‘This stuff, however, might be a little more instructive.’ Under the muck was a thin layer of the white substance. Cassius sniffed it. A faintly bitter odour. He knelt down and scraped at the other boot and again found the same white layer.
‘Well, I lack your expertise as far as ordure goes, Dacien, but I know that smell.’
Dacien took the boot and sniffed it. ‘What is it?’
‘Quicklime. It’s used in mining.’
‘What kind of mining?’
‘Iron and copper, mostly.’
‘Copper? There are copper mines just north of here. The very name of the city-’
‘Chalcis,’ said Cassius.
‘But there are scores of mines there.’
‘Yes, but it’s something. And a moment ago we had nothing. This fellow was probably near a mine not too long ago. And I can’t think of a much better place to hide a big cart, or to use as a base for some criminal scheme. Whereabouts are the mines?’
‘I don’t know exactly. Mostly between Chalcis and Androna, I think.’
‘How far is Androna from here?’
‘A day’s ride perhaps.’
‘We wouldn’t make it by nightfall?’
‘You might — if you picked up the Antioch road.’
Cassius nodded. ‘I’d like you to go back to the village. Bring out a couple of men who know how to keep their mouths shut. These legionaries deserve a decent burial.’ He pointed at the money bags. ‘You can keep all that as payment.’
‘Fair enough.’
‘We’re leaving. I’m sure I can trust you to do the right thing by these men.’
‘You can, sir.’
‘My thanks for all you’ve done,’ said Cassius as they gripped forearms.
Dacien bade farewell to Indavara and Simo, then started back towards Ethusa.
Cassius took a last look at the bodies, then at his filthy hands.
‘Come, you two. I for one have had enough of this place. We ride north.’
XIII
‘A sesterce.’
The innkeeper shook his head.
‘Two.’
‘No, sir.’
‘Three.’
‘No, sir.’
Cassius was surprised by the Syrian’s lack of commercial acumen. Admittedly it was the middle of the night, but he was offering well above the odds.
The three travellers had arrived at the southern edge of Androna and been directed to the inn by four watchmen guarding the road. The innkeeper had opened up, summoned two lads to deal with the horses, then shown the latecomers to their rooms. He’d been cordial, welcoming even, but was now proving most reluctant to grant one particular request: Cassius wanted a bath.
The Syrian pursed his lips. ‘It is not simply a question of money, sir,’ he said quietly, anxious not to disturb his other guests. He, Cassius and Simo were standing outside their room at the top of the stairs on the first floor. ‘There is no fire lit in the bathhouse. It will take more than an hour to warm enough water.’
‘I don’t care if it takes two,’ Cassius replied. ‘I’m not going to bed like this.’
He gestured to his dirty, bloodstained, stinking tunic. A loud yawn sounded from inside the room. Indavara was already undressed and in bed.
‘Very well,’ continued Cassius. ‘A denarius.’
The innkeeper rubbed his brow. ‘I have no intention of haggling, sir.’
‘All right, forget the money,’ said Cassius, not bothering to keep his voice down. ‘I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with current events but Syria is once more a province of Rome. I am a member of the governor’s staff and you are obliged by imperial law to assist me.’
The innkeeper rolled his tongue around his mouth, let out a final sigh, then set off down the stairs.
‘Stubborn. Intransigent. Obstructive. And I see now that you also have a propensity for over-exaggeration. I doubt three-quarters of an hour have passed and behold — I am clean.’
The innkeeper, pouring steaming water from a bronze jug, said nothing. Cassius sat back against the lip of the bath and rubbed his forearms. Simo was kneeling behind him, wiping his shoulders with a sponge.
‘Nice little arrangement you have here.’
The bathhouse was a domed brick building that took up one side of the inn’s courtyard. The bath was five feet across, three deep and surrounded by fire-pits. The Syrian had two of them going, each heating a cauldron.
‘You have all you need now, sir,’ he said, putting down the jug and walking towards the door.
‘Stay a while,’ said Cassius. ‘I need a little information.’
The innkeeper halted.
‘Your name?’ Cassius asked.
‘Addra.’
‘How long have you lived in Androna, Addra?’
‘All my life.’
‘Excellent. The watchmen told me there is an army officer here with a squad of legionaries. An administrator too.’
Addra nodded tiredly. ‘They arrived last month.’
‘I assume those are bath oils?’ Cassius asked, nodding at a row of clay pots on a shelf. ‘Bring one over. Something strong.’
As Addra complied, Cassius spoke to Simo over his shoulder. ‘Gods, that smell. I believe it’s still on me.’
‘It may be me, sir,’ answered Simo.
‘Oh. Yes. Perhaps you can jump in after me, Simo.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
Cassius held out his hands and the Syrian poured yellow oil from a narrow hole in the pot. Cassius nodded when he had enough and rubbed it across his chest.
‘Where would I find this officer?’
‘Further along this street. They’ve taken over another inn.’
‘Good. Now tell me, what do you know about copper mining?’
Addra wiped sweat from his forehead as he leaned back against the bathhouse wall.
‘I am an innkeeper, sir.’
‘But copper is mined in this area.’
‘Chalcis rather than here — to the north.’
‘Who in Androna might know about such things? Traders? Smiths? Anyone from that area?’
While Addra thought about this, Simo took more of the perfumed oil and rubbed it into Cassius’s hair.
‘There is Karacha — supplies some of my fittings. Old iron-worker. He’d probably be able to tell you more. He’s out on the eastern edge of town.’
‘That’s a start. You can give us directions tomorrow.’
Cassius closed his eyes as Simo rinsed off his hair.
‘Is that all?’ asked Addra.
‘Yes. Goodnight.’
‘Put the fires out before you come up,’ Addra told Simo.
As he left, Cassius stood, then climbed out using the steps cut into one side of the bath. The roof was low; and he had to bow his head as Simo dried him with a towel.
‘Another nightmare of a day. I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get here.’
‘I’m not sure I shall ever forget what we saw outside that village, sir.’
‘I feared from the beginning that those poor legionaries would not be found alive. At least I have something to report to Abascantius now.’
Simo lowered Cassius’s sleeveless sleeping tunic on over his head, then slid a pair of light sandals on to his feet.
‘There you are, sir. All ready.’
‘I hope our room’s well aired. How a man can take himself off to bed in such a state I shall never know. Tomorrow imperial business shall have to take its place behind a matter of greater urgency. First order of the day: a bath for Indavara.’
‘Now tell me that doesn’t feel better,’ Cassius said as the bodyguard joined them in the courtyard for breakfast the next morning.
Indavara nodded, flicking water from his hair on to the table, before attacking a plate of bread rolls.
‘Next thing we need to work on are table manners.’
By way of response, Indavara ignored the cutlery in front of him and grabbed a handful of soft white cheese.
‘Gods, we should have put you in with the horses. It’s lucky most of the other guests have already finished.’
Cassius had decided that a lie-in was well deserved, and there was only one other occupied table: a middle-aged merchant and his wife. The morning sun had warmed the courtyard nicely; and Addra’s guard dog — a sandy, shaggy-haired beast — lay on his side at Simo’s feet. The innkeeper had done a good job of avoiding Cassius but Simo had managed to get directions to the metal-worker’s yard.