‘Or perhaps was genuinely worried by the threat, and frightened off,’ I said.
‘I hadn’t thought of that!’ He made a musing sound. ‘It obviously caused him real anxiety. After all, he hired Porteus’s men to guard his home while he was gone.’
‘Wouldn’t Calvinus do that in any case?’ I said.
‘The lictor wrote to Porteus — in strictest confidence — that he sometimes doubted his steward’s loyalty and thought it possible he could be bribed. Florens told me that. That’s why he and Porteus had the fellow put under arrest immediately after they heard about the raid. And then they learned that Calvinus had sent a messenger to you! You can see how. .’ He broke off as the riders cantered into place. ‘Ah, here is our escort. If you and the centurion would care to climb aboard I will give the orders to take us back to town.’
I did not instantly obey. I was feeling confident enough by now to say, politely and with proper diffidence, ‘With your permission, commandant, I had been hoping you’d allow me to go home at least to assure my household that I’m safe, and perhaps collect a toga ready for the court? My roundhouse is not very far from here.’
He gave me the kind of look that he had given Emelius. ‘Citizen, surely you’re aware that such a thing is quite impossible? You were entrusted to my custody, charged with involvement in a crime of robbery and murder on the public road.’
‘But surely, now you are convinced I had no part in this. .’
He raised an eyebrow in the way I recognized. ‘Libertus, I was fairly confident of that before we started out — do you suppose I favour many prisoners with my company on a journey out of town? But Florens delivered you to me, having accused you in accordance with the law, and in accordance with the law I must continue to hold you until you come before the courts or he decides that he’ll withdraw the charge. I imagine that he’ll do so — he’s a reasonable man — when we can provide him with sufficient proof that you are innocent.’
‘But surely. .’ I began again.
He stood back to indicate that I should get into the coach. ‘When I say “proof” I’m talking about something tangible. Actual evidence — not simple theories, however plausible. But real proof, I fear, is something that we really do not have.’
THIRTEEN
I was astounded at this answer. Dumbfounded, in fact. I had come to look upon the commander as a sort of personal ally, so Jove might have thrown a thunderbolt at me with less effect. Really, of course, I should not have been surprised — I have seen the law in action many times before, and a charge against a man must stand until it is disproved or else withdrawn. I was still a prisoner of the garrison and to have imagined otherwise was presumptuous.
Emelius had got his dagger out again, now that my status was no longer in any kind of doubt, and was trying to urge me up on to the carriage-seat, but I was desperate. I ignored him and went on trying to convince the commandant.
‘But Mightiness,’ I pleaded, ‘we do have evidence. I drew your attention to the nature of the stains, the lack of blood around the injuries and the likelihood that all these men were murdered somewhere else. .’
The commander gave me the eyebrow-raise again. ‘And I unwillingly accept that you are very likely right. But all that is not proof that you are innocent — as I’m sure your enemies would be quick to say. In fact, they’re almost certain to maintain the opposite: that you know so much about it that you must have been involved.’ I was about to interrupt him, but he raised his hand to silence me. ‘I don’t necessarily agree with them, but I’m obliged to take you back.’ His mouth twitched in what might have been a smile. ‘Though I’ll see that this time you are held in a more comfortable place. Perhaps you would even care to dine with me in the Praesidium tonight — if my orderly can stretch my meal to two. It will be rather Spartan. I’m a soldier, after all.’
I nodded, too relieved and grateful for a moment to find words. A humble tradesman like myself, being invited to dine with the commander in his official house — there could not have been a clearer signal of his belief in me. I was aware of seeming graceless and I managed to blurt out, ‘I would be truly honoured.’
He nodded, satisfied. ‘Florens and Porteus will have you tried as soon as possible, they have told me that — by tomorrow if they can manage it, as with their influence I am sure they will. In the meantime, we will have to muster up what evidence we can.’ I was encouraged by that pronoun, but he amended it. ‘So it is up to you. Proving who did this would be the surest way. Otherwise, I hope you have a hundred witnesses to prove that you didn’t leave your roundhouse after dusk last night until several hours after dawn.’
I winced. ‘Only my family and slaves,’ I said. ‘And the last thing I want is for them to be involved.’
He understood. ‘Of course. And in any case the support of your household does not count for much in law.’
That was true. It is supposed that slaves will always speak up in defence of the master of the house, irrespective of whether he is innocent or not. In fact, they are routinely tortured on those very grounds, before they are permitted to testify in court. The theory is that anguish will ensure they tell the truth. I did not want my servants to endure that. And Gwellia was a woman — against the word of councillors hers did not count at all.
‘Their testimony might not be much help, in any case,’ I added, ‘because at first light this morning I was out of doors, on my way to Glevum to open up the shop.’ Though — it suddenly occurred to me — that might be hard to prove. Not many people saw me doing it. It was raining and there was no one out that did not have to be.
There was a snigger from somewhere, hurriedly suppressed. I looked around, surprised. The escort all wore expressions of careful innocence, but I realized that they had been listening. I could judge by that reaction what the magistrate would think and the commander had already worked it out.
He gave me that laconic look again. ‘Libertus, what in Jove’s name am I to do with you? You’re telling me now that you were on the road just when the treasure-cart was passing through — or certainly around the time that it was found? I’m bound to ask the question, which you’ll be asked in court: how is it you did not see the vehicle yourself?’
‘If I had travelled on the military road I suppose I would have done, but in fact I didn’t go that way. I took the other route — there’s an old Celtic cart-way that passes close beside my home. It goes to Glevum through the forest and I followed that.’
He frowned. ‘I’ve heard all about that ancient track and how treacherous it is. And through the forest, too, where there are bears and wolves. Why choose to go that way?’
‘With respect, commander, remember I’m on foot. I don’t possess a cart or mule, and the old track, though steep and winding, cuts off several miles. Roots and ruts don’t make much difference to pedestrians. I simply went the way I always go.’
‘You will have witnesses, no doubt?’
I did have witnesses, in fact. Junio and Minimus had of course accompanied me, but I shook my head. ‘No one that I want to implicate. And there is no one else that I could call upon. There was a small boy with a herd of goats and an old woman picking up kindling on the path, but no one I recognized. I didn’t see their faces and would not know where to find them if I had. Otherwise, I don’t remember seeing anyone.’
The commander shook his own head in mock-despair. ‘We had better mount a hunt for those two, anyway. I’ll send out a scout as soon as we get back. In the meantime, centurion, get this prisoner in the carriage.’
Emelius used his dagger to prick me gently in the rear. ‘Are you getting in the carriage, citizen?’