‘None at all.’
‘Yet he still may try, and then he and Geta will ignore the order to wait at the Tamesis and press on to a victory before Claudius arrives. So this is what I need you two for: keep Plautius alive and don’t let Corvinus and Geta go too far before the Emperor arrives.’
‘We should warn Plautius,’ Sabinus suggested. ‘He’ll be easier to keep alive if he’s watching out for himself.’
Vespasian shook his head. ‘No, brother; I imagine that is something that the imperial secretary has already discounted for security reasons.’
Narcissus twitched an eyebrow appreciatively. ‘Indeed, legate; Plautius must know nothing of this and I want your oaths that whatever happens, and I mean whatever happens, you will not go to him.’ He turned back to Sabinus. ‘If he were warned of this impending treachery he would do one or both of two things. He would write to the Emperor demanding that Corvinus and Geta are replaced and, with me not in Rome to filter Claudius’ mail, that letter would get through. He would also perhaps confront them with their plan. Either way, Messalina would be alerted to the fact that I am on to her and that must never happen; my life would be in great danger and Messalina would be more careful in any future conspiracies. To get rid of this harpy I have to keep her feeling secure so that she becomes arrogant to the point of carelessness.’ Narcissus’ lips flickered in a mirthless smile. ‘It may surprise you to learn that to add to her sense of security I’ve even been helping the vengeful bitch to prosecute old enemies of her family.’
Vespasian sighed. ‘Nothing surprises me in imperial politics any more.’
Caenis wrapped her arms around Vespasian’s neck and kissed him, pressing the length of her body hard against his. ‘I’ve missed you, my love.’
Vespasian responded with equal fervour whilst Sabinus and Magnus looked around his tent as if the plain furnishings and sparse decoration were suddenly worthy of closer scrutiny.
‘What are you doing here?’ Vespasian asked, disengaging himself.
‘Exactly what it looks like: I’m the secretary’s secretary, and would you believe back in Rome I have my own secretary!’
Vespasian laughed. ‘The secretary’s secretary’s secretary? That is surely taking bureaucracy to an extreme level.’
‘Perhaps, but Narcissus, Pallas and Callistus love it; the more functionaries that they can cram into the palace and the more protocols that they put in place the harder it is for anyone but them to understand how things work.’
‘But why are you working for Narcissus, rather than Pallas?’
‘Claudius ordered me to and I can’t disobey my patron and Emperor, can I? I think that it was Narcissus’ idea with Pallas’ connivance. They use me to communicate with each other without Callistus’ knowledge.’
‘Loathsome little shit tried to have us killed,’ Sabinus spat.
‘Yes, Pallas was as furious as I’ve ever seen him when he found out; he very nearly raised his voice. It shattered any little trust that he and Narcissus had for Callistus. Now they’re trying to find or fabricate evidence that Callistus is working with Messalina so that he’ll go down with her. Rome’s not a good place to be at the moment.’
‘How’s our uncle coping with it?’ Vespasian asked.
‘He’s keeping out of the way as much as possible, although his new domestic arrangements mean that he has to get out of the house more than he would like.’
‘Mother’s finally arrived?’
‘Yes, two months ago, Artebudz escorted her; she and Flavia have differing views on how to look after children.’
Vespasian grimaced. ‘I can imagine. I don’t suppose they keep them to themselves either, do they?’
‘I’m afraid not. I’ve got letters for you from both of them and one from your uncle, all no doubt complaining about each other.’
‘It’s as bad as Claudius’ squabbling freedmen,’ Magnus commented, pouring himself a cup of wine.
‘Worse even,’ Sabinus chuckled, ‘at least they don’t all live in the same house.’
Vespasian scowled at his brother. ‘Perhaps I really should start thinking about getting my own house.’
‘Don’t come asking me for a loan, brother.’
‘I’d wait a while, sir,’ Magnus advised refilling his cup. ‘Things ain’t going to be too stable in Rome with Narcissus and his mates bringing down the Empress.’
‘If they manage to get her.’
‘Oh, I’m sure they will get her; but the trouble is when they do who’s going to take her place? That’ll be a position that will attract applications from some poisonous bitches.’
‘We’ll worry about one poisonous bitch at a time. Seeing as Narcissus seems to have involved us in this fight I see no reason for him not to involve us in the next.’ Vespasian put an arm around Caenis’ shoulder. ‘In the meantime, I’ve got things to do.’
Magnus drained his cup. ‘I thought you were going to join your lads practising for the invasion this afternoon.’
‘I’m sure they can manage on their own.’
‘Whilst you invade elsewhere, if you take my meaning?’
Caenis smiled. ‘Something like that, Magnus.’
CHAPTER XIV
‘Are you quite certain of this?’ Aulus Plautius demanded of two Gallic traders standing nervously before him in his briefing room, now awash with flickering oil lamps.
‘Yes, general,’ the elder of the two replied, ‘my son and I heard the news yesterday. We sailed from Britannia at first light this morning; they had begun to muster in the lands of the Cantiaci in the south-eastern corner of the island.’
‘I know where the Cantiaci live,’ Plautius snapped; his temper had not been helped by this news. ‘How many tribes?’
‘The Catuvellauni and all the tribes under their rule.’
‘Who commands them?’
‘Caradoc, or Caratacus as you Romans call him, and his brother Togodumnus of the Catuv-’
‘I know which tribe they’re from!’ Plautius tossed a chinking purse at the older man. ‘You may go.’ The traders bowed and hurried out of the room as he turned to a huge long-haired man in his early thirties, with a ruddy complexion and a long, drooping moustache. ‘How many men do you think, Adminios?’
The Briton answered immediately. ‘If both my brothers are there then that would mean the Trinovantes, the Atrebates, the Regni confederation and the Cantiaci confederation at least; and then possibly the Dobunni and Belge from further west. That’s a force of at least one hundred thousand warriors, possibly more, facing us on the beach. And I can assure you they will be waiting; it’s their best chance of defeating us.’
‘Not all the Atrebates and Regni confederation,’ an elderly Briton, with greying hair and black moustache in the same style, interposed.
Plautius ran a hand through his close-cropped hair. ‘What makes you say that, Verica?’
‘My nephew, the King of Vectis, hates Caratacus; his sub-tribe won’t be joining the army. Nor will all of my people, the Regni.’
‘Even so, that’s still going to be many more than faced Caesar and he had a hard enough time of it.’ Plautius looked over to his legates seated on his right. ‘Well, gentlemen, it seems that they have found out that we’re coming early; the question is what do we do about it?’ He could not disguise his alarm.
Vespasian glanced at his three colleagues, none of whom looked as if they were about to come up with an idea. ‘We need to delay; a force that size can’t live off the land for very long at this time of year. They’ll have to disband soon.’
‘I agree, Vespasian; that’s the obvious thing to do, but politically it’s impossible. I can see myself facing a treason charge if we leave harbour so much as an hour late. We have to go in two days’ time, which means that we start embarking the troops tomorrow.’