Germanicus

'That's right,' Perilla said. 'He's gone off to Corinth for two months.'

'Ah, yes. His sister. A lovely man, Athenodorus, although his head slave Critias can be a pain, as I remember.'

'I think Marcus can handle him. It's the chef we're having trouble with.'

'Lysias?' Her eyes widened. 'Oh, surely not! He's one of the best cooks in the city!'

We told the story of the fight in the kitchen. Sulpicia laughed.

'Well of course that's different,' she said. 'Professional jealousy. It happens all the time here.' She turned to Marsus. 'You remember when Parthenius's coachman took a knife to that other fellow, dear? Poor Vonones's groom?' I stiffened. 'They disagreed over the best treatment for a split hoof, as I remember.'

'Vonones.' Perilla's eyes were on her plate. 'Wasn't he some sort of Parthian pretender?' Good girl! Very nicely done.

'Oh, no.' Marsus was frowning slightly. 'No, not quite, Perilla. He spent some time here before we shipped him off to Cilicia, that's all. But speaking of grooms-'

'Yeah, I've heard about Vonones.' I couldn't let Marsus off the hook now; we might not get another chance. 'One of Augustus's tame Parthian princes, wasn't he? Got himself killed in the end trying to break house arrest and escape to Scythia.'

'Yes, that's right.' Marsus's frown had deepened and the bounce was gone. 'You're very well informed. Remarkably so, in fact.'

'How did it happen exactly?'

'I don't remember, to tell you the truth. Not my province. In both senses of the word.'

'Don't be silly, dear.' Sulpicia had picked out another rissole and was neatly quartering it. 'It was Cousin Fronto who rearrested him. And then he was stabbed by that fool of a man in Fronto's troop. The gaoler with the same name as that slave we had with the drink problem. Remmius.'

Marsus leaned over and took a spoonful of clams. His face was expressionless.

'Quite correct,' he said. 'I'd forgotten.'

'Nonsense.' Sulpicia chewed her piece of rissole delicately. 'Cousin Fronto's a cavalry commander, Corvinus, with the Sixth in Laodicea. He was seconded to Vonones's guard.'

'Who by? The governor?' I gave her my best smile. 'That'd be Piso then, wouldn't it?'

'Yes, it would.' Marsus tried a smile that didn't quite work. 'Perilla, do have some of these clams before I eat them all. They really are delicious.'

'They are, aren't they?' Perilla took one or two onto her plate. 'Where do you get them?'

'The best place is just up from the Old Market. I'm sure our chef can give you details.'

'Really? Now what about eels? Meton was asking only the other day whether…'

Lovely. While she kept Marsus talking I turned to Sulpicia. 'Did you know Vonones well?’ I said. ‘Socially, I mean?'

'Oh, yes. He was a charming man. A little…' — she paused — 'well, he wasn't very fond of women, if you understand me. Most unusual for a Parthian. But perfectly charming. And of course terribly generous. I remember once Plancina showing me a necklace that he…Oh, Publius! You are clumsy! Now look what you've done! Simeon, get a cloth, please.'

'I'm sorry, dear, I didn't see it.' Marsus dabbed at the spreading pool of wine from his overturned glass. 'Perhaps we should have the main course now in any case. Simeon, get your lads to clear away, will you? Now, Corvinus.' He gave me a very sharp look. 'Let's have the really important news. How are the Reds doing in Rome this season?'

About as well as I was, seemingly. Like the accident the change of subject was intentional, and there wasn't a whole lot I could do about it. We talked about this and that, and the evening turned out pretty pleasant, but when I tried to bring the conversation round to Piso again I found myself politely stonewalled. It was quite deliberate; Marsus knew what he was doing, and he knew I knew he knew. So I wasn't exactly surprised when after the dessert had been cleared away and Sulpicia had taken Perilla off for a private chat he sent Simeon out of the room and turned towards me.

'Now you listen here, young man,' he said. I swallowed: the guy didn't sound nearly so bluff and hearty as he had through the dinner. Not even particularly friendly. 'I don't know what your game is in Antioch, but I'd advise you to give it up. Now. Before it lands the both of you in trouble.'

'Is this an official warning, deputy governor?' I said.

I got a slow stare like I was one of the clams he'd been spooning down that had sat up and spat in his eye. 'No. Not yet,' he said at last. 'Although it might be, later. At the very least. And not from me, either.'

'You feel like telling me why?'

'Why you're being warned off?' Well, that was straight enough. 'No, Corvinus, I don't. All I'll say is Piso and Germanicus are touchy subjects of conversation in this city and the case is closed on both of them. Closed, locked and barred. If you're wise you'll leave it like that. All right?'

'This go for Vonones too, sir?'

'Especially for…' He stopped himself. 'Yes. For Vonones too.'

'Uh-huh.' I sipped my wine. 'One question. Just one. Why should Piso have had Vonones killed?'

I'd expected to shock him, and I did; but not in the way I thought I would. In fact, Syria's deputy governor almost laughed out loud. Which told me just what I wanted to know.

At which point Sulpicia and Perilla came back, and Marsus pretended we'd been discussing something else.

When it was time to go, he clapped me on the shoulder, kissed Perilla and saw us out.

'Goodnight, Corvinus,' he said. 'I've enjoyed this evening. Look after yourself, and look after this girl here.'

'Sure.' I waited while Perilla climbed into our carriage. Marsus's hand held me back.

'Don't forget what we talked about, either,' he said.

That I didn't answer. I liked Marsus; I liked him a lot. But I knew the bastard was hiding something. Eventually I'd find out what it was.

26

We talked about it in the carriage on the way back.

'So,' I said. 'Piso definitely had a scam going with Vonones.'

'It certainly seems that way.' Perilla paused, and then said neutrally: 'You think Marsus was involved?'

I shook my head. 'I don't know the guy well enough yet, but my gut feeling says no, although being Piso's deputy he'd probably have an inside line on what was going on. And I liked him. He seemed genuine even when he was covering up for his boss.'

'Yes. I liked him too. Very much. And that's just what Marsus would do.' She shifted uneasily. 'He was a great fan of my stepfather's, Marcus. And he stayed loyal when Stepfather was exiled. He used to write a lot to my mother, even after he was sent abroad on his first posting. If they'd been more of an age I might have thought there was a romantic attachment. A genuine man, as you say.'

'Yeah, but still the deputy governor. Very much so. He may not've been involved with the scam but he's doing his best to cover it up. He had a word with me while you were powdering your nose. We've been warned off, lady.'

She looked at me, her eyes wide. 'Really?'

'Chapter and verse. It means we have to be careful, but it also means we're digging in the right part of the garden. And that's something worth knowing.'

She was quiet for a long time, her head against my shoulder. Finally she said: 'I don't suppose you'd consider not digging anywhere at all?'

'No.'

'I thought not.' She sighed. 'Well, at least if we're packed off back to Rome tomorrow we've had a nice holiday.'

'Yeah.' I kissed her cheek. 'So. What was this scam?'

'Vonones was giving Piso bribes. Obviously. Probably money, definitely gifts.'

'Plancina's necklace. Yeah. I spotted that too.' I frowned. 'But how much was it just a rich exile keeping in with the governor and how much was it constructive bribery? Vonones had been thrown out of Parthia on his ear and King Artabanus had winkled him out of Armenia with our full backing. Piso may've been the Syrian governor but his general political clout was limited, and if Vonones expected his help to get his backside onto one of the two thrones again the guy was being pretty optimistic.'