They had come in a litter. It waited for them at the corner. They climbed out slowly, looking up and down the narrow street. Their skirts were long and full, their heads muffled in quite heavy cloaks. After a brief hesitation they straightened up and marched arm in arm to the mysterious door. Well-heeled sandals clipped the pavement. One of them rapped, so loudly I could hear it. Soon there was a furtive conversation with an inmate and the two women went inside.
Of course I knew what I was witnessing. A girl with money had got into trouble with a lover. Taking a friend for support, she had come to the brothel in order to end her problem with the aid of the abortionist. The Bower of Venus was bound to possess one.
I could have lived with that. Desperate people are entitled to risk their lives if it seems less harsh than the alternative.
What made me sick was that despite their caution I recognised those women. One was short and sturdy with a self-confident walk; one taller and straight-backed. The first was my sister Maia. And the other was Helena.
I LX
THEY WERE IN there for a long time. I wanted to rush in after them. Instead I remained at my post, brooding horrendously.
When they came out, it was hurriedly. The door slammed behind them. They took a few quick steps, then stood in heated discussion. I strode across to them.
`Oh gods, not still hanging around brothels!' Maia shrieked.
`Oh you're here!' exclaimed Helena, with what sounded like relief. Her tone was urgent, tense, yet ill-fitting the situation I had been conjuring up.
I was staring at Helena as she hugged her cloak around her. The girl I had loved – no; did love. With my sister, the only one I had been able to tolerate. `I'm on surveillance.'
Helena compressed her mouth slightly. I realised I had hardly seen her for the past two days. This morning I had left the house before she woke. Only a dirty tunic on the back of the door would have told her I came in last night.
`Helena, I'm doing what's important. You know that.'
`No I don't know!' She actually stamped her foot. `I have not seen you to talk to since the day before yesterday. I wanted to talk to you
`I realise that.' Something was wrong here. Helena knew it too. We looked at each other in some trouble. My face seemed to have turned to wood. Anxiety and irritation jostled in hers. I croaked, `Are you all right?'
`We were very frightened, but it's better now.' `Are you hurt?'
`It wasn't like that.'
It was Maia who understood first. Quick-witted and caustic, she had interpreted my clenched fists. She rammed her cloak back abruptly, so her dark curls jumped up. Her eyes were flashing.
`Juno Matrona! Helena Justina, this unforgivable bastard thinks you've just had a bodkin job!'
`Oh thanks, Maia.' Everything took a-very nasty lurch. `Always there with the fine and fluent phrase!'
`How could you, brother?'
I felt sick. `Something Famia said.'
`I'll kill him!' Maia grated through her teeth. `Then I'll kill you for believing him!' While Helena still looked' bewildered, my sister stormed off, yelling back, `I'll take Galla, I'll leave you the chair. Give my brother a good kicking, then for all our sakes, Helena, talk to him!'
I closed my eyes while the world rocked.
`We've commandeered a place to watch from. Will you come inside?'
'Is that an apology?' Helena was starting to appreciate she had the right to feel insulted. I could see a faint gleam in her huge brown eyes that meant she was enjoying power. Dimly, at the corner of my vision, I was aware of Maia dragging my sister Galla from the litter and marching her away.
`What in Hades is Galla doing here with you?' I stormed. Then I warned feebly. `You gave me a bad fright. I'm in no condition to be whipped.' Helena was staring at me. She looked tired and despondent. Presumably. I had contributed to that. I hung my head. I was ready to try any tricks. `I love you, Helena.'
`Trust me then!' she snapped. Then she softened and offered her cheek for a formal kiss of greeting; I gave her a meek peck. As I drew back her face changed, crumpling slightly as if everything was becoming too much for her… 'Oh stop being stupid and hold me tight!' she cried.
Reprieve.
`Actually,' she said, once I had hugged her fiercely and taken her indoors, `I was trying to save a child.' I received the rebuke like a man, hiding my wince. `The people who have Tertulla sent another message yesterday -'
`Yesterday?'
`I wanted to discuss it, Marcus; you gave me no chance!' Apprehensive and annoyed with myself, I managed to signal – yet another apology. Even I was growing bored with being abject. Helena growled, then herself owned up, `I decided I must do something, for the child's sake.'
`Note the calm manner in which I hear this news, Helena.' `Full credit for an understanding nature.' She could tell I was boiling over with anxiety.
`So instead of alerting the vigiles, you brought a couple of female bodyguards and came to ransom the child yourself?' `What choice did we have?'
`Knowing the address they work from, Petro could have mounted a raid.'
`They would have hidden the child and denied all knowledge. I'm not some frightened magistrate; I was going to report them once we had got Tertulla back.'
I kept my voice level. `So you gave them the money and of course they kept the bargain?' I had seen no sign of Tertulla.
Helena shook her head despondently. `No. I kept the money. They told me she's not there.'
`They were lying. They realised you're a tough customer who, will land them in court.'
`I don't think so. They wanted the money. They were annoyed themselves. They say Tertulla must have run away. They can't find her anywhere. I did believe them; they even let us search -'
I was horrified. `In the brothel?'
We were both silent for a while. Bravery had always been Helena's strongest quality, but I knew what she must have undergone. Since she had escaped unscathed, there was no point screaming over it. `The Fates only know where Tertulla has got to. Are you angry, Marcus?'
`No, but dear gods, it's my turn now to be held tight!'
Time was passing. In the city streets a new, more bustling mood took over as the evening activity began. Men had bathed. The sleek and the sleazy were leaving their homes and their places of business. This lane was growing darker; not many lamps ever burned around here.
I would have to send Helena home soon. Now we had settled down, I was enjoying our short time together. I needed her. Being alone with Helena refreshed me. Even in a tense situation I could
open up, be frank, put aside the caution that must always be present with anyone else. While I was on duty with Martinus, I had to disguise my own intentions and to stalk his ambition. With Helena I soon felt clear-headed again.
`I suppose,' I ventured thoughtfully, `you didn't see a man with a balding pate and self-deluding eyes, who looks as if he, sells embroidery that will fall apart?'
`I tried to avoid the men.' I bet plenty of men stared at her.
`Oh good! A girl who ignores brothel etiquette.'
`Do you want me to go back and try to spot this man?' she asked. Always keen for adventure. The thought made me sweat with anxiety.
Luckily my stomach gave an enormously loud rumble. I confessed how little I had eaten that day. Helena Justina decided that although looking in the brothel for Balbinus would be a boon to the state, it had been superseded by her domestic responsibilities. She marched off to buy me some food.