Death at Pompeia's Wedding (14 page)

I was struck again by the fellow’s speed of reasoning, and was wondering what I was going to say to this, when to my surprise Minimus spoke up.

‘Your pardon, citizen, but I can answer that. I was the one that told him about your partner’s death. I was put in the attics this morning at the wedding with this slave of yours, and we were exchanging stories about what our masters did. So I gave my master a full account, of course, when he decided we were coming here.’

All eyes had turned now to the skinny slave, who by this time was looking cowed and terrified. ‘It is quite true, master. My foolish tongue again. I was boasting about what a great trader you had been, and I might have mentioned Zythos in the course of it. I beg your forgiveness if I spoke out of turn.’

I thought he might have earned himself a flogging for his words, but his master, if anything, seemed smugly satisfied. He only cuffed the boy around the ear, and said, ‘You boast too much. I’ve told you that before, but there isn’t any harm done here, I don’t suppose.’ He came back to sit down at the desk and rested his fat chin upon his chubby fingers. ‘So it was servants’ gossip? I apologize.’

I privately called on all the gods to bless the skinny boy. ‘I assure you I had never heard your partner’s name until today,’ I said, ‘though I was very sorry to hear about his death, of course.’

Redox straightened his embroidered tunic cuffs and leaned back on his chair – which was a handsome, black, three-cornered one, obviously of foreign origin. ‘You heard how it happened?’

I swallowed. How was I to answer that? ‘Rumours, that is all.’

‘Rumour could not be more gruesome than the truth. And it is no secret. I sometimes think the whole of Glevum knows. He was executed on suspicion of adultery – with my own sister-in-law Honoria, in fact. Her father killed them both.’

‘So Miles is your brother?’ I asked, as if I had just worked it out myself.

He inclined his head.

‘Your only brother?’

He gave a sour smile. ‘The only family I have. I lost all the others to the plague in Gaul. Unless you count Zythos. He was almost a brother to me, too.’

‘But now you have lost him, too?’

He nodded and suddenly there were angry tears in those intelligent brown eyes. ‘And for nothing, citizen. There was no immorality with young Honoria, I am convinced of it. I know that it looked very bad for him, being found half-naked where he was – but I’m sure there was some other explanation for the facts, if he had been given a chance to offer it. And Honoria was screaming that she was innocent, I know – Miles heard her from the other room. Of course Honorius had murdered Zythos by that time, and so he had to kill the girl as well, or he could have been indicted for the death – the law demands he must kill both of them.’

I nodded. ‘Then he could call on the protection of the court, because he was protecting the honour of his family name?’

‘And the so-called honour of our family too. I’m sure that’s why he acted as he did – he did not intend to kill Honoria at first, but it justified the murder of my friend. To say nothing of the fact that he got her dowry back intact, which would not have happened if she’d simply been divorced. My brother would have been awarded at least a half of it, and if he had managed to prove unfaithfulness – which I don’t believe in any case – he would have got it all.’ He looked squarely at me. ‘Honorius was very familiar with the law. I don’t believe he genuinely thought that Zythos and his daughter were having an affair, and I am perfectly certain they were not. But they are both as dead as if it had been true.’

He paused as though the memory was too painful to pursue, then snapped his fingers at his slave – who didn’t wait for further instruction but disappeared at once and returned a moment later with a tray, bearing a jug of wine, a dipper and a cup.

‘Slaves, you may leave us,’ Redux said, and both of them retired. The trader poured out a little wine and was about to swallow it, when he recalled his manners. ‘Will you take a little of this with me, citizen?’

I shook my head. I am not a great enthusiast for wine in any case, preferring a honest mug of ale or hot mead, and this afternoon in particular I wanted a cool head. ‘Thank you, citizen. I was offered a little refreshment at the house.’ I hadn’t taken it, of course, and in truth I was beginning to feel rather thirsty now, but Redux had a quick and able mind and if I wanted to learn anything from him I needed all the advantage that I could obtain.

‘Are you quite sure, citizen? You could take some home with you. I can find a small amphora that I can put some in.’

I shook my head again. ‘Thank you, but I have a long walk ahead of me. Too far to be carrying even a small amphora, I’m afraid. But you enjoy your wine, by all means.’

