‘Pulchra,’ I said gently, ‘you love Livia, I think?’
She glowered at me uncertainly. ‘Well, of course I do. I’ve known her all her life. And who wouldn’t love her — Juno bless her little heart? Even her pompous husband thought the world of her.’
‘So you can’t think of anyone who’d tried to poison her?’
The scowl vanished and she stared at me, surprised. ‘Whatever do you mean? Who’d do a thing like that? And how could it happen, in a house like this?’
I nodded sagely. ‘That is what I’m trying to find out. But it occurs to me, that it’s remotely possible. Livia took some medicine in the mornings, didn’t she? Against the morning sickness, I think Maesta said. And she opened a new phial of it, only yesterday. Did anyone handle it but Livia herself?’
‘I don’t think so, citizen.’ She pulled her lips down at the corners in a sort of a grimace. ‘I broke the seal and poured it out myself.’ She looked at me, aghast. ‘You think that Maesta might have substituted poison in the phial? And that Honorius took it by mistake?’ She shook her head. ‘I really don’t see how. The master would never deign to take anything like that — and you could not have missed it. The stuff smelt horrible. Besides, I saw her drink it, and she was quite all right.’
‘And the watered wine that she took afterwards, to take the taste away? I remember that you mentioned that she always needed some.’
She had turned white, as if the notion had shocked her to the core. ‘She did think that there was something a little odd in that — but then she often did, when she’d been taking that revolting stuff. Made me have a taste of it, and Honorius too — though it tasted perfectly all right to me. But she insisted that Honorius should go and test the wine, in case there was something the matter with the batch. He laughed at her, but he did it all the same.’
So that was the solution to that riddle, I thought. ‘And what happened to the jug that she’d been drinking from?’
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘I don’t really know. She sent me out to test the water in the well. The wedding guests were already beginning to arrive. Oh. .!’ She gave a little gasp. ‘You think it was that wine that might have poisoned him — and not the stuff in the new amphorae after all?’
I nodded. This was a new theory and I was pleased with it. ‘I wondered what it was that made him decide to test the wine — one doesn’t generally do a thing like that. But Livia thought there was a problem — tasted something unusual, perhaps — and she persuaded him. .’
She seemed pleased. ‘Of course. He would taste every amphora in the house, if she’d requested it. But wouldn’t he have died a little earlier, in that case?’
‘A small dose, especially diluted with water in a jug, might have taken a little while to take effect — and that would still tie in with the events of yesterday.’
‘So you think it was my mistress that the murderer was really aiming at? Dear Jupiter, I hadn’t thought of that. You’re very clever, citizen.’ She frowned. ‘But how can that be right? I tasted the mixture in that jug myself, and so did she — and we’re as alive as you are, aren’t we, citizen?’
She clearly had a point. I shook my head. ‘There’s something missing in my thinking, and I don’t know what it is. But I do think it may have been related to Livia’s medicine. You see now why it is important that I came?’
‘Of course you had to, citizen. I can see that now. I’ll go and tell my mistress what you have just said. Then I’m sure she’ll come and speak to you herself.’ She made to go but I put out a quick restraining hand.
‘I don’t want to frighten her. Just tell her that I think I’m on the right track, and keep on guard yourself. Oh, and tell her that I’ve brought that writing block. I think I have established whose it really is, and that Antoninus had no right to it. So I can hardly keep it, when he sent it to me. She ought to have it, if anybody does.’
Pulchra’s plump face beamed with happiness. ‘There now! Aren’t you generous? What a nice idea. I thought she was overhasty giving it to you. Even if it isn’t hers, it’s so like the one she lost she ought to have been pleased to have it — that’s what I would say!’
‘But the initials on it show that it was sent to Anton. .’ Minimus began, but I gave him a fierce look and silenced him. He went and stood by Neptune in something of a sulk, but I had other plans.
‘Go and tell the doorkeeper I’d like a word with him,’ I said. ‘About Antoninus and his dealings with the house. Ask the steward to send him a relief.’
Minimus nodded and trotted unwillingly away. I took advantage of a private conversation with the maid. ‘Just before you go and bring your mistress here, there’s one other question I’d like to put to you. Pompeia tells me that her sister liked your mistress very much. Would you agree with that? There was never any jealousy between the two of them?’
Pulchra looked at me in mock reproach. ‘Not a bit of it, citizen. Why, they were as close as — ’ she looked around, as if she was seeking inspiration in the colonnade — ‘as that fellow Remus and his twin. You only had to see them together to know that.’
‘You went with Livia to visit her stepdaughter, I suppose? I can’t imagine she’d have taken any maid but you.’
Pulchra grinned proudly. ‘You’re right there, citizen. She wouldn’t go without me, not on a trip like that. She took me every time, and I was glad to serve — despite that awful journey, which always jolted me till my poor old teeth were rattling my head. It’s a long way, in a carriage — especially in the rain, when it’s harder for the heavy luggage cart to keep up behind. We couldn’t do what the master sometimes did, and go ahead by horse.’
‘And on that final visit, was that what he did?’
She shook her head. ‘The mistress was hoping she was you-know-what — ’ she patted her own ample stomach to show me what she meant — ‘so he decided that he would travel in the carriage too. I’m lucky he didn’t make me follow in the luggage cart — that would have been a trial.’ She gave another grin. ‘But it was worth it when we got there.’
‘In what way worth it?’
‘They made a proper fuss. Honoria always did when Livia came to stay. Turned out of her own beds, more than once, and made Miles do so too, so that the master and mistress could have the nicest sleeping rooms. Even I was given a private cubicle. They put on banquets and entertainment every night, and always gave the mistress an expensive gift.’ She gave me that hostile glowering look again. ‘And see how the master repaid them for all this!’
‘You did not like Honorius very much?’
‘I did not, citizen. I’ll say it, now he’s dead. Livia was too good for him, and that’s the fact of it. And as for his mother — oh, but here she comes. I’ll go and get the mistress, excuse me, citizen.’
I could not blame her for avoiding Helena Domna’s company today. The older woman’s stony countenance was a match for any statue in the colonnade. She was still draped from head to toe in black, though today devoid of any jewellery. She was attended only by the page and she was not so much leaning on her stick as carrying it as a sort of potential baton in her hand. Remembering her prowess with the wedding fan, I promised myself that I would keep a wary eye on it.
The stick, however, could not have been more stinging than her words. ‘Pavement-maker! The steward informed me that you had come back. Presuming on your vaunted patronage again? Well, I hope you have something of importance to impart. Did you imagine that you’d be welcome here?’
I took a swift decision. Attack, I concluded, was my best defence. ‘Not as welcome as Antoninus, I suppose.’
There was a silence. Then: ‘What do you mean by that?’
‘Only that he was a fairly frequent visitor. And at such unsocial hours, I understand. The other night for instance.’
The grim face hardened further. ‘And what of that? It was my son Honorius that he came to see.’
‘And now they both are dead. Is that coincidence?’
There was a sudden spark of colour in the sallow cheeks. ‘I heard that Antoninus had collapsed and died. It’s most unfortunate.’