admit I’d like to be in on it, but that’s not the main reason. I think we must act quickly, and we must act in secret. The council, any council, can’t do either. Too public, too slow, too many people involved, and anything it did decide, however secret, would be all over Oak Bridges in a day.”
“More like an afternoon,” Felix agreed.
Silvanius said, “But is our council so very incompetent?”
The straight answer was “Yes,” but I gave the tactful one. “Of course not, for most of the town’s affairs it’s excellent. But it’s not a war council. You said yourself this is a kind of war. It needs a different sort of leadership.”
“Then if not a council meeting, what do you suggest?”
“A small secret meeting. Half a dozen people you can trust, to work together quietly and quickly. The people who have most to lose if peace breaks down. You two…Vedius, as head of law and order…Balbus, as the leading businessman in the area…me, if I’m invited. Meeting behind closed doors, we can discuss and plan without anyone else knowing, friend or enemy.”
He sat up straight and drained his wine-beaker. “Yes, of course. That is what I shall do. Call a private meeting of the most prominent Roman citizens. There! I knew I’d come up with the right plan in the end.”
“You always do, Publius,” Felix said, catching my eye.
“We’ll meet at my new villa,” Silvanius decided. “You’ll come of course, Aurelia, won’t you? I know that traditionally this sort of thing isn’t women’s business, but….”
Try and stop me, I thought. “Thank you, Councillor. I’ll be representing my brother, naturally.”
“Relia!” I turned as Albia came hurrying towards us from the house, looking agitated. “Sorry to interrupt, but…Councillor Silvanius, please don’t think I’m ungrateful, but I’m a little concerned. This doctor you’ve kindly sent to look after our sick man. I’m sure he’s very learned, but….”
“What doctor?” Silvanius asked, surprised. “I’ve sent no doctor.”
“He says he’s your personal physician, Lykos of Cos.”
“That’s the right name, but my physician is away at present, in Isurium, attending my sister.”
“I thought there was something fishy about him,” she said. “He was insistent that you’d ordered him to treat our wounded traveller, and even stay with him if necessary. But there was just something wrong….”
I jumped up, forgetting my social manners. “Where is he now?”
“Don’t worry. I left him in the bar-room with a beaker of wine. And I put Taurus outside the sick-room door and told him not to let anyone in there.”
Albia and I ran for the house, the others following at as fast a walk as Silvanius’ dignity would allow. But when we got there, none of us was surprised to find that the mysterious doctor had vanished into thin air.
I thought again about Taurus’ comment this morning. Somebody didn’t like Quintus Antonius very much.
Silvanius was red-faced and fuming. “This is appalling,” he almost shouted. “How dare they? How dare they use my name! Use my name to try to trick you…to commit Jupiter knows what crimes in my name ….By the gods, Aurelia, this is too much!”
“Call your meeting, Councillor, and the sooner the better,” I said.
“Tomorrow. No wait, tomorrow won’t do. I shall want Felix there, and he’s going to a play in Eburacum tomorrow, aren’t you, Titus? Well then, the day after tomorrow. Dinner at my humble abode. I know! Perhaps you’d like to come and see the latest work on my new temple first? If we all meet there about noon, we can go to my new house, have an early dinner, and then get down to our meeting afterwards. That will make the whole thing look like an ordinary social gathering.”
“Excellent. Thank you, I’ll be there.” Dinner with the Chief Councillor wouldn’t be just an “ordinary social gathering.” Silvanius had the best chef north of the Humber.
“I shall
“More like an afternoon,” Felix agreed.
Silvanius said, “But is our council so very incompetent?”
The straight answer was “Yes,” but I gave the tactful one. “Of course not, for most of the town’s affairs it’s excellent. But it’s not a war council. You said yourself this is a kind of war. It needs a different sort of leadership.”
“Then if not a council meeting, what do you suggest?”
“A small secret meeting. Half a dozen people you can trust, to work together quietly and quickly. The people who have most to lose if peace breaks down. You two…Vedius, as head of law and order…Balbus, as the leading businessman in the area…me, if I’m invited. Meeting behind closed doors, we can discuss and plan without anyone else knowing, friend or enemy.”
He sat up straight and drained his wine-beaker. “Yes, of course. That is what I shall do. Call a private meeting of the most prominent Roman citizens. There! I knew I’d come up with the right plan in the end.”
“You always do, Publius,” Felix said, catching my eye.
“We’ll meet at my new villa,” Silvanius decided. “You’ll come of course, Aurelia, won’t you? I know that traditionally this sort of thing isn’t women’s business, but….”
Try and stop me, I thought. “Thank you, Councillor. I’ll be representing my brother, naturally.”
“Relia!” I turned as Albia came hurrying towards us from the house, looking agitated. “Sorry to interrupt, but…Councillor Silvanius, please don’t think I’m ungrateful, but I’m a little concerned. This doctor you’ve kindly sent to look after our sick man. I’m sure he’s very learned, but….”
“What doctor?” Silvanius asked, surprised. “I’ve sent no doctor.”
“He says he’s your personal physician, Lykos of Cos.”
“That’s the right name, but my physician is away at present, in Isurium, attending my sister.”
“I thought there was something fishy about him,” she said. “He was insistent that you’d ordered him to treat our wounded traveller, and even stay with him if necessary. But there was just something wrong….”
I jumped up, forgetting my social manners. “Where is he now?”
“Don’t worry. I left him in the bar-room with a beaker of wine. And I put Taurus outside the sick-room door and told him not to let anyone in there.”
Albia and I ran for the house, the others following at as fast a walk as Silvanius’ dignity would allow. But when we got there, none of us was surprised to find that the mysterious doctor had vanished into thin air.
I thought again about Taurus’ comment this morning. Somebody didn’t like Quintus Antonius very much.
Silvanius was red-faced and fuming. “This is appalling,” he almost shouted. “How dare they? How dare they use my name! Use my name to try to trick you…to commit Jupiter knows what crimes in my name ….By the gods, Aurelia, this is too much!”
“Call your meeting, Councillor, and the sooner the better,” I said.
“Tomorrow. No wait, tomorrow won’t do. I shall want Felix there, and he’s going to a play in Eburacum tomorrow, aren’t you, Titus? Well then, the day after tomorrow. Dinner at my humble abode. I know! Perhaps you’d like to come and see the latest work on my new temple first? If we all meet there about noon, we can go to my new house, have an early dinner, and then get down to our meeting afterwards. That will make the whole thing look like an ordinary social gathering.”
“Excellent. Thank you, I’ll be there.” Dinner with the Chief Councillor wouldn’t be just an “ordinary social gathering.” Silvanius had the best chef north of the Humber.
“I shall
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