The Imperial Banner (41 page)

Octobrianus set a quick pace. With the streets quiet, their footsteps seemed alarmingly loud so they kept well back. Cassius soon realised the procurator was heading towards the Orontes. As they got closer to the river, the quality of the housing decreased, as did the width of the streets. At one point, they passed two shifty-looking characters in an alley. Indavara’s hand went to his dagger, and he made sure he was between them and Cassius, but the men stayed in the shadows.

They eventually came to a street that bent around to the left, running parallel to the river. As the procurator approached the bend, a dark shape seemed to lift off the wall beside him. They heard a voice. A woman’s voice. Octobrianus tried to pull away but it seemed she had hold of him. Struggling to get free, he looked back along the street.

‘Keep walking,’ Cassius told Indavara, hoping the procurator would get away before they reached him. The woman was pleading for money. Octobrianus reached into a purse and handed over a coin. She let go and he made his escape around the corner.

Cassius exchanged a relieved glance with Indavara. They kept to the right – well out of the beggar’s way – as the street opened out on to a broad square divided from the river by a low wall. Beyond the wall was a wooden jetty where skiffs and rowing boats were tied up. On the other side of the river, several barges lay at anchor on the edge of a marsh. A strong breeze was blowing. Furled sails and lines flapped, and the boats bounced against their moorings.

Here and there were small groups of men, either sitting in the boats or standing on the jetty. There was enough moonlight to see by; and it caught the glass of the bottles some of them were holding. Others were still hard at work, ferrying barrels off the boats and up to the square.

Cassius and Indavara stopped by the wall and continued to watch Octobrianus, now striding purposefully along the other side of the square, hood still covering his face. There were at least ten different establishments facing the waterfront. Cassius knew some would be inns, some brothels, some both. Song, laughter and the hum of conversation spilled out from the windows.

The procurator nodded to a doorman before hurrying inside a two-storey building with a striking sign above the door; the erect phallus was at least two feet high. Cassius grinned speculatively as he turned to Indavara.

‘Always the quiet ones, eh?’

‘What?’

‘See the picture below the lantern there?’

‘Ah.’

‘A she-wolves’ den. You’ve sampled the delights of such a place before?’

‘No.’

‘Well, thanks to my uncle, I have. So follow my lead.’

‘Why do we need to go inside? It’s obvious what he’s there for.’

‘True. But establishments like that are also useful meeting places. Anyway, why so reluctant? Surely the prospect of all those willing young women doesn’t unnerve you?’

‘No.’

‘If anyone asks, I’ll stick with the Raetian investor story – Cassius Oranius and all that – but let’s try and keep our mouths shut and our eyes open.’

‘Are you going to take a girl?’

Cassius shrugged. ‘In order not to look out of place, I may be required to indulge. All in the name of duty, of course.’

‘What will you be having tonight, sirs?’ asked the woman behind the counter.

The bluntness of the question surprised Cassius.

‘Er . . .’

He and Indavara stood in the small reception room at the front of the brothel, watched by two more doormen armed with staves. The woman – who was old enough to be a grandmother and didn’t hide the fact particularly well – nodded down at the first of two woven baskets on the counter. Inside were square tokens made of bark with crude drawings on them.

‘You must buy at least one token each. Give it to the girl when you’ve chosen her. That gets you an hour. What you do with her is up to you; you can recite poetry to her for all I care.’

The woman pointed at the second container. ‘These are the special tokens, for . . . specific tastes.’

‘Perhaps another time. Just two normal tokens please.’

‘Twelve denarii.’

Cassius paid. ‘Rather pricey, isn’t it?’

‘We have the best girls in Antioch.’

The hostess walked over to a thick red curtain and pulled it back. Beyond was a narrow corridor lit by wall-mounted lamps.

‘Enjoy yourselves, gentlemen.’

Cassius turned to Indavara as they walked along the corridor. ‘What else could I do?’

Indavara shrugged.

Cassius offered him a token.

‘You keep them,’ Indavara said.

‘Certainly not. Take yours and do with it what you will.’

Indavara reluctantly did so.

Cassius stopped as they neared the end of the corridor and another red curtain.

‘Now, remember. We
are
watching him, but we mustn’t
look
like we’re watching him. Act naturally.’

Cassius pulled the curtain aside and they stepped into a large, darkened room. To avoid the unpleasant smoke produced by oil lamps, the chamber was lit entirely by candles burning in strategically placed candelabra. Arranged around the walls were tables, chairs, couches and floor cushions. In the middle of the room was yet another statue of the Tyche. The candles around it lit the burnished bronze, giving the impression that the goddess’s legs were on fire. It was hard to tell how many people were in the room. Most of the men were sitting or lying down.

A girl approached with a tray of glasses balanced in one hand, her kohl-lined eyes sparkling in the darkness. She was barefoot and wearing a figure-hugging tunic, and gave a sultry smile as she passed.

Cassius nudged Indavara. ‘And that’s just the serving girls.’

An older woman appeared. ‘Welcome, gentlemen. Where would you like to sit?’

Cassius shrugged. ‘Somewhere with a good view.’

‘Follow me.’

She led them around the edge of the room. Though he was on the lookout for Octobrianus, Cassius took care not to pay too much attention to anyone – strangers might be unusual here. The woman found them a table next to the wall. Cassius sat facing the entrance, Indavara opposite him.