He drained the wine then, and put down the cup. ‘Then, citizen, what is it that you want from me, in fact? You did not want to sell the silver tray and you have shown no interest in my merchandise. But – though I am delighted by your company, of course – I do not imagine that this was a social call.’ He poured another drink. ‘You mentioned Antoninus to my foreman, I believe. Do I take it that he sent you here?’

I was so astonished that I could only gape.

He took a gulp of wine. ‘Oh, come now, citizen, don’t look so innocent!’ He wiped his thick lips on his pudgy hand. ‘You must have had some object in calling on me here. I thought at first you’d come to sell, otherwise I might never have asked you to come in. Then I thought you might be sent here by the family, to arrest me for the murder of Honorius – I’m sure the lady Livia believes that it was me. She was aware that he came to see me in this office yesterday, and her doorkeeper saw me outside the house last night.’

‘I didn’t know that . . .’ I began, but he held up his hand.

‘But though I gave you every opportunity – spelled it out to you that I had a possible motive of revenge and sent my slave away – you made no attempt to lay hands on me yourself, or to call that soldier I saw you talking to. Not even when I purposely demonstrated that I sometimes trade in wine.’

‘And how easy it would be to put some in a small amphora, too, which you could have taken to Honorius last night,’ I said, as the realization slowly dawned on me.

He turned the goblet slowly in his hand. ‘Exactly, citizen – I knew you’d see the implication of that offer, given time. Yet you made no accusation, and you do not do so now. And there are no hordes of well-armed slaves or guards outside, waiting to be called in to drag me to the courts – I looked out through the window while I was examining the silver salver in the light. I told my foreman to be on watch for them and he signalled to me that the dock was clear.’ He put the cup down suddenly and leaned forward on the desk. ‘So I ask myself, citizen, what was it brought you here? It must be Antoninus. How much does he want?’

Thirteen

To say that I was thunderstruck would be understating it. I could not have been more startled if the statue on the desk had suddenly transformed into Jupiter himself. I found my mouth wide open like a actor’s mask, designed to portray the emotion of surprise. In other circumstances it would have been quite comical. ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ I gasped at last. ‘I’m not his messenger. I have never spoken to Antoninus in my life.’

He looked at me coolly, and with faint disgust. ‘Citizen, I warn you, I am not quite as stupid as you seem to think. Nor as unprotected. I see you are unarmed. However, I have a sharpened dagger in this drawer, and my foreman keeps a large club just beside the warehouse door. Also, a large number of the slaves that you saw working on the dock outside are mine. Strong fellows, all of them. I lease them to the overseer as extra lightermen when I’m not using them myself, but if they get a signal they will come at once, armed with any implement they can lay their hands upon.’

‘And that’s what you would have done if I’d attempted an arrest?’ I said, through lips which had suddenly gone dry.

A faint smile played around the chubby face. ‘Of course. What did you expect? That I’d go quietly and let them drag me off and lock me in some fetid cell until Livia brought some trumped-up charges against me in the court? I would have made at least an effort to defend myself, if only long enough to make my own escape. Livia could not have brought a charge against me then.’

I nodded. ‘You have to produce the person you accuse before the magistrates, or there is no case.’

‘Exactly. So I would have called my slaves. And don’t think they wouldn’t come. I have had occasion to call upon them once or twice before, when someone has tried to cheat me out of what I owe. They are quite effective, when they are asked to be.’

I remembered what the soldier had told me about the rumpus yesterday, and flinched. It had not occurred to me before that I might be in danger here. ‘But I did not come to arrest you, citizen.’ I realized I was bleating rather like a sheep.

‘So I observe. And you did not come to trade with me, and you swear that Antoninus did not send you here. I am not a trusting man.’ He examined his fingernails, which were carefully manicured – by some personal slave, I suppose. ‘And if you do not tell me – clearly and at once – what you came here for, I will whistle for assistance and see if my servants can persuade you to explain.’

