For a heartbeat Hortius seemed a little less than confident, but immediately he was himself again. ‘Then it cannot be the person that I saw. This was no citizen. What Roman matron would be on foot, alone, on a dusty country road? With no attendant slave? In public, without a cloak or veil and with her foot wrapped up in filthy rags?’ He waved a dismissive hand. ‘The woman was just a Celtic peasant – and an aged one at that. Dressed in one of their frightful garments, too, made of some barbaric homespun plaid.’ He did that thin-lipped smile again.
‘Nonetheless, Eminence, that was indeed my wife,’ I said, suppressing my rage at his insulting words and waiting for abject apology.
I should have known better. Hortius shook his head. ‘Impossible. The woman was a slave, or had been one at least. I noticed there was scarring visible, on one shoulder where there had been a brand.’
I saw a look of panic cross my patron’s face, and I knew why, of course. It is not illegal for a citizen to free and wed a slave, but emphasizing Gwellia’s servile past might draw attention to my own – and it was Marcus who had proposed me, as a duumvir. What would the Provincial Governor say to that?
But I had more urgent matters on my mind. Hortius’s description of my wife persuaded me that he had seen her on the road. He had insulted me – unpardonably – but if I offended him, he would be only too delighted to obstruct, and it was essential that I found out what he knew. So I managed, with an effort, not to show my rage.
‘You saw her, obviously, Eminence. Do you remember where? Which way was she going – towards my patron’s villa or away from it?’
The Senator allowed his face to take up an expression of incredulity. ‘Merciful Jove, that really was your wife? My dear councillor – but how was I to guess? I assumed that she was someone’s ancient dye-slave, or something of the sort, who had been turned out on the road, as being too old and too infirm to be of further use.’
This time it required all my years of training as a slave not to seize him by the shoulders and shake him till he squeaked. ‘Then you were wrong in your assumption, Worthiness. That was indeed my wife. And my question was an urgent one. Please be good enough to answer it.’ My tone was studiously level, but I earned a warning look from Marcus.
He clearly felt the need to be the diplomat. ‘Remember, duumvir,’ he said, ‘my houseguest is a stranger hereabouts. He cannot be familiar with the roads. It might be difficult for him to tell you exactly where he was.’
It was a reasonable point, as I acknowledged with a bow ‘Though I’m sure the Senator could help us a little further, if he searched his memory.’ I saw Hortius bridling – an obvious danger sign – so I softened this with a little flattery. ‘He is clearly observant, as his description shows. Did he, for instance, happen to see a fallen tree beside the path? My servants say they left her sitting on a stump.’
It was patently risky to insist like this, and I braced myself for the inevitable wrath. But Hortius seemed to consider, briefly, then gave me a chilling little smile. ‘Councillor, forgive me. I had a fearful fall – my memories of the incident are blurred.’
‘But …’ I was ready to begin, but he raised a hand to silence me.
‘I saw the woman – that I do recall – but then my stupid horse reared up and threw me to the ground, and after that …’ He gave an airy wave. ‘I must have struck my head. I cannot really tell you any more.’
Could not or would not? It was impossible to say. Whatever I suspected, it could not be proved. By such means, I thought, do senators survive a succession of different emperors in Rome. The toad-like features were set in an expression of regret, and there was little I could do but bow acceptance and withdraw.
But as I stepped away, I glimpsed something in his eyes. They were mocking and triumphant. He was enjoying this. I do not often permit myself to hate, but I felt something very like it at that moment, looking at this spoiled, vindictive creature on the chair, whom riches, birth and power made unassailable.
This gave rise to a sudden, interesting thought. Hortius flaunted his patrician birth. Then where was the famed patrician pride? He was so ready to cite that accident – a humiliating lack of horsemanship, which any well-bred Roman would find shaming, normally. And which a moment earlier he’d been keen to minimize, himself!
Till now I’d only been concerned for Gwellia’s whereabouts, but now I began to worry whether she’d been hurt – by that rearing horse, perhaps? Hortius was so evasive – so ready to claim his brain had been befogged – that I was suddenly suspicious that he might have things to hide. I could imagine him refusing to rein in for what he probably did imagine – at the time – to be a homeless peasant on the road. And Gwellia, with that poisoned foot, was in no state to move hurriedly aside.
‘You say the horse reared up – what happened to her then?’ A dreadful picture flitted through my head. ‘She was not trampled underneath the hooves?’
Hortius held my eyes with his own stony ones. ‘I’m quite sure she wasn’t, Councillor – though, as I say, I have no clear recollection of events.’
‘Then perhaps your escort might enlighten me?’ I nodded towards the two attendant guards. Marcus was frowning and sending signals with his eyes, seeking to communicate that I should say no more, but if I was courting trouble I no longer cared.
