‘That would be most kind, Paetus.’
Vespasian was shocked by the proposal. ‘Sabinus, you can’t!’
‘Why not?’
‘Well, for a start senators aren’t allowed to participate in banking and I’d say that charging interest on a loan breaks that rule.’
Paetus guffawed. ‘Vespasian, old chap, I don’t know of one senator who’s taken any notice of that since Marcus Crassus’ excesses; he had almost everyone in the Senate in debt to him at one time or the other and his rates of interest were exorbitant. Besides, this is just a private agreement between friends.’
‘What happens if you can’t repay it?’
‘You let me worry about that,’ Sabinus said tersely, ‘it’s nothing to do with you. As Paetus said: it’s a private agreement. If the idea of taking a loan offends your miserly scruples then fine, don’t ever take one out; I, on the other hand, have no problem with it. I intend to live comfortably and at the moment that means taking advantage of Paetus’ kind offer, which I accept with thanks.’
‘Live comfortably, yes, but live within your means. How will you be able to sleep at night knowing that you owe so much money?’
‘I’ll worry about that when I can’t hear Flavia mewling.’
They walked in silence through the Gate of Fontus, in the shadow of the Capitoline Hill with the Temple of Juno towering on the Arx above them; here Vespasian bid a sullen farewell to his brother and Paetus, leaving them to go on to Paetus’ house on the Esquiline Hill to draw up the agreement.
Walking quickly up the Quirinal to dissipate his anger he reached Gaius’ house soon after. Upon entering the atrium he found his uncle sitting by the impluvium eating sweet pastries.
‘Ah, there you are, dear boy,’ Gaius boomed, spraying crumbs all over his lap. ‘Have you heard the news?’
‘No, Uncle, I’ve been at the baths.’
‘Then I’m surprised that you haven’t heard; it’s finally happened, Tiberius has gone really mad.’ Gaius wiped his moist lips with a napkin. ‘He’s asked the Senate to meet at dawn tomorrow at the Temple of Apollo. I think that I’ll feign an illness.’
‘Why, Uncle?’
‘Because, dear boy, I don’t want to be seen opposing a motion that I cannot in all conscience vote for; the rumour is that Tiberius has written to ask the Senate to confirm tribunician power upon Sejanus.’
An hour later, Vespasian and Gaius had just been called to dinner when there was a knock on the front door. After a quick look through the viewing slot the attractive new doorkeeper opened up; into the vestibule stepped Pallas and, much to Vespasian’s surprise and delight, Caenis.
‘Pallas, what brings you here at the dinner hour?’ Gaius exclaimed, as always happy to see Antonia’s steward but slightly nervous lest it should mean that she required a difficult favour. ‘And in such beautiful company,’ he added, casting a sidelong, knowing look at Vespasian.
‘Good evening, masters,’ Pallas replied bowing, ‘we’re here, as you may well guess, on our mistress’s business.’
‘Then we shall discuss it over dinner,’ Gaius replied, keen not to be parted for too long from his repast.
‘Would that be appropriate, master?’
‘Pallas, my friend, you know as well as I that now you’ve passed the age of thirty Antonia will reward you with your freedom sooner rather than later. When that day comes I have no doubt that you will become a man of considerable influence and it’ll be I who will be honoured by your presence at my table; so dine with me this evening as a friend and let us forget our relative status.’
‘In that case, master, it would be an honour that I shan’t forget,’ Pallas replied sincerely.
‘And I’m sure that Vespasian could make room on his couch for you, my dear,’ Gaius said, smiling at Caenis.
A vision of Caligula and his sisters flashed across Vespasian’s mind; he banished it immediately.
‘Thank you, master,’ Caenis replied sweetly, ‘although I’m sure that it’ll be a bit of a tight squeeze.’
Gaius roared with laughter. ‘Oh, very good, my dear, but shouldn’t that have been Vespasian’s line?’
‘Only if he was thinking what I was thinking.’
Vespasian reddened and looked lovingly at Caenis: she really was perfect.
‘So, my friend,’ Gaius boomed, full of good cheer as the pretty slave boy Aenor filled his cup yet again, ‘what is it that Antonia requires of me?’
The meal had been cleared away and fruit and sweet wine had been laid out on the table. Vespasian had eaten his fill and felt a sense of wellbeing steal over him. The hairs on his arm stood erect as it brushed against Caenis next to him and he was unable to resist subtly running his hand down her back. She smiled at him and popped a grape into her mouth.
‘There are two things, master,’ Pallas replied, sipping his wine rather than quaffing it in the manner of his host. ‘Firstly: tomorrow the Senate meets at the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine; she naturally assumes that you will be present.’ Pallas looked meaningfully at Gaius’ now half-empty cup.
Gaius looked at his cup regretfully and put it down. ‘At dawn, yes, I’ll be there if she wishes, although I was planning on absenting myself through sickness.’
‘She does indeed wish you to be there. She also wishes that Vespasian wait outside the temple in his official capacity.’
‘But I’m due to be in the Forum,’ Vespasian objected. ‘There are three trials for treason to be held tomorrow, I may have some unpleasant duties to perform.’
‘They will be suspended first thing in the morning. Antonia wants you near the Senate; Caenis will be with you.’
‘Why?’
‘All in good time; but seeing as Caenis will be accompanying you Antonia feels that it would be more convenient if she spends the night here. She hopes that it won’t be too much of a problem.’
‘I could always sleep on this couch,’ Caenis said innocently.
Vespasian smiled at her, stroking her beautiful thick hair.
‘Good,’ Pallas continued, turning back to Gaius. ‘The second thing she requires is that you make notes.’
‘Notes? She can read the transcripts of the Senate’s meetings and the results of the votes any time she wants, surely?’
‘It’s not what will be said that interests her, she already knows that; it’s where senators sit and how long for.’
‘I’m intrigued, Pallas,’ Gaius said, taking just a sip of wine.
Vespasian managed to tear his attention away from Caenis and focus on what Pallas had to say.
‘No doubt you have heard the rumour that Tiberius will ask the Senate to confirm tribunician power on Sejanus?’
‘Of course, it’s the talk of Rome,’ Gaius replied. ‘That’s why I didn’t want to be present.’
‘Which I quite understand; however, it’s no mere rumour, it’s a strategy thought up by Caligula and adopted by Tiberius and my mistress.’
‘To see who doesn’t share my uncle’s scruples?’ Vespasian ventured, immediately seeing the beauty of the scheme.
‘Exactly, master.’ Pallas looked impressed that Vespasian had caught on so quickly. ‘Tomorrow all Sejanus’ known supporters will enthusiastically attend the meeting expecting to vote tribunician power for their patron and reap whatever rewards he has promised them. However, this rumour will also flush out the senators who have been a little more circumspect in their support for him; if they think that the man that they have been secretly backing is finally in a position to gain supreme power then they will want to be a part of that so as not to miss out on his favour.’
‘And Antonia wants me to note who sits close to him?’ Gaius asked, getting the gist of the ploy.
‘In part, yes, but what really interests her is how long they sit with him.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ll come to that. For a start she wants the list, as soon as possible, of who is surrounding him at the beginning of the meeting. Caenis will be in the crowd outside the temple with Vespasian; once you have noted the names you will come out and dictate them to her.’