Deadly Election

24

Closing the doors carefully behind me, I returned to the ground floor. Had this been anybody else, I would have tackled him about it without a second thought. Since Sextus was such friends with the aedile, I had to consider what Faustus would want to do. He would be circumspect. I knew that without asking.

Marcella Vibia came through the colonnade while I was still staring at the courtyard, perplexed. ‘Albia! Still here?’

‘I am leaving now. I had a rest, I hope you don’t mind.’

‘Of course not!’

She walked me towards the exit, as a politeness. I said casually, ‘Marcella Vibia, I do believe I have never seen your grandchildren.’

Did I detect hesitation? But Vibia answered calmly, ‘They go to a little school close to the Capena Gate. Our baby girl is only five; the boy is six, almost seven. Their father will be bringing them home any time soon. Of course they have a pedagogue who escorts them, carrying their tiny satchels and keeping them from harm along the route, but Sextus likes to pick them up himself and spend time with them.’

‘That’s wonderful.’ Actually, it was quite unusual.

‘He takes good care of them.’

There was no mention of their mother. I reflected sadly on little old ladies. Even this warm, civilised woman would lie, by omission at least, if it suited her.

However, she had told the truth in some respects: while we were talking, Sextus Vibius did come home, preceded into the house by two tousled children, full of pent-up energy after their release from lessons. They hurled themselves on their grandmother with joyous hugs, then charged off to a room in her apartment from which they produced toys.

They lived down here. Their grandmother was looking after them. Nothing was said about that.

Marcella Vibia went to fetch drinks for the children and a damson in honey each – ‘One! Lucius, just the one or you’ll spoil your supper.’ The pair sat quietly side by side on a low colonnade wall to drink from beakers under her supervision. They were well behaved. Lively. Cheery. Not visibly upset by their mother’s absence; I compared this to how disturbed we all used to be if Helena Justina was away from home even for a day. Maybe when it came to bedtime they would whimper and miss Julia, but until then they managed well enough.

I wondered what they had been told. Of course, no ethical informer would ever try to get such small children on their own and question them …

They finished eating and rushed off to play. I delayed my departure, keen to see what happened in this family. While we stood and watched the boy and girl, I explained to Sextus why Faustus had left earlier, saying only that I had stayed to attend to ‘notes’. Sextus was intent on his children, clearly a good father. He was popular and natural with them, constantly catching balls they lobbed at him or warning them to be careful when they clambered on balustrades.

Suddenly he turned to me, all smiles. ‘This is the first chance I have had to pry − Tiberius certainly kept you quiet!’

I did not trouble to answer. I preferred it when he was sniffy about my profession.

‘Own up!’ urged Vibius. ‘How long has this affair been going on?’

People were bound to misinterpret our odd friendship; I was none too clear how to interpret it myself. ‘Nothing is going on. We work together sometimes.’

‘Oh, so he has not made his move yet!’ his friend exclaimed, now grinning broadly. I found his attitude annoying. He was so sure Tiberius was my lover; there was no way to persuade him otherwise.

I gathered myself together as I prepared to go home, smoothing my skirts and tidying my jewellery, tucking in a wayward wisp of hair. ‘You have two delightful children, Sextus Vibius. Such a pleasure to see them. I would really like to meet your wife also.’

He was a good politician. He smiled as if this was the most natural thing to ask. ‘Of course!’ he replied, as smooth as almond custard. ‘We shall have to arrange it very soon.’

‘I look forward to that,’ I replied lightly.

If he wondered what I had found out about his wife, Vibius gave no sign. His mother had listened in from nearby without appearing to do so; it was impossible to judge what she was thinking.

Vibius had the cheek to wink at me as I left. ‘Remember, I want to be the first to know! Tiberius!’ he spelled out, as I looked blank. Apparently this had become a joke between us. ‘You make sure to tell me when he makes his move.’