‘So the scoundrel is saying Trajan is dead, is he? Damned fool. And the noble Neratius Marcellus too. I can assure you our noble legate is recovering. Be up on his feet soon enough.’ That helped to explain Crassus’ haste to confront the enemy and win the war before the governor arrived to take charge.
‘Do you have a good idea of Arviragus’ numbers, my lord?’
‘Doesn’t matter too much. Rabble mostly. Those tribal guards are fine for parading around, but have never fought a battle. The rest will be a mob of half-naked barbarians. The only hard part will be to find him and make him fight. Doesn’t matter where as long as it is soon. My biggest fear is that he will run.’
Ferox reported what he had heard, and what he knew of the prince and the prestige he might gain from the blessing of Acco and wearing what he claimed was the armour of Venutius and the torc of Caratacus. Crassus watched the burning villa exultantly and showed little interest. ‘Good, I want him puffed up with pride, then he will come to me and I can kill him.’
‘He has the tribune Crispinus,’ Ferox added.
‘Prisoner or ally?’
‘I am not sure, my lord.’
The main column was close now. A centurion saluted the legate and asked what he was to do with the people from the villa.
‘Spoils of war,’ Crassus said, condemning the prisoners to slavery. ‘Just like the cattle.’ As the decurion had said, the force was gathering a fair herd of cattle, which at least meant they would have meat for a while. The seventy or so head from the villa swelled the numbers again.
A trooper galloped up, splashing across the muddy yard behind the ruined villa and reining to a halt beside the legate.
‘Decurion Simplex’s compliments, my lord. He has seen two hundred head of cattle three miles away. He asks whether he is to confiscate them, and if so, could he have another turma to support his men.’
Crassus slapped Ferox again. ‘Hear that man, more beef for our bellies! Tell Simplex to snap them up as soon as he is reinforced.’
‘Do we know whose herd it is, my lord?’ Ferox asked. ‘Should we not be careful to make sure that the owner is a rebel before punishing him? And cautious that this is not an ambush?’
‘Caution is for cowards!’ Crassus snapped, face red with anger, until he managed to control himself. He gave a little laugh, although his eyes stayed hard. ‘I have enough men to march through all the lands of the Brigantes and kill anyone who tries to stop me! The people here have not come in to submit and show their loyalty. I will treat them all as enemies unless they do that.’
‘But, my lord, is that not the way to create rebels where there are none.’ The face was flushing red again, and Ferox knew there was no point saying more, but could not stop himself. ‘People are frightened and do not know what is happening, there is a danger…’
Crassus had raised his riding whip above his head, ready to strike. ‘You forget yourself!’ he yelled, frightening his horse again. ‘I gave you a chance, centurion, but I shall not be lectured by you. You could have shared a little of the glory and cleared your name, but you are too arrogant to see my clemency. Decurion?’
‘Sir.’
‘Place this officer under guard. He is to be watched at all times and go nowhere without my permission.’
‘Yes, my lord.’
XXIV
‘SO, AM I married to a criminal?’ That night Enica came to the tent where Ferox was held. Longinus was with her, but even so a legionary came inside to watch them. Under her cloak she wore a dress rather than her travelling clothes. ‘A gift from the legate,’ she added, seeing him notice. ‘Plunder from the villa, I expect, and a little vulgar. And not silk, more’s the pity. I feel alive with vermin.’ Rain pattered against the roof of the tent as they spoke.
‘Are we even married?’
She placed her hands over her heart and feigned a sob. ‘How can you say that?’
‘Did the cavalry come back?’ he asked. ‘The ones sent after the herd?’
Longinus shook his head. ‘Two turmae gone.’
‘Crassus expects them to return by dawn. Probably had to go further than expected, he says.’ Enica kept her tone flat. The legionary was young and seemed nervous. ‘There is no need to panic over so small a matter.’ She sighed. ‘Of course, I asked Crassus to release you. I think he was shocked to hear of our wedding. Seemed best not to say anything about the ceremony. As far as he is concerned, we are both citizens, lawfully and properly wed, even though he clearly feels I have married beneath me. That is quite something given that I am sure he feels I am half-barbarian still.’
‘Well, he has a point.’
‘Legionary,’ she commanded, ‘I think you should kick the prisoner for insolence.’
‘My lady?’ The soldier was confused.
‘Never mind. Let us just say that I begged that he show leniency for my sake and the sake of my friendship with his sister, that he must excuse your atrocious manners and that you were a highly experienced officer who could be very useful.
‘He told me not to worry my pretty head about such matters, that he knew best, and then he put his hand on my leg. In Londinium more than once I caught him looking at me. It was not any great compliment, as he leered at anything with breasts.’
‘What did you do?’
‘Perhaps you should kick him, Longinus, as a favour to me.’
‘An honour, lady.’ The veteran did not move.
‘I behaved with dignity and left. I did not even kill him. He is brother to my dear friend, after all.’ The legionary gaped at her. ‘And such as he is, he is the only man with the rank to command here.’
‘How will your brother fight?’
‘He is not clever, but neither is he a fool. He must win or no one else will join him and he is doomed. Tomorrow perhaps, or the day after. I cannot see his patience lasting longer.
‘Now, we must go. Soldier, do your orders permit a wife to kiss her husband?’
The legionary was uncertain. ‘I was told you are not to touch at all, lady. I am sorry.’
‘Then how would it be if I was to kiss you and you passed the kiss onto my husband’s lips?’
The legionary blushed.
‘Try it, lad, and I’ll throttle you,’ Ferox said.
‘So be it. Farewell, husband.’
The next morning, Enica’s judgement of her brother was borne out. In the second hour of a short November day, the leading horsemen saw the enemy. They were waiting where the road climbed a gentle hill, armour and weapons gleaming in the bright sunshine that had finally broken through the clouds.
Crassus was delighted, so much so that he ordered Ferox brought to him and even permitted him to have his sword. Claudia Enica was there, escorted by a pair of Batavians. The dress had gone, and she was once again in travelling gear, the familiar boots joined by breeches and two heavy tunics so that she wore her cloak open, and Ferox could see the hilt of a borrowed gladius. Before he left the camp, Ferox had managed to have a word with Vindex, so that the scout and the others ought to be riding out to the west, making sure that the prince had not sent a force to come in behind Crassus. As far as he could tell, the legate of Legio VIIII Hispana was not worried about such things. Indeed he was joviality itself, holding out a hand in welcome. ‘Ah, Ferox, I trust yesterday’s reproof has sobered you, and that you will remember the proper way for an officer to behave.’