Hortius did not even glance towards his men. ‘They cannot help you. They were not with me at the time.’
‘And the ones who were?’
‘Are at the garrison today. I will send and ask them, naturally, if you require – it is the least I can offer, since I find you in distress.’ The words were civil, but there was again that hint of mocking in his tone, especially when he added – with a smirk, ‘But I doubt my men will have anything of consequence to say.’
Of course they wouldn’t, I realized with a certainty that stung – not if they placed any value on their future lives. They would remember nothing – until they had instructions as to what they were to say, or (more disturbingly) what he wished them to forget. I was about to mutter that we would not trouble him, privately thinking we might call in and catch them unawares, but he was ahead of me.
‘I’m sure they’d only tell you what I’ve already said.’ He favoured me again with that reptilian smile. ‘My men were naturally too concerned for me to pay attention to what – we thought – was simply an unwanted and discarded slave. But, if you think it will assist …’ He clicked his fingers. ‘You two, over by the wall.’
His pair of guard-slaves – who had been in earshot anyway – now came forward and stood before his chair.
‘Hurry to the garrison. Ask the other members of my staff – especially the escort who were riding with me yesterday – if they have anything to say that might help this duumvir to locate his missing wife.’ He paused, then added in measured tone, with careful emphasis on every word, ‘It seems she was that peasant woman we encountered on the road, just before I had my fall – though I doubt that they’ll be able to remember more than that. You understand?’
They murmured that they did.
‘Good. If they have anything whatever to report, you are to send a message to His Excellence at once. To his country residence?’ He glanced at Marcus who nodded his assent. ‘To his villa then. The garrison will afford a courier – since I no longer have one – I am sure. Indeed, on second thoughts, tell them to send a message anyway – so there can be no doubt of their receiving this command. Is that instruction clear?’
‘Perfectly, master,’ said the larger of the men. He and his colleague saluted, bowed and left – and I saw the look that passed between them and their master as they went. So much for trying to interview the escort guards! Hortius had signalled that they were not to talk to me. Or, indeed, to anyone at all.
Hortius saw that I had realized this, but he seemed more gratified than otherwise. ‘I am sorry that I cannot help you further, Councillor,’ he said, in a tone which was not sorry in the least.
Was he hiding something or simply enjoying the power to torment? Marcus was making furious gestures at me to desist, but I was desperate. I flung myself upon my knees before the Senator.
‘Worthiness, you know what it is to love,’ I exclaimed. ‘You’ve travelled to the farthest outpost of the Empire in pursuit of someone who was to be your bride. And,’ I had an inspiration, ‘I believe you lost a wife you loved, so much that you were famous for indulging her.’
Hortius merely looked stonily at me. ‘And how, exactly, did you hear of that?’
Marcus was still anxious to play the peacemaker. ‘Worthiness, your reputation as a loving husband had preceded you. Tertillius was talking of it, when you first arrived. Naturally Libertus has also heard of it – which is why he has been helping me to bring about a reunion with your second bride.’
Hortius simply went on gazing at me like a basilisk, so after an awkward moment my patron spoke again. ‘It was the duumvir’s suggestion that Druscilla might be lured to this banquet, and thus reunion with you.’
It was brave of Marcus to attempt to champion me like this – he could not afford to alienate his visitor – but Hortius refused to be impressed.
‘But he did not choose to let me know at once that she was here, so I was obliged to learn that from the garrison next day. That is the counsel that you so admire?’
I could not let that pass without remark. I scrambled to my feet. ‘But how could I know then that you had an interest in her presence, Worthiness? The lady did not mention you at any time – simply claimed kinship to the lady of the house. She asked me for discretion and I respected her request, so when I sent to Marcus – as I did at once – I told my slave to speak to no one else. And if Rastus had not paid for his obedience with his life, no doubt you would have heard the news before you did!’
This was specious, but Hortius Valens could not know that – and it clearly made him think. For the first time I saw a flicker of doubt across the adamantine stare. I pressed my small advantage. ‘But I am not here to talk about my slave – whom you have in any case replaced – but my wife, who is irreplac—’
I was interrupted by a rapping at the door. Marcus looked at me in some surprise. ‘I wonder who that is, at this morning hour?’
We did not have long to wonder. The doorkeeper was already ushering in a purple-striper with a page. It proved to be Tertillius, accompanied by a pretty pageboy – possessed of all his teeth – that I had noticed him eyeing at the slave-market. Tertillius allowed this lad to divest him of his cloak then hobbled forward on his stick to shake arms with his host.
‘Marcus, forgive my intrusion at this hour.’ His reedy voice was feebler than before. ‘I have just learned that Hortius had an accide—’
I saw the look of fury cross Hortius’s face. ‘Nothing of the—’ It started as a roar, and I thought that he was going to order the old man from the room for insulting him, but Marcus intervened.
