random attack on a passing stranger, do you? The two of them knew one another, else why would the boy have been hanging around in the woods? He had his horse, he could simply have ridden off. Why didn’t he?”
“I see what you mean. The slave was actually waiting for the man who attacked him, and talked to him, and was taken off his guard by the attack. I wonder what he had to say? To report that he’d killed his master?”
Hawk gave his rare smile. “Now that’s something I can’t tell you, I’m afraid. Not yet, anyway.” He finished his beer and stood up. “I’ll see what more I can find out, and come and tell you before the end of today.”
“Thanks, I’ll really appreciate it. So will Lucius. He’s taking the whole incident quite seriously.”
“Not seriously enough to postpone his romantic outing, though?” Hawk asked, as we walked together through the bar-room and out onto the forecourt.
“Gods, no, that would need a barbarian invasion, or Caesar dropping in here for a beaker of Gaulish red.”
He nodded. “I don’t remember ever seeing your brother in love before.”
I couldn’t think of a suitable reply, and Hawk, perhaps sensing my lack of enthusiasm, changed the subject. “I’ll send my daughter over with your meat later. She’ll bring the horse back too. What about the boy’s body?”
“Lucius will want to see it. When your daughter comes, tell her to ask Secundus for a couple of men and a cart to go and collect it. And Hawk…”
He paused in midstride. “Yes?”
“Take care, won’t you? Hunting wild boars is one thing. Hunting murderers…that’s different.”
He nodded. “I will.”
I told Secundus about my conversation with Hawk, and then stayed by the paddocks a little while, making a fuss of the horses. Hawk’s news had upset me, and I needed something to help me calm down. I always enjoy looking the horses over, and their contented grazing made me feel calm too, in spite of the possibility that a murderer might be about in the woods.
I tore myself away at last and went into the kitchen to find Margarita, because I realised that with all the drama earlier, I hadn’t yet told her my good news. As I opened the door I heard raised voices, and paused to glance round. One of the girls had dropped a pot of hot sauce, which had smashed into a thousand pieces and created a pungent pool over half the floor. Cook was throwing a tantrum, yelling curses and insisting that the girl clear up the mess. She was crying, calling him a bully and a heartless brute. He could be both, but he was in the right here.
I couldn’t see Margarita, so I had to deal with the squabble myself. As I opened my mouth to stop the row and back up Cook, I realised the girl in tears was Baca. She must still be shaken after her unpleasant experience earlier, and that made a difference, in my eyes if not in Cook’s.
“Calm down, both of you.” I said it loud enough to carry over their voices, and they both fell silent and gazed at me. “Cook, Baca’s had a nasty shock today, she’s not at her best. It’s not surprising she’s made a mistake. Don’t be too hard on her.”
“She’s just a stupid…”
“No argument, please. Baca, you’ve been clumsy, but I’m sure you didn’t mean to be. Apologise to Cook and clean all this up, and we’ll say no more about it.”
The door from the hall opened, and Margarita came in. “What’s happened? Oh dear. A bit of an accident?”
“Nothing serious. Well, Baca? Cook’s waiting for you to apologise.”
“I’m sorry, Cook,” she answered in a small voice. “I just…I don’t know. It slipped.”
Cook grunted. “Well, don’t do it again. Clear it away, for the gods’ sake.” He gestured to one of the other girls. “Crispina, chop some more vegetables. I’ll have to start all over again.” He made it sound as if he’d have to prepare an entire replacement banquet, but I ignored that.
As he and everyone else went back to work, I had
“I see what you mean. The slave was actually waiting for the man who attacked him, and talked to him, and was taken off his guard by the attack. I wonder what he had to say? To report that he’d killed his master?”
Hawk gave his rare smile. “Now that’s something I can’t tell you, I’m afraid. Not yet, anyway.” He finished his beer and stood up. “I’ll see what more I can find out, and come and tell you before the end of today.”
“Thanks, I’ll really appreciate it. So will Lucius. He’s taking the whole incident quite seriously.”
“Not seriously enough to postpone his romantic outing, though?” Hawk asked, as we walked together through the bar-room and out onto the forecourt.
“Gods, no, that would need a barbarian invasion, or Caesar dropping in here for a beaker of Gaulish red.”
He nodded. “I don’t remember ever seeing your brother in love before.”
I couldn’t think of a suitable reply, and Hawk, perhaps sensing my lack of enthusiasm, changed the subject. “I’ll send my daughter over with your meat later. She’ll bring the horse back too. What about the boy’s body?”
“Lucius will want to see it. When your daughter comes, tell her to ask Secundus for a couple of men and a cart to go and collect it. And Hawk…”
He paused in midstride. “Yes?”
“Take care, won’t you? Hunting wild boars is one thing. Hunting murderers…that’s different.”
He nodded. “I will.”
I told Secundus about my conversation with Hawk, and then stayed by the paddocks a little while, making a fuss of the horses. Hawk’s news had upset me, and I needed something to help me calm down. I always enjoy looking the horses over, and their contented grazing made me feel calm too, in spite of the possibility that a murderer might be about in the woods.
I tore myself away at last and went into the kitchen to find Margarita, because I realised that with all the drama earlier, I hadn’t yet told her my good news. As I opened the door I heard raised voices, and paused to glance round. One of the girls had dropped a pot of hot sauce, which had smashed into a thousand pieces and created a pungent pool over half the floor. Cook was throwing a tantrum, yelling curses and insisting that the girl clear up the mess. She was crying, calling him a bully and a heartless brute. He could be both, but he was in the right here.
I couldn’t see Margarita, so I had to deal with the squabble myself. As I opened my mouth to stop the row and back up Cook, I realised the girl in tears was Baca. She must still be shaken after her unpleasant experience earlier, and that made a difference, in my eyes if not in Cook’s.
“Calm down, both of you.” I said it loud enough to carry over their voices, and they both fell silent and gazed at me. “Cook, Baca’s had a nasty shock today, she’s not at her best. It’s not surprising she’s made a mistake. Don’t be too hard on her.”
“She’s just a stupid…”
“No argument, please. Baca, you’ve been clumsy, but I’m sure you didn’t mean to be. Apologise to Cook and clean all this up, and we’ll say no more about it.”
The door from the hall opened, and Margarita came in. “What’s happened? Oh dear. A bit of an accident?”
“Nothing serious. Well, Baca? Cook’s waiting for you to apologise.”
“I’m sorry, Cook,” she answered in a small voice. “I just…I don’t know. It slipped.”
Cook grunted. “Well, don’t do it again. Clear it away, for the gods’ sake.” He gestured to one of the other girls. “Crispina, chop some more vegetables. I’ll have to start all over again.” He made it sound as if he’d have to prepare an entire replacement banquet, but I ignored that.
As he and everyone else went back to work, I had
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