‘Our watching friends will just follow at a distance,’ she said, plumping up a cushion and settling down for the ride. ‘However, they wouldn’t dare to try and waylay me in public.’
Vespasian hoped that she was right.
The litter felt to be at slight angle and Vespasian guessed that they were now going down the hill. Antonia pulled the curtain back a fraction and peeped out the side looking both forward and back. She pulled away quickly.
‘Another six Praetorians have appeared in front of us; they must have been waiting down the hill. We’re surrounded, it will be nigh on impossible to get you out undetected.’
‘Are Sabinus and Caligula behind us or in front, domina?’ Vespasian asked.
‘Behind. Why?’
‘In that case make the litter-bearers go faster,’ Vespasian replied. ‘The guards in front will either have to speed up or fall behind us.’
Antonia stuck her head out of the front curtain. ‘Speed up,’ she shouted. There was a slight lurch as the bearers switched into a trot.
‘Have a look to see if the Praetorians and the other litter are both keeping pace.’
She had another peek. ‘Yes, they are.’
‘Good, let’s go faster still.’
Antonia gave the order and the bearers broke into a run. The litter started to sway slightly and Vespasian was finally able to feel that he was moving. He decided to risk a quick look. He pulled the curtains apart and stuck an eye to the gap. In front he could see the escorting Praetorians running, their leader occasionally looking over his shoulder. Behind, Sabinus and Caligula’s litter was keeping up, followed by six more Praetorians. On either side ran Antonia’s bodyguards, brandishing staves and cudgels, ready to stop anyone from getting too close to the litters.
‘Where does this street go?’ he asked.
‘Down to the Via Sacra about quarter of a mile away, then we’ll turn left towards the Forum.’
‘Is there another street parallel to this one?’
‘Yes, over to our left.’
‘Good, make them go faster, domina.’
She gave another shout and the litter accelerated away. It was now becoming a bumpy ride.
‘That’s it, we’re at full speed,’ Antonia said, holding on as the litter swayed and lurched, its bearers having difficulty keeping in step at the speed that they were going.
‘On my order get them to turn left, domina,’ Vespasian said, looking out of the left side. He could see the Praetorians in front racing to stay ahead, determined to keep them surrounded. Passersby jumped out of the way on to the crowded pavements at the sight of the small phalanx of armed guards thundering down the hill with two litters born by huge Negroes in their wake.
Vespasian saw a narrow left turn coming up; he glanced at Antonia and raised his right arm. ‘Nearly there, nearly… nearly.’
The Praetorians went speeding past the turn; as the last one cleared it Vespasian lowered his arm.
‘Turn left!’ Antonia shouted.
The lead bearers reacted quickly and leaning to their left brought their comrades round behind them. Somehow the litter skidded around the corner with all the bearers keeping their footing. Vespasian and Antonia swayed around inside as the litter rocked its way around the bend. He looked out of the back in time to see Sabinus and Caligula’s litter scrape around with all the Praetorians now behind it.
‘Don’t let them overtake us,’ he called to Antonia’s bodyguards beside them. They nodded and fell back to prevent the Praetorians from pulling alongside.
They raced along the narrow alley; coming to the end Antonia yelled: ‘Turn right.’
The bearers had been expecting this command and the litters turned right on to the main road with comparative ease and headed the last hundred paces at full speed down to the crowded Via Sacra.
Vespasian looked behind and could see that the bodyguards were having difficulty holding the Praetorians back. If it weren’t for the crowds of people on the pavements on either side they would already have been overtaken.
Vespasian looked at Antonia. ‘I’ll jump out of the right-hand side as you turn left on to the Via Sacra. Hopefully the litter will mask the Praetorians’ view.’
‘Good luck, Vespasian. Get out of Rome as soon as you can.’ She turned around and looked through the curtains to judge the left turn.
Vespasian braced himself for the jump.
‘Turn left,’ Antonia shouted. Vespasian felt the litter-bearers respond to her command and leapt through the curtains on to the crowded pavement. He rolled head over heels along the ground as he landed, skittling over a couple of young boys.
Getting quickly to his feet he pushed through the crowd away from the road as the next litter passed by.
Vespasian breathed a sigh of relief. He watched the litters disappear towards the Forum and hoped that his brother would find an opportunity to slip out there. Concerned as he was for Sabinus he realised that there was no way of helping him. All he could do for him was to blend into the crowd, make his way quickly back to his uncle’s house and ask him to send Magnus’ crossroads fraternity out to search for his brother. Then he would pack; he had made up his mind he would leave Rome that night.
He nipped into a side street heading away from the Via Sacra and started to walk as quickly as possible along the busy narrow lane. He found the going easier off the pavement despite the ordure squelching between his toes.
At the far end of the street he turned left in what he hoped was the direction of the Quirinal. Suddenly a hand clamped over his mouth and the sharp point of a dagger pressed into the small of his back.
‘My master is going to be so pleased to make your acquaintance,’ hissed a thickly accented voice in his ear. The pungent smell of raw onion and wine hung on the man’s breath.
Vespasian froze. He looked at the passersby for help but to a man they ignored the situation, unwilling to get caught up in someone else’s argument.
‘Now be a good boy and you may meet him intact. Bring your hands behind your back.’
Slowly Vespasian obeyed. He felt the dagger withdraw and heard it being slipped back into its sheath. He took his chance. Thrusting his hands back between the legs of his assailant he grabbed the man’s testicles and squeezed. Immediately he felt teeth bite into his shoulder and the hand on his mouth move down to his throat and clasp it. He squeezed harder. A huge roar of pain exploded behind him and he was released. Vespasian pelted forward. A quick glance behind him as he rounded the next corner told him that his attacker was doubled up on his knees, his long, oiled black hair completely covering his face.
Hasdro.
Vespasian ran.
CHAPTER XV
Gaius was waiting back at the house.
‘Dear boy, how are you?’ he said, waddling out of his study as Vespasian was let in slowly by the ancient doorkeeper. ‘Where is Sabinus? Did your parents find you? I told them not to go but I’m afraid when my sister wants something there’s no stopping her. Sit down and tell me what happened.’
Gaius clapped his hands and ordered some wine from the waiting slave boy. Vespasian sat down and caught his breath. Once he had been served his wine he gave his uncle a quick rundown of the last twelve hours’ events.
‘As for Sabinus,’ he said, finishing his story, ‘I’m hoping that he’ll be back here soon.’
‘It sounds like you had quite a night; it was lucky that none of you were hurt. Did Hasdro see your face?’
‘He couldn’t have done, he was always behind me.’
‘Pray to the gods that you are right.’ Gaius suddenly looked puzzled. ‘What I don’t understand is why didn’t Sejanus go straight to Antonia’s house instead of following Magnus down the hill?’
‘He didn’t see which house we went into, it was too dark and pissing with rain.’
‘Yes, but only one other person knew that Caenis was at Livilla’s house and needed rescuing, and that was Antonia. As soon as the attempt was detected why didn’t he go straight to her house?’