic and with his skin still tingling from the pummelling that it had received from the hands of one of Gaius’ German boys, he walked back into the atrium to find Sabinus had just returned with Magnus.
‘Your friend Caligula gave me this for you.’ Sabinus threw him a heavy purse that jangled as he caught it. Vespasian opened it. Inside were thirty or so aurei, gold coins. ‘He said that he thought you might need a war chest. So use it well, and don’t go spending it on mules and slave girls or whatever it is that you get off on these days.’
‘That’s very good of him, thank him for me when you see him next,’ Vespasian replied, ignoring his brother’s insult. ‘I assume that you got away unseen?’
‘Only just, but just is good enough. They saw me slip out of the litter but Antonia’s bodyguards prevented them from getting to me before I disappeared into the crowd. I made it to Magnus’ place unseen and he brought me here by the back streets.’
‘Did they get a look at you?’
‘No. Caligula gave me his cloak to hide my face.’
‘Sabinus, you’re back, well done, my dear boy,’ Gaius boomed, coming in from the courtyard garden. ‘You are not hurt, I hope?’
‘No, I’m fine, thank you, Uncle.’
‘Good. Good. Ah, Magnus, none the worse for wear as usual, you have a charmed life, of that I’m sure.’
‘I don’t know about that, sir, we only just managed to outrun those Praetorians last night. Me and the lads aren’t as fit as we used to be. That is when it comes to running, if you take my meaning?’ he added patting his groin with a grin.
‘I’m sure I do.’ Gaius smiled. ‘Now, what did you do to make those Praetorians follow you last night?’
‘Well, nothing really, sir, we just ran as fast as we could down the hill making as much of a hullabaloo as possible to draw them bastards away from the gentlemen at Antonia’s house.’
‘That’s my point; Sejanus knew where they were heading with the girl so why did he let himself be drawn away?’
‘Ah, well, it weren’t Sejanus who was following us, was it?’
‘But I saw him as I jumped over the wall,’ Vespasian said adamantly.
‘And you may well have done, sir, but he never came over the wall, Marius and Sextus will swear to it. They watched all the bastards out of the alley and then followed them down the hill. That new tribune, who’s recently transferred in from the Night Watch, he was leading them.’
‘Who is he, this new tribune?’ Gaius asked, intrigued.
‘Another nasty piece of work, only out for himself, but aren’t we all? I only know him as Macro.’
‘Naevius Sutorius Macro,’ Gaius said slowly, ‘well, well.’
‘You know him, Uncle?’ Vespasian asked.
‘Yes, I do, he used to be a client of mine until it became apparent that I wouldn’t be able to help him to get what he wanted.’
‘What was that?’
‘What do you think? A transfer to the Praetorian Guard, of course; and now he’s got it.’
‘Well, he won’t get far if he’s so stupid as to go following Magnus into the night rather than just going straight to Antonia’s,’ Vespasian said dismissively.
‘Oh, he’s not stupid either, no; he will have sworn blind by now to Sejanus that he was close enough to see that no one went into Antonia’s house, that’s why he carried on chasing you.’
‘Why would he do that?’ Sabinus asked.
‘Because he didn’t want to catch the girl, she was an asset to Sejanus. He’s happy to have Sejanus in the dark about any conspiracies against him.’
‘What for?’ Sabinus was puzzled.
‘Don’t you see? He doesn’t want to help Sejanus secure his position. He’s got his sights set on becoming prefect of the Guard.’ Gaius chuckled. ‘Sejanus had better watch out, he’s got a rat in his nest; and on the basis that your enemy’s enemy is your friend we may well be able to use this rat against him.’
Vespasian was ready to leave by the second to last hour of the day. He had put on his military tribune’s uniform for the first time and felt a new swagger in his step as he walked from his room into the atrium with his red cloak billowing behind him. The muscled bronze cuirass felt heavy on his chest and the protective skirt, made of strips of leather reinforced with polished iron, slapped against his thighs through his white woollen tunic as he
