"I suppose that makes sense, but all the same, Scribonianus really made it sound important. It must be more than a minor exercise."
"Well, I haven't heard a word of anything, but if I do, I promise I'll let you know."
"Thanks, and if I hear anything, I'll let you know. After all," he grinned for the first time, "we are on the same side."
"We are indeed! Here, more wine, and Io Saturnalia!"
"Indeed, Io Saturnalia! Only I hope there's no Lord of Misrule over the coming season."
"So do I!" Gaius said as he poured the wine.
* * *
It was the third day of January when the boat arrived, which meant Messala's staff could leave for Italy and Gaius received mail from both Claudius and Vipsania. The letter from Claudius was full of enthusiasm for his baby boy, much less enthusiastic about the support he was receiving from the senatorial class in Rome, but he said nothing about any military exercise, other than that relating to Mauretania, and the necessary legions for that were already in North Africa. He would take this letter and show it to Cinna, and that would hopefully put his mind at ease.
The letters from Vipsania were encouraging, at least as far as his property was concerned. Production was good, particularly with pork, and the trading ventures were generating record profit. Claudius was treating them very favourably. She had also met Valeria Messalina, although Gaius was surprised to see that Vipsania's comments were strangely guarded. Reading between the lines, Gaius concluded that she believed Messalina was very interested in increasing her own power, and was not simply supporting Claudius. Gaius wondered about this, but then decided that without any evidence, there was absolutely nothing he should do. Claudius seemed to be very happy with his family, and he felt confident that Claudius would see through most of Messalina's schemes. Further, there was no reason to believe such schemes, if they existed, would not favour Claudius anyway. What mother would not want the best for her children?
Chapter 16
"I thought we had an agreement," a clearly annoyed Cinna replied to Gaius' enquiry as to what was wrong. Cinna had attempted to burst into his tent, and was stopped by a clearly concerned soldier. Stopping a Legate was a bad idea, but not obeying your own Legate's orders was a worse one.
"And why do you think we don't?" Gaius responded.
"I have been ordered by Governor Scribonianus to prepare to march, and to follow you," Cinna replied. "That seems to imply you know where to, and why."
"As far as I'm aware, now that spring is almost here, I'm off to Lussonium in a couple of weeks to carry out the standard summer exercises and border controls," a startled Gaius replied. "No disrespect, but I don't quite see why another legion is needed for some fairly ordinary exercises."
"What?"
"I think you heard."
"Sorry, yes, I did. It just doesn't make sense. What did Scribonianus say to you?"
"Nothing," Gaius shrugged. "I haven't seen him for months, not that that's surprising because as I've pointed out before, Lussonium technically comes under Governor Plautius' control. We mainly come here because it's an easier place to winter over."
"That doesn't make sense," Cinna muttered. "Do you think we're going to invade over the river?"
"We've got an ally on the other side, and Claudius has approved the relationship," Gaius replied. "I really doubt it, and I can't see that a major operation would be launched suddenly without telling us, because there're logistics to organize."
"Then what?"
"We stand by our agreement," Gaius said. "If we hear anything, we send messages to the other. In the meantime, we continue as if nothing had happened."
It was obvious to both of them that this was unsatisfactory, but there was little else either could do, so they parted, each a little suspicious of the other.
* * *
Two days later, Gaius received a message: Valerius Messala was back at the villa, and he had brought Vipsania. Gaius' spirits rose immediately, but then he became concerned at the rest of the message. Messala and some others wanted to discuss something with him before he went to see Vipsania. Could Gaius come at once to the wine shop and share a wine? Although posed as a question, there was no real mechanism to send a message back declining. With a somewhat irritated feeling, Gaius reached for his cloak. Yes, he would have to see Messala first, or have a family row that he did not need.
Messala was sitting with several others at a table as far away from the wine-shop as it was possible to get, while still being at their tables. Obviously this idiot had something to say that he wanted to keep secret, because there was no other reason to sit outside in the chill wind. There were several others present, and there was one spare seat, opposite Messala. Gaius nodded, drew his cloak closer to keep the cool northerly at bay, and sat down. There was no attempt at introductions, however Gaius recognized three Senators. The two on either side of him appeared to be more like soldiers than politicians. Two more men who also appeared to be, or had recently been soldiers were standing near the path back to the legion.
"So," Gaius said as he raised his cup of wine, "what is so important to keep me away from Vipsania?"
"You know Governor Scribonianus?"
Gaius' heart sank. This meeting was political, and his being here right now had the makings of being a really bad idea. "Yes."
"What do you think of him?"
"I've only met him a couple of times," Gaius replied cautiously. "From what I gather from his reputation, he's a good administrator, and a fairly firm disciplinarian."
"The local citizens like him, and he gets thing done, wouldn't you agree?"
"I've no reason to dispute that," Gaius said cautiously. It was then that he realized that he was sitting on a bench, and the men on either side of him were at ends. If he decided to get up and run, they would be able to get up much more quickly. In effect, he was trapped.
"You probably don't realize this," a Senator said, "but over the last few years, Rome has been very chaotic, and we badly need to get things done, with a firm hand on the tiller."
"Exactly where is this going?" Gaius asked, although he was beginning to have a fairly clear idea. This had all the makings of a conspiracy to seize power in Rome. That would mean betraying the one person who had stood up for him over the last few years, and there was nothing these men could offer to make that worthwhile. The problem now was, how could he get out of this situation? Of immediate concern was that, because of the chilly wind, there was nobody else sitting outside. Assuming this was a conspiracy, these fools needed his legion, but if they couldn't get his legion they needed him dead. His problem was simple: how to stay alive long enough to escape?
"Claudius is little better than a stuttering fool," another of the Senators said. "If Rome is left in his hands, we'll be the laughing stock of the world. Barbarians will see Rome as going mad, or soft, or silly, or whatever. We need someone to show the Germans, and the Dacians, and the Parthians that raids will be met with a strong response. We need. ."
"And you think the legions can't provide that strength without Scribonianus?" Gaius asked. He was trying to give the impression that he was uncertain about this option, but he was thinking about it.
"Exactly!" Messala said firmly.
"I see," Gaius said very slowly, as if he was in deep thought. He was, but he was not thinking about supporting Scribonianus. "And what does Vipsania think about this?" he asked cautiously.
"Who cares!" Messala snorted. "She's just a woman. She'll do whatever you ask."
"I see," Gaius nodded, as he struggled to hide his jubilation. At least it looked as if she was not party to this plot. Now he needed information. "So what does Scribonianus plan to do?"