Magnus picked up a clay pitcher and poured them both a cup of wine. ‘But why did he give that name? He could have used any name he liked.’
‘That troubles me too; someone that devious wouldn’t have made such an elementary mistake.’ Vespasian took a sip of wine and ruminated as he savoured its taste. ‘He must have wanted me to know that it was him; but why? I shall have to think about that, but in the meantime I’ll keep after him because at the moment he’s my only chance of finding out what happened to Sabinus.’
Magnus took a healthy gulp of wine. ‘I have to say, it don’t look good for him.’
Vespasian rubbed his forehead, feeling the exertion of the day catching up with him. ‘Yes, well, I’m not going to believe the worst until it’s proven to me.’ He took another sip and looked across the table at his friend of almost twenty years. ‘But tell me, why are you here?’
‘Ah, well. There was a bit of a misunderstanding about the ownership of a burning tenement block on our area; I’ve been moving the Brotherhood’s finances into property. Anyway, once it was resolved, a couple of people ended up not too well, if you take my meaning?’
‘Dead, you mean?’
‘In a manner of speaking, yes. So I thought it best to remove myself from Rome while it was all sorted out.’
‘You mean my uncle Gaius is covering your tracks for you?’
‘I’ll admit that Senator Pollo is using his influence on my behalf.’
Vespasian smiled, shaking his head; having witnessed a few times the criminal activity undertaken by the South Quirinal Crossroads Brotherhood, of which Magnus was the patronus, the leader, he decided not to enquire further into the subject. The shady underbelly of Rome was, thankfully, a long way away. ‘So, other than clearing up your mess, my uncle’s well?’
‘Ah! He does have a few difficulties of his own, not least his trying to remain publicly uncommitted but privately supporting both sides in the ongoing feud between the Empress Messalina and Claudius’ freedmen.’
‘Narcissus, Pallas and Callistus are still trying to remove her?’
‘Yes, but Claudius won’t believe a word against her. Despite the fact she’s fucked everyone in Rome with a working penis under the age of seventy they can’t convince the Emperor of her infidelity. Last winter she had a competition with Scylla — know her? The most artful and expensive whore in the city — as to who could satisfy the most men in one whole day and night; and by satisfy they didn’t just mean a quick coupling up against the wall. No, this had to be to the highest standards of the profession and witnessed by crowds of people; every sort of technique had to be employed so that the men were physically — and quite literally — drained. That’s what they meant by satisfied. It was the talk of Rome for months; everybody heard about it but, according to your uncle, when Pallas and Narcissus — but oddly enough, not Callistus, actually — both separately told Claudius about it he dismissed the story as the lascivious imaginings of jealous minds and reminded them that she was the mother of his two children and therefore it was impossible that she would act in such a grossly improper manner. Some people prefer not to see the truth.’
‘In Claudius’ case I think it’s more because he’s got such an overinflated opinion of his own abilities that he can’t believe anyone would prefer someone else to him, even though he’s a fool that drools.’
Magnus considered this for a few moments. ‘I suppose he reckons his saliva-dripping ruttings to be the height of prowess.’
‘Yes, and I expect Messalina is intelligent enough not to disabuse him of that notion. Who won, by the way?’
‘What? Oh, Messalina by one, with a score of twenty-five in twenty-four hours, each one completely exhausted.’
‘Well, I suppose it keeps her occupied and her thoughts away from Flavia and the children.’
Vespasian had been living in constant fear for his wife and two children, Titus and Domitilla, since Claudius had requested that they live in the palace, ostensibly so that Titus could be educated alongside his own son, Britannicus. However, Vespasian knew it was not the real reason — that was far more sinister. The Emperor had been manoeuvred into making the offer by Messalina’s brother, Corvinus. Having made an enemy of Corvinus almost ten years previously, before his sister had become the Empress, Vespasian and Sabinus had then helped Narcissus, Claudius’ most influential freedman, foil Corvinus’ attempt to hijack the invasion of Britannia for his and his sister’s personal gain. Claudius had not believed Corvinus had been plotting against him and had pardoned him, leaving Vespasian exposed to his continued hatred. In revenge and to demonstrate the power that he held over Vespasian, Corvinus had persuaded Claudius to invite Vespasian’s family to the palace: at any time they chose, Corvinus and Messalina could dispose of Flavia and the children. Claudius had been only too pleased to make the offer, thinking that he was conferring an honour on one of his victorious legates rather than putting him at the mercy of the ambitious and unscrupulous Corvinus and his depraved, power-mad sister.
‘I’ve got letters for you, including one from Flavia,’ Magnus said.
Vespasian grimaced. ‘The only time she writes nowadays is when she needs more money.’
‘I did warn you about marrying a woman with expensive tastes. Anyway you must be doing well out of the invasion; that was a lot of captives you got today.’
‘Yes, but the slave-traders are constantly lowering the price they pay for them claiming that we’re flooding the market.’ Vespasian raised his eyebrows incredulously.
‘Whereas you think that they’re lying and just taking a bigger percentage for themselves?’
‘Wouldn’t you?’
‘Of course I would.’
‘And they’re probably paying Plautius a cut to make sure that he doesn’t look too closely into their dealings.’
‘If they’re sensible; and if he’s sensible he’s taking it. What are you going to do about it?’
‘I’m not sure yet; it’s very difficult to put any pressure on them as they stay so far behind the lines, nice and safe and surrounded by bodyguards.’
‘Then draw them out; don’t send the captives back to them, make them come to you to assess them.’
‘I thought about that but they’ll just offer less per slave because they’ll claim, with some justification, that their overheads are higher as they have further to transport their stock.’
Magnus scratched the rough grey stubble on his chin, sucking air through his teeth. ‘I see your point; it would seem you’re stuck with the situation.’
‘Oh, I’ll have them — somehow; don’t worry about that.’
Magnus’ scarred and battered face creased into a grin in the dim lamplight. ‘I’m sure you will; I know it pains you being cheated out of money almost as much as it pains you to spend it. You must’ve been in agony when you bought Hormus.’
‘Very funny.’
‘I thought so. But back to my news: Caenis told me to tell you that she’s got a very comfortable apartment in the palace next to Flavia and she and Pallas are keeping a close eye on Flavia’s safety. She says that she sees her and the children daily.’
‘That’s good to hear; but what a bizarre situation …’
Vespasian still found it hard to comprehend how Caenis, his lover for almost twenty years, and Flavia, his wife, seemed to have become friends in the four years that he had been away from Rome. Caenis had been the slave of his patron, Antonia; she had freed her in her will. However, as it was illegal for senators to marry freedwomen, Vespasian had been forced to look elsewhere for a mother for his children; Flavia had married him knowing that his mistress was no threat to her position as wife. The rapprochement between the two women had begun in the aftermath of Caligula’s assassination when both their houses had been searched by Narcissus’ agents looking for Sabinus; they had joined forces in a bond of mutual outrage at Vespasian when he had brought his wounded brother home without explanation. It was Caenis who had pieced together what had happened: that Sabinus had secretly taken part in the assassination in vengeance for Caligula’s brutal rape of his wife, Clementina. Both women had realised the imperative of ensuring that the fact never became public knowledge. The secret shared had created a mutual respect that now seemed to have turned into friendship.