So Filius had thrown temper tantrums till he got his way. I could imagine that. ‘Did he see him often after that?’
Lydia’s face softened. ‘I will say this for Fortunatus, he was always kind to my boy. He made a point of talking to him whenever he saw him, and Filius used to lie in wait for him. He was a real fan. He even keeps one of Fortunatus’ broken boots beside his bed. Though I don’t think Fortunatus really welcomes it. I think he was more concerned with standing well in Monnius’ eyes.’
‘And in Fulvia’s?’ I said. It was cruel, but I needed to find out.
Lydia looked at me with such reproach that I quite regretted my words. ‘On the contrary, citizen. She was impatient of the whole affair. She thought that Filius was “being indulged as usual”. She made no secret of the fact. It is hardly surprising. Fulvia has always resented me and my poor boy.’
‘Just as she resented your necklace,’ I said. She looked a little startled and I added, ‘You have one just like hers, I believe, that Annia Augusta gave you?’
She raised one hand inside her cloak and pulled aside the neck of it. ‘This one, citizen?’ She indicated a triple chain exactly like the one Fulvia had shown me, hidden by the folds of her dress.
I must have looked surprised. It is not usual for women to wear such adornments when they are in mourning. She let the cloak fall back and raised her bony chin defiantly, and for a fleeting second I saw a resemblance to Filius. ‘Annia Augusta gave it to me, citizen, but Monnius chose the pattern. That is why I elect to wear it now. I have nothing else to remind me of my husband — everything that was not my dowry I had to leave behind when he divorced me. So I wear this. No one can see it, it is nearest to my heart, and I intend to wear it in his honour till I die. Not even Fulvia can take that from me.’ Despite the whining, wheedling voice she spoke with so much feeling that I felt a fleeting sympathy for her.
‘And yet you were a friend to her?’ I said gently. ‘Making a sleeping potion for her when she needed it?’
Lydia’s sallow face turned the colour of brick. ‘She has never been a friend of mine, citizen, and I have never knowingly sold to her outright. I have sold things to her old nurse once or twice — I didn’t ask who they were for. Many people come here to buy remedies from me and her money was as good as anyone else’s.’
Hardly how Fulvia had described matters, I thought. ‘Did Monnius know about this trade in remedies?’
She looked affronted. ‘Naturally, citizen — he laughed at me for it, sometimes, but he knew. And Annia Augusta too. She was rather proud of my skills — she taught me all I know. I have no money of my own, and naturally Monnius gives me — gave me — no allowance now. .’ She trailed off. ‘My remedies earn me a few sesterces now and then, that’s all, to buy bear’s fat and lamp-black for my lashes, or white lead and Illyrian irises for my complexion. Not that it did me any good — Monnius said it was like trying to paint over crumbling plaster.’ The red spots were burning in her cheeks again. ‘And now, citizen, you really must excuse me. I must go to Filius. He is upset, and he could easily do something to disrupt the ritual again. We should have to begin the ceremonies all over from the beginning, and think what a dreadful omen that would be.’
She clasped her bat-like cloak about her, and flapped away in the direction of the atrium.
Junio watched her go. ‘What will you do now, master?’ he enquired. ‘You wished to speak to the others in the household?’
I shook my head. ‘I do not think we have the time. You have told me most of what I wanted to know. I have spoken to Lydia and to Filius now, and with all this in progress’ — I gestured towards the inner rooms where we could still hear the lamentations rising — ‘I doubt if we can achieve much more here at present. I might inspect the study, perhaps.’
Junio grinned. ‘Lists of corn-dealers and suppliers, contracts for shipment and storage, and agreements for buying and selling grain. I had a quick look around the shelves while we were waiting for you.’
I smiled. ‘What did Superbus make of that?’
The grin broadened. ‘Not a great deal, master. He was reluctant to help, at first, and was blustering on about the law, but I reminded him that he was here on the governor’s orders, and was supposed to do whatever you told him to. Of course, you hadn’t actually asked us to look at the documents, but I didn’t mention that. I knew you would want to know what they were. In any case, from the way he was holding one of the tax-scrolls upside down, I don’t think he was making a great deal of sense of it. Though he would never admit he couldn’t read it — especially when he saw that I could.’
I had taught Junio to read, after a fashion, and it was something of which he was extremely proud. Poor Superbus must have suffered yet another blow to his precious self-esteem. I said, briskly, to hide my inward amusement, ‘So, nothing of any interest there?’
‘Just one thing, master,’ Junio said. ‘The lists talk of six grain warehouses on the river in and around the city, but I can find inventories for only five. There are records for the sixth up to last season, but this year there is nothing at all. Of course, I have not had the time to search thoroughly — but all the other records are up there on the shelf, on scrolls, all carefully stored in order. It occurred to me, if documents are missing, perhaps that’s what they were?’
‘Well done, Junio,’ I said.
My praise gave him confidence. He said, ‘If Monnius really did have some deal with that Celt, perhaps the document was related to it in some way? Why else would it be locked away with the money, instead of on the shelf with the others?’
He was right again, but I was careful not to encourage him too much. I nodded. ‘I will have a quick look and see if I can find those records anywhere — they might have been put away in the wrong place — but I’ll lay a sestertius to a quadrans you are right. And,’ I added, taking a quick decision, ‘speaking of gambling, see if you can go out and hire me a litter. If the governor agrees, we may take a little journey to Verulamium.’
‘But, master, the missing papers? The granary. .?’
‘We must look into it, of course, but that can wait. Something significant has just occurred to me. There is a five-day chariot-racing spectacular in Verulamium, I seem to recall, and then — if Filius is right — the team is moving on to Camulodunum. There is no time to lose. If we go at once we should just be there for the final day. Annia has an interesting theory about those missing documents. I think I should see this Fortunatus for myself.’
‘A day at the races, master?’ He couldn’t keep the excitement from his voice.
‘We are going there to investigate, not gamble,’ I said sternly. Junio is even more of a racing enthusiast than I am, although for different reasons. He was born and bred in a Roman household, and learned to gamble almost as soon as he could walk. Junio would wager on the faster of two dead horses, as they say of the Romans.
His face fell at my words. The prospect of a day’s racing without a single bet had clearly chastened him. ‘If you are quick about your business now, I may give you a few coins to stake for me,’ I said, relenting, and he set off with a grin.
It was not entirely indulgence on my part. As I had reason to know, Junio had also acquired at an early age an uncanny talent for winning his bets.
I looked through every document in the study, but Junio was right. Of the current contract and inventory for the missing corn-storage facility there was no sign whatever.
Chapter Ten