‘And what would you like to drink?’

‘Half and half. Something decent.’

‘Very well, sir. Would you like to see some girls?’

‘Not just yet.’

As the woman left, Cassius turned round. On the far side of the room were two corridors, one at each corner. A client exited the right-hand corridor, buckling his belt.

A high-pitched yelp, and a big man walked past with a girl thrown over his shoulder. She was flailing at the hem of her tunic, trying desperately to pull it down, but her wobbling buttocks were there for all to see. The man’s associates cheered and clapped.

‘I do believe you’re blushing, Indavara,’ observed Cassius.

‘It’s the candlelight.’

‘Ah, of course. Stay here a moment. I’m going to take a quick look around.’

Ignoring the panic on the bodyguard’s face, Cassius set off towards the back of the room. He passed a group of men laid out on cushions. Three girls lay among them, with at least one male hand on an intimate part of their body. None of the men was Octobrianus. A fourth girl was sitting with her knees on a chair, arms folded across the backrest, chin on her hands.

‘Excuse me,’ Cassius said, leaning close to her, ‘where would I find the gentleman’s?’

‘Keep going all the way to the back.’

Cassius passed two more groups of men before he reached the left-hand corridor. Again, no sign of Octobrianus. Along each side of the corridor were small private rooms. All the doors were shut except one. Cassius peered around the doorframe. Two girls materialised from the shadows. Taking an arm each, they pulled him inside.

‘Hello, handsome,’ said one. They were both clad in diaphanous cotton robes tied tight at the waist by a string of multicoloured beads. Cassius quickly established that their attributes were roughly on a par – one possessed the superior face, one the superior body.

‘Looking for a good time?’ said the second girl, so close that her hair brushed against Cassius’s shoulder.

‘Always.’

Cassius decided he must at least try to locate Octobrianus before indulging.

‘But I’m actually looking for my friend. Small chap, rather reserved. Came in just before me.’

The prettier girl spoke up: ‘Oh, I think he’s usually with Helena—’

The other girl slapped her gently on the arm and tutted. Her friend put her hand to her mouth.

‘We’re not supposed to talk about clients,’ explained the voluptuous girl.

Cassius dragged his eyes away from the stretched lines of cotton between her large breasts.

‘Of course. Quite right. I shall perhaps be back a little later, girls.’

Cassius planted a kiss on each hand, then continued along the corridor. He shook his head and whispered to himself: ‘Antioch.’

As he actually did need to use the latrine (and might well be able to learn something there) he pushed through the wooden door and went inside. There was only one occupant, a large fellow sitting on the bench. With the autumn rains yet to arrive, there was no water running below to clear the waste, but the latrine was at least well perfumed.

‘Evening,’ said the man cheerfully.

‘Evening.’ Cassius walked past the bench to the trough and reached for the hem of his tunic.

As he relieved himself, the man spoke up again: ‘Enjoy your youth, lad, it’s only downhill from your thirtieth year.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Half an hour I’ve been on here. It’s always the same these days. Half an hour twice a day adds up to a lot of wasted time.’

‘I suppose so. Tell me, friend, do you know if Helena is working tonight?’

‘Haven’t seen her. Though I think she usually uses the rooms on the other side.’

‘Ah, thank you. I shall check over there. Hope you can get away soon.’

The man nodded ruefully as Cassius left.

After some subtle enquiries in the other corridor, he established that Helena was indeed busy, and unlikely to be available any time soon. Seeing no sign of the procurator on the other side of the room, he concluded Octobrianus was occupied.

Indavara had been joined by three girls. One of them was urging the bodyguard to flex his biceps. Unaware that Cassius was behind him, he did so. Each of the girls had a turn at touching his arm and it took him a while to notice he was being watched. Cassius grinned as he sat down. Indavara pulled his arm away and shook his head irritably as another of the girls played with his hair.

‘Leave us a moment, would you, ladies?’ said Cassius. The girls reluctantly complied, one giving a parting stroke to Indavara’s neck.

‘Have you chosen your favourite yet?’ Cassius asked.

Before Indavara could answer, one of the doormen walked past carrying a large candelabra which he set down in the middle of the room. A serving girl came along to light the candles, and was joined by another holding a flute. Some of the men left their seats and gathered round. An extremely statuesque young lady then made her way gracefully into the circle formed by the men. She removed her robe and threw it to the serving girl. Underneath she was wearing only a thin belt with little chains hanging from it. Her nipples had been tipped with silver paint. The flautist began playing, and the girl swayed to the music. The men looked on in lustful silence.

Cassius recognised a couple of familiar faces from the House of the Dolphins, including the newly arrived and unmistakable figure of Magistrate Quarto, dwarfing the men either side of him. Cassius alerted Indavara then indicated that they should turn away. It would hardly be a disaster if the magistrate saw them there, but he would prefer they remain unnoticed.

‘Well? Which girl are you taking?’

Indavara shrugged.

‘They not to your taste? Plutarch said:
When the candles are out, all women are fair.
Wise words.’

‘It’s not that. They’re beautiful. They’re all beautiful.’

‘Don’t tell me it’s your first time. What about when you were a fighter?’

Indavara chose to drink rather than reply.

‘Well,’ Cassius continued, ‘I’m going to spend my token. We need to be done before Octobrianus comes out, so if you’re intent on doing the same, I suggest you hurry up.’