Gracchus gave her an ingratiating smile. ‘It may not be necessary to revoke the vows. This citizen has convinced me that the girl is not to blame. I would be willing to take her, if he can prove as much.’
She spun around to me. ‘And what do you know about it? The girl is clearly crazed, just as her sister was — what else explains the way she just behaved?’
Gracchus looked alarmed. ‘You think it’s in the blood? In that case, madam, perhaps-’
Helena Domna realized what her words had done and hastened to recant. ‘I don’t mean the kind of madness that runs in the family. It’s my opinion the two girls brought it on themselves, when they were giggling in their quarters, as they used to do. No doubt looking at the moon through glass — or some other childish game of dare — and failing to wear the proper charms as antidote. Nothing that can’t be cured with a sacrifice or two, and a little bloodletting to relieve the brain. Provided that she’s really innocent of her father’s death, of course, which I sincerely hope — so if the citizen can prove it, we shall all be much relieved. Though how can he possibly prove anything at all? No one knows what happened. Unless of course he poisoned my poor son himself!’
Gracchus put a restraining hand upon her arm. People were queuing up behind us to take their leave of her, and might be listening to this interchange. He dropped his voice as if to warn her of the fact. ‘It seems he has a talent for solving mysteries of this kind — and now he has undertaken to work on my behalf. Perhaps, if he succeeds in doing it, we could have a wedding later on? On the same terms as this one, as far as dowry goes? After the funeral, and leaving a due period for mourning, naturally.’
For the first time I saw the glimmer of a smile. She said, with an attempt to drop her strident voice, ‘We could hold an appropriate public cleansing sacrifice, perhaps, to lift the evil omens of today, and appease the gods.’
Appease the gossips was what she really meant, but Gracchus merely smiled. ‘Then my word upon it, lady. We will speak of this again. In the meantime, I will take my leave.’ He took off his wreath, and said in a voice that was intended to be heard by everyone, ‘Send this, and my greetings, to the lady Pompeia and tell her I hope she will recover soon. And you will inform me when the body is laid out, I will come to pay homage and attend the funeral.’ He bowed his head to us and — acknowledging the surprised and sympathetic murmurs as he passed through the crowd — he followed his friend Linneus out into the street.
‘Well!’ Livia had detached herself from some departing guests and made her way to join us, the plump handmaiden still following at her heels. ‘The disappointed bridegroom has left us now, I see. I am sorry not to have managed to have a word with him. Though I doubt my words would be a compensation for his loss.’
‘It may not be a loss yet,’ her mother-in-law muttered, grudgingly. ‘Thanks to this incomer you think so highly of. He has wormed his way into Gracchus’s confidence, now, and persuaded him that he can prove Pompeia innocent — in which case Gracchus will have her in spite of everything. I can’t say I approve of the bargain — or of him — but I suppose that we shall have to make the best of it. It would assure Pompeia’s future, at the very least.’
Livia turned her pretty face to me. ‘Then it seems we owe you gratitude for this also, citizen. As well as your help in taking charge of things.’
Helena Domna scowled at me again. ‘I don’t know why you sent to ask him to do that. Most inappropriate. One of the family should have spoken to the crowd. You should not have called upon a stranger to dismiss our guests. And look at them — departing straightaway, without a semblance of hospitality. The news will be over the whole colonia by dark. I don’t know what Honorius would have said, I’m sure.’
Livia exchanged a meaningful glance with me. ‘I’m sure it is his death which will concern them more.’
Helena Domna sniffed. ‘And that’s another thing. Who is to close poor Honorius’s eyes, and do the calling of his name and start on the lament? You and I can’t do it, decently — much as I’m sure you’d like to volunteer to do the task yourself. A female! If we were to show such disrespect, I should expect my son to come and haunt the house for evermore. If only my dear brother was still here to act for us. But there are no living male relatives at all, and dreadful as it is, we may have to use a slave.’ She looked around. ‘But people are waiting to say farewell to us. We’ll say no more about this until everybody’s gone.’ She fixed an artificial smile upon her face and turned away to speak to a departing visitor. Most of the invited guests had left by now — including Antoninus, I observed — and, as she’d said, the few that remained were obviously waiting to say their goodbyes as well.
I raised my brows at Livia. ‘But isn’t there a relative by marriage in the house?’ I murmured, then added, since she was staring in puzzlement at me, ‘Somebody called Redux, or something similar? I thought I heard it mentioned.’
From the chill that followed you might have supposed that I had named the hound of hell himself within a house of death, and was myself in danger of bringing a curse upon the place.
Her face turned scarlet and her voice was surprisingly unsteady as she said, ‘Related by marriage in a fashion, I suppose. But quite remotely and some time ago. Hardly the person to perform the rites.’
She was so dismissive that I pressed the point. ‘But, surely, even a remote connection, in the circumstances. .’ I trailed off, remembering. ‘Oh, but come to think of it, do I recall hearing that there was some kind of grudge?’
She gave me a thin smile. ‘Exactly, citizen. And that is family business, so if you’ll excuse me now. .’
She made as if to turn away, but I prevented her. I could not lay a hand upon her arm — that would have been presumptuous — but I said in an urgent undertone, ‘Lady, if I am to help you in this matter, I must know the facts — and I would rather hear them from your lips than have to ask the gossips. Or perhaps Helena Domna would enlighten me. .?’
The name — as I hoped — was enough to do the trick. Livia gave me a nervous sideways glance. ‘I suppose you’d find out somehow. At least if I tell you, there’s some chance you’ll hear the truth. Very well. Come into the triclinium, where we won’t be overheard.’
She waved her maidservant and Minimus aside and led the way into the dining room, where the decorated central table, and the stools and other seating set around the walls were a forlorn reminder of the cancelled feast. She sat on one of the three dining couches for which the room is named, and motioned me to sit beside her on a stool. ‘I can’t be long, I shall very soon be missed, but I will tell you the story very briefly, citizen. It is not a happy one. Redux was brother-in-law to young Honoria — Pompeia’s elder sister and my stepdaughter — who was executed by my husband for her presumed adultery. Perhaps you’ve heard the tale?’
I nodded. ‘I had heard rumours.’
‘I am not surprised. It was the talk of Aqua Sulis for a moon or two. In the old days, of course, when people like Julius Caesar were alive, it was a dishonour not to mete out that kind of punishment — but these are modern times. It was regarded as a very cruel and violent thing to do. Even Redux’s brother Miles thought so, and he was the husband in the case.’ She picked up one of the roses from the tabletop and — as if her hands were moving without her willing it — began to tear the petals from it one by one.
‘Though Honorius was defending the husband’s honour as well as his own,’ I said.
She nodded. ‘Miles didn’t want to believe Honoria had been unfaithful — the maids had heard her screaming that she was innocent, and he would have heard her out. But her father wouldn’t listen — there was no excuse, he said. He was visiting the house and found her in her sleeping room, apparently, lying on the bed frame half-undressed, with a man who was not her husband hiding underneath. There was only one thing for a father to do in such a case, according to his view. And, of course, he did it. He pulled out his dagger and slit both their throats — “cutting off the bough that shames the tree” he called it — to uphold the honour of the family name. And when there were protests — from Miles among others — Honorius took the matter to the courts, and won. The two men had business dealings — that is why the marriage was arranged in the first place — but it made for awkwardness. They are still obliged to meet. All, of course, kept perfectly polite, but there has been coolness between the families ever since.’