awkwardness. They are still obliged to meet. All, of course, kept perfectly polite, but there has been coolness between the families ever since.’
‘But this brother, Redux, was invited to the feast today?’ I said. I was surprised by the idea of social interaction after such events – if these were Celtic households there would have been a silent feud and people would have avoided each other in the street – but Roman patrician families did things differently, especially when there were business interests to be borne in mind.
Livia had started shredding another rose by now. She still did not seem conscious that she was doing it. ‘Miles lives in Aqua Sulis and has taken a new wife. He may have been invited to the wedding feast himself – I’m not sure of that – but he would not in any case have been expected to attend. Redux lives near Glevum so he was asked to come, since my husband has trading connections with them both. Or rather, he did have. I keep forgetting that he’s no longer here.’ She stacked the torn petals into a little pile and placed them on a ribbon which adorned the tabletop.
The dumpy maidservant was peering round the doorway by this time, and it was clear that Livia had been missed outside, and that we could not continue to stay here for long without her being discourteous to her guests. But I wanted her to make the most of what little time we had left. I leaned forward. ‘I can understand a coolness with the husband,’ I observed, ‘if he was not in favour of the punishment. But why should Redux bear a grudge? It could hardly be said to have affected him.’
She looked at me squarely, as if coming back to life. ‘Except that the fellow that was killed that day turned out to be Zythos, Redux’s great friend. Redux is convinced that he was innocent and there was some other explanation for his being there – though it is a little difficult to see what it might be. He was there – uninvited and concealed – at night and in Honoria’s room. If her father had not happened to call in to say goodnight, it is probable that they would have got away with it.’
She reached out a finger and sent the little tower of torn petals tumbling. ‘But, of course, there is no possible redress and – like his brother – Redux has to deal with my husband in his trade so he keeps his feelings strictly to himself. On the surface, anyway. Though I understand he has voiced his opinion to his friends.’ She jumped to her feet. ‘And that, citizen, is all that I can tell you, I’m afraid. Come – my slave has clearly been sent to look for me. I must go back and make my last farewells.’
I attempted to detain her. ‘But how did he get in? This Zythos fellow?’ I followed her, as she was walking to the door. It was an important question. A Roman home is not unguarded, like my roundhouse is. A man like Miles would have a doorkeeper and at least a dozen slaves – precisely in order to keep strangers out. So, I persisted. ‘Some member of the household must have let him in – unless he used a ladder, or scaled up a wall, and even then he’d need someone inside to keep a watch.’
She was still walking and did not look around. ‘I don’t know, citizen. Honorius asked the same thing, several times – but all the servants swore they’d never seen the man before.’
‘In Aqua Sulis, that is? But you knew him here?’
She whirled round and stared at me. ‘And why should you say that?’
I shrugged. It seemed obvious to me. ‘He was clearly familiar with Honoria at least. Being a young woman of good family, I don’t imagine she had many opportunities to meet young men, unless they were invited to the house.’
She smiled then, a little ruefully. ‘Of course. I had forgotten you were skilled at reasoning. And naturally, citizen, you are quite correct. After Honoria’s betrothal was announced, we saw him several times. He lived in Glevum, not very far from here, and, as I said, was a friend
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