There was no doubt this time that it was a threat. I quickly decided that honesty was the safest course. ‘I did come to see you about the death today, but not at Livia’s behest and not because I suspected you of it. I wanted more information about Honorius, that’s all, preferably from someone outside the family, who might be relied upon to give a balanced view. I knew that you’d had business dealings with him in the past.’

He was looking unconvinced. ‘And why should you bother to ask anyone at all? You tell me you didn’t especially know the family?’

‘That’s true. But my patron used to use me to investigate such crimes – it has become a sort of habit with him, I suppose – and Gracchus got to hear about my reputation in this field. He is paying me to find the murderer and prove Pompeia innocent.’ I paused and glanced at him. ‘I hadn’t intended to tell anybody that – I wanted them to assume I was a simple citizen, wanting to talk about a crime I’d witnessed, that is all.’

He finished the wine slowly and pushed the cup away. ‘You know, I’m inclined to believe you, citizen. I think I’ve heard of you, by reputation anyway. A protégé of Marcus Septimus, you say? Are you that pavement-maker who once foiled a plot against the state?’

I bowed my head. ‘The Provincial Governor was good enough to say so, citizen.’ I felt so weak and giddy with relief, I would even have been grateful for a sip of wine.

But that was not to be. He folded his arms and went on scrutinizing me. ‘Marcus was praising you in the curia one day. A fine mind under a humble exterior, he said. Only a pity that you weren’t a richer man, because you would have made a useful councillor yourself. Would you agree with that assessment of yourself?’

I could only smile wryly at this analysis. ‘My wealth, or lack of it, is largely in the hands of His Excellence himself, since he feels it would “insult” me to pay me for my time, but these assignments inevitably keep me from my trade.’ I paused. I was afraid this sounded rather critical – which could make for serious trouble if Marcus heard of it – and I hastened to add quickly, ‘Though of course he has always given me gifts in kind instead – many of which are very generous.’

Redux gave an unexpected hoot of laughter at my words. ‘Presents, eh? Well if I know Marcus, they are gifts which rarely require him to reach into his purse. Rather like that wedding salver, in fact.’ He raised one eyebrow at me.

‘A very handsome gift,’ I said, refusing to be drawn.

Redux surprised me with his response to that. ‘Loyal as well as honest? You impress me, pavement-maker. So tell me something else. Why should Gracchus employ your services? I hardly imagine that he wants to wed Pompeia after this? She isn’t such a girl as would make one desperate . . . Aaah!’ He leaned back in his chair again and slapped the desktop with a triumphant smile. ‘Gracchus is desperate for that dowry, isn’t he? I’m only guessing, but I’ll wager he’s in debt.’

I nodded, mentally acknowledging the man’s intelligence.

I realized that Redux was looking expectantly at me. ‘Well, am I right?’ he prompted. ‘Gracchus is in debt? Or don’t you know the answer?’

‘There may be something of the kind, I think. In fact, from something that I overheard, I’m sure of it. Of course he didn’t say as much to me.’

‘I knew it!’ He clapped his pudgy hands. ‘Well, there’s a wonder! Gracchus inherited a fortune only months ago. I wonder how he managed to squander it so fast? Fine living? Or prostitutes? Both of them perhaps. Or betting on the chariot racing on the sly? It only takes a little to get a man in deep. Those moneylenders in the forum are quite merciless.’

I took a risk. ‘You don’t suppose that Antoninus has got his teeth in him as well?’

That shook him. The triumphant manner faded in a trice and Redux glared furiously at me. ‘What do you know about Antoninus? I warned you, citizen . . .’ His hand was already moving to the drawer.

I managed to forestall him by leaning forward and saying peaceably, ‘Oh come, citizen, what else am I to think? I don’t know anything about Antoninus, except what I deduce – that he clearly has a hold on you, and probably on several other people in the town. You asked me earlier: “how much does he want”, and that set me thinking, even at the time. It might have just been business – his setting a high price for something you required – so I tested you with that suggestion about Gracchus I just made. And now I’m sure I’m right. After your reaction, what else could it have been? You would have worked it out yourself if you’d been in my place.’

I meant it, but the flattery did its work on him. ‘I suppose it’s possible,’ He was still scowling, but his hand moved from the drawer. ‘My foreman said you mentioned Antoninus in the yard.’