Read Online Buried Too Deep by Jane Finnis - Free Book Online

well.”
    “I’m fine, sir. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
    “I’m extremely well, Sis. Never better.”
    “But how did you manage this? I thought it might be a month before you got my message.”
    He laughed. “I’ve had no message from you, so it probably will be. When did you send it?”
    “Yesterday, to Petreius. I’ve sent another this morning.”
    “I haven’t been to headquarters for quite a few days. I’m based on the coast at present.”
    “You’ve ridden all the way from there this morning? You must have set off in the middle of the night.”
    “Nearly. But I’ve only come from Albia’s. I went to see her yesterday as nothing much is happening by the sea, and decided I’d take today off to come and visit my favourite twin sister.” He turned as one of the horse-boys came out to see who the new arrival was. “’Morning, Castor. How are you? Have you married that pretty girlfriend of yours yet?”
    “’Morning, Master Lucius. No, I can’t afford to get married, not on the wages I get here.” He grinned. “That’s what I tell her, anyway. It’s good to see you again. Are you staying long?”
    “Only a few hours, unfortunately. Long enough to sample some of Cook’s food and have a beaker or two of wine, and maybe a hot bath.” He patted his tall gelding. “Look after this old boy, he’s had a hard ride this morning. And pick me out one of our good black horses to take me to the coast. I’ll have to leave by noon.”
    He turned back to me, pushing his untidy mop of fair hair out of his eyes. “Well, what’s all the to-do, Sis? Two messages in two days? Actually I can probably guess. Are they about Belinus?”
    “You’ve heard he came here?”
    “One of my other informers told me he’d been hurt. Is it serious?”
    “Come inside and I’ll find you some breakfast, then we can talk.”
    “That means it is,” he said quietly, and followed me into the bar-room.
    Everyone was pleased to see him, and he kept up a cheerful banter with Margarita, Cook, and the servants, while I collected a tray of bread and cheese and watered wine. We took it into my private sitting-room, where he dropped his cheerful mask.
    “So what’s happened, Aurelia? Tell me the worst.”
    I poured the wine. “It’s bad news, I’m afraid. Belinus died this morning. Timaeus did his best, but the wounds were too serious.”
    Lucius sighed. “Poor lad. It’s sad, and it’s a blow, because I hoped he’d be one of my most useful sources of information on my present case. That’s why the Governor sent me up here, because I have quite a few informers scattered about near the coast.”
    “Are you after the sea-raiders?”
    He nodded. “My job is to find out about them, if possible locate their camp. Then either catch them if I can, or send for reinforcements if it’s too big a job. I’ve only got six men, and we’re camped near the Headland, because the raiders are supposed to be using the caves there as a hideout. Of course we haven’t found any trace of it, or them. They can vanish like the morning mist, those boys. That’s why local informers are so important. They can gather information slowly and quietly, and feed it to us.” He took a long drink of his wine. “Well, I know the Oak Tree is as good a source of information as most. What have you heard about them?”
    “Nothing at all till a couple of days ago. But if word’s reached Londinium…”
    “It has. They’re causing real trouble to some of the settlers. And they’re coming much further inland.”
    “You don’t think they’ll come as far in as Oak Bridges, do you?”
    “No, you’re safe enough here. The nearest bit of coast is thirty miles away, and they won’t venture that far.”
    “But the Governor’s taking them seriously, sending one of his bright young investigators all the way up from Londinium?”
    “Thanks for the compliment, Sis, but sometimes I don’t feel as bright or as young as I used to.”
    “Tell me