He must have known, as I did, what the others thought: that he had been prepared to feast with the taxman and to drink his wine, against the generally accepted rules of what was socially acceptable. Was this just greed for expensive food and wine, or had he been seeking favours when it came to paying dues?
Titus Flavius voiced the feeling in the room. ‘Seeking a contribution, were you, Porteus? Still eager to be selected as Imperial priest and hoping to impress the people by funding public works?’
Porteus sat down, saying testily, ‘Well, if I am, what has that to do with anything? We are not here to talk about my presence at a feast, we are here to ask this pavement-maker to explain himself — and I, for one, am not convinced by what he says. Of course he claims he’s never visited the flat before today, but that is no proof that he hasn’t. In fact, it is just what you’d expect a guilty man to say.’
‘Guilty man?’ I blurted out the words. This was sounding more and more as if I were on trial — and since this was a convocation of town magistrates, I might as well have been. ‘But surely this was simply banditry!’
There was another little murmur in the room. Florens appeared to feel the need to exercise control. He rapped the dais sharply, so that all eyes turned to him, then he hooked his pudgy thumbs into his toga folds and looked around the room — exactly as though he were an advocate — seeking the gaze of every councillor in turn.
When he was assured that attention was on him, he said portentously, ‘Banditry, citizen? That’s what it was meant to look like, I am sure. But we are not convinced. I am inclined to concur with Porteus’s view of this. Remember, fellow councillors, what the witnesses declared. When this pavement-maker visited the lictor’s flat, he didn’t even reach the door before Calvinus came out to greet him. It’s obvious he was expected before he even knocked.’
My heart sank further at this talk of ‘witnesses’. This was more indication (if I needed it) that spies had been watching me throughout. I had entirely forgotten that the steward had not waited for my knock. That could look suspicious to unfriendly eyes. I said, ‘Calvinus was awaiting someone, but it wasn’t me. He told me he was expecting a messenger from the garrison.’
‘And yet he immediately welcomed you inside?’ Florens looked pityingly at me. ‘Do you think perhaps you looked like such a messenger yourself? That Calvinus mistook you for a member of the guard, and that’s why he let you in?’
That caused a titter among the councillors. It was a jibe, of course. Naturally I could never be mistaken for a member of the guard.
Porteus stood up to press the joke a little more. ‘Of course, councillor Florens, one can see how the steward was confused. Our pavement-maker here looks much like a soldier to the casual eye — apart from the fact that he is far too old and wears a faded tunic and a workman’s cloak, instead of an armoured breastplate, helmet, greaves and sword! Obviously an error that anyone could make.’ He sat down again and looked around triumphantly, delighted to make me look ridiculous.
I said, with an attempt at dignity, ‘Anyone can bring a message, councillor. And Calvinus was entitled to suppose that I’d brought an answer from the garrison, telling him what support he could expect from them, since he had sent requesting help.’ I paused. ‘I assume that such a message was eventually sent?’ It had occurred to me, while I was speaking, that I hadn’t heard of it.
It was obvious from the whispering that my words had touched a nerve. Even Florens looked discomfited. However, he was not nonplussed for long. After an instant he tapped the desk again and said in a peremptory, dismissive tone, ‘What message the garrison commander may have sent is none of our affair. Our concern is you and what your business was with Calvinus today. You say you called to offer him a floor. I presume that he did not engage your services?’
I shook my head. ‘Indeed not, councillor. He was so disturbed about the theft of the dowry treasures from his master’s cart that I doubt he would have felt able to order pavements then, even if the household had needed such a thing. .’
Porteus was on his feet again, seizing on my words before I’d finished them. ‘So he did speak to you about what was on the cart? You admit as much? And yet you say you were a perfect stranger to the man?’ He gazed around the room triumphantly. ‘Florens, fellow councillors, I call on your good sense. Do you think it likely that Calvinus would confide his master’s business to a man he’d never met? Isn’t discretion the first duty of a steward anywhere?’
This was going badly. There were murmurs of assent.
‘Well, citizen?’ Florens indicated that it was my turn to speak.
I could hardly believe what was happening to me. Accused of arranging a violent robbery, and effectively found guilty before a trial was held! And all because of simple circumstance! I felt like shouting that they were a bunch of fools, but it was essential that I defend myself as much as possible and not inflame the councillors more than I could help.
So I controlled myself and simply pointed out that it was natural — since he thought that I’d come in answer to his request for help — for the steward to suppose that I already knew about the theft. I was about to add that he had been a good deal more discreet in front of the other servants in the house, when some god of self-preservation whispered in my ear that this would only make things worse. I stopped, aware that there were already mutterings.
Florens held up his hand for silence in the room and, gesturing to a reluctant Porteus to resume his seat, he said, ‘Which brings us to another matter, citizen. You were not engaged to lay this pavement, you have told us that. Thus, by your own admission, you should have had no further business with the lictor’s house. So why did Calvinus send his servant after you, as soon as he had the message that Voluus had reached Britannia and was already on his way? What possible concern can that have been of yours?’
Clever trap on clever trap! I shook my head despairingly. ‘I’d promised him that I would get my patron to investigate the theft. Calvinus just sent to tell me that there was not much time to find the answer before the lictor came. Obviously he’ll be here in just a day or two.’ It did not sound persuasive, even to myself.
Even tow-headed Titus Flavius was looking unconvinced. ‘Oh, come, Libertus,’ he said, with the heartiness of a nursemaid chivvying her charge. ‘You would do better to admit the truth. You told Calvinus he’d be lucky to escape detection as one of the plotters. Don’t bother to deny it — you were overheard.’
For a moment I was genuinely mystified. Then I remembered that I had indeed said something about his being ‘one of them’ — deliberately loudly, too, on purpose so that the people on the stairs would hear — when I wanted to stop Calvinus from sending me away. Another of this day’s terrible mistakes! However, I knew it would be hopeless to explain.
Titus Flavius was already speaking anyway. ‘I see that you do not deny it, citizen. So what was that about, if not the robbery? And if it was about the robbery, how did you know of it?’ He paused, but I was still silent — at a loss for words — and after a moment he added urgently, ‘Libertus, I am trying to do my best for you, but I cannot save you if you will not save yourself. This is no moment for keeping silent for your patron’s sake. I know you have a reputation for unmasking criminals. I am myself inclined to think that there was indeed a plot, and you and Marcus had discovered it and were trying to extort money from Calvinus because you knew he was involved. If so, you would do better to admit it to this company. Blackmail is a dishonourable thing, but at least it would absolve you from complicity in this crime.’
Clearly Titus only meant to help, but his suggestion left me even more nonplussed. I bowed towards him, saying with respect, ‘Councillor Titus, I am flattered and grateful for your confidence in me. But I fear it is misplaced. I genuinely know nothing whatever of all this: until I spoke to Calvinus today I did not know the special treasure-cart was even on its way — far less when and how it was expected here. As for the murders and the theft, I had not heard so much as a whisper about either of those things until he mentioned them. I certainly have no theory as to who committed them.’