‘This is Councillor Tertillius, whom I believe you’ve met. And you will meet again. He has kindly agreed to act as temporary host to a visitor of mine, a female relative of my wife’s, and provide a chaperone, in order that she may be present at that feast that I propose.’
Hortius gave us a poisonous glance, but modified his tone dramatically. ‘Tertillius, it is civil of you to enquire. The fall was not severe. Nothing that a little rest won’t cure, though my memory of the incident is unfortunately blurred.’ He extended one ringed hand towards his visitor.
Tertillius was flattered by this unexpected warmth. ‘Worthiness, I have brought an unguent and a draught to soothe the pain. Do me the honour of accepting them …’ He quavered over to bow and kiss the ring – then broke off in surprise when he caught sight of me. ‘My dear Libertus – I did not see you there. You look distraught? Is all well with you?’
Hortius was every inch the great patrician, now. ‘The Senator is unhappily alarmed about his wife. She is missing and it happens that I passed her on the road, before I had this little mishap with the horse.’
Tertillius turned his pale blue eyes on me. ‘Gwellia, missing?’ He turned to Hortius. ‘Then we must help him all we can. Libertus is quite famously devoted to his wife.’
Hortius made an expansive gesture with his hand. ‘Then we must hope that they will be reunited very soon. And as for helping, I only wish that there was more that I could do. If we had realized who it was, we might have paid her more attention at the time. But as it is, we must not keep him further from his search.’ He gave that smile that did not reach his eyes. ‘And Marcus too, since he intends to drive him home. Tertillius here can keep me company – if one of the slaves will bring a stool for him.’
Marcus looked surprised – as well he might – at Hortius giving orders to his household in this way, and also at his choice of company. Tertillius, though, seemed only too willing to pay court. He bowed – so low I thought that he would fall – then took the proffered seat and motioned to the pageboy to hand him the bag that he was carrying. From it he produced an elaborate ointment jar, and a fine bronze stoppered jug – which Hortius accepted, glanced at and set instantly aside.
I looked at Marcus, and he looked at me. ‘Then with your permission, we will leave you, Eminence. The sooner we can join the search, the greater chance we have of finding Gwellia alive.’
Tertillius tore his eyes away from Hortius’s face. ‘Great Minerva, duumvir? You really fear for her? I assumed that there had merely been an argument. But if she’s wandered in the forest and has lost her way … I know she gathers dye-stuff and if she met a wolf …? I hear they have been heard in the forest recently.’ He was agitated now.
It fell to me to calm his panic – and my own. ‘She was on the pathway, last time she was seen. Then Hortius had his accident and no one’s seen her since. She had a foot that was poisoned by a nail, she can’t have wandered very far with that. I was simply asking Hortius to tell me what he knew.’
‘Then let me send a message to my house.’ Tertillius was all concern at once. ‘It happens that I have a manservant who’s an expert horseman, too – he’ll help to look for her.’ He motioned to his page who hurried to his side. ‘Go to the hiring stables at the southern gate and arrange for a horse to be waiting for him there. I will pay them when he returns the animal. Then take word to Glaber that he’s to ride out and join the hunt.’ His servant bobbed a bow and scurried off, and Tertillius turned to me. ‘Pray Jove you find her soon. Everybody knows bad humours can ensue from poisoning. There could be fever and delirium.’
Hortius gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘I only wish that I could do as much. But of course my escort do not know the area. Though rest assured, if anything unfortunate should somehow have occurred …’
I gasped in horror – was there something that he knew?
He quelled me with a glance. ‘For instance if she stumbled into a ditch and hit her head – or was carried off by wolves – which Tertillius persuades me must be possible, since she was apparently alone and injured in the woods all night. Or even bears, Marcus tells me there are some hereabouts …’
I closed my eyes. I had been trying not to think of this, but it was true.
‘Then, of course, I would be anxious to do anything I could,’ the Senator went on, oblivious to my pain. ‘But remember what I said. No wife is irreplaceable, whatever you may think – not even my first one, as you remarked yourself. There must be wealthy widows, even here, who would be glad of your protection.’
‘Enough of these grim imaginings,’ my patron said, seeing that this notion was causing me distress. ‘Gwellia is more likely feverish and lost, and trying to shelter somewhere in the trees. The sooner we are searching, the sooner she’ll be found.’
‘By all means, Marcus, take your leave at once and take no thought for me,’ his guest replied. ‘When Tertillius has gone I will attempt to rest. All this excitement has quite wearied me. Though perhaps on second thoughts I will after all partake of a little of that fruit and bread and cheese.’