Sejanus

22

I wasn't taking any chances, either. This could still be a set-up. I rounded up four of my beefiest slaves (shades of the Sunshine Boys, but they'd long gone to flab) and made sure they each had a knife and a nice heavy stick with enough lead in the end to make a serious impression on anybody that got in its way. Then I stuck my own knife into its wrist-sheath and took my cavalry-length sword from its oilskin wrappings. All strictly illegal, of course, inside the city boundaries; but what we were planning was no evening stroll along the Saepta. And if Brito turned out not to be the kind-eyed old biddy she seemed and I got jumped — still a distinct possibility — then I wanted to be ready for the bastards.

Which brought us to the next problem.

'Marcus, I'm coming with you,' she said.

'Like hell you are!' Jupiter! Here we go again, I thought. I knew I'd lose in the end, but it was the principle of the thing.

'Corvinus.' Perilla's voice changed to pure ice. 'You are not going on some nocturnal slash-and-bash this time.' Gods! Where did she pick up that language? Not from me, that was sure. 'The poor child will be nervous enough already, and to be lugged through the middle of Rome at night by four hulking Gauls and a stand-in for Spartacus won't help matters.'

Yeah, well, she had a point. About the Gauls, anyway. 'Brito'll be with her, Perilla. And she said I had a kind face.'

'Hah!'

'Don't "hah!" me, lady! I know what I'm talking about here. This thing may be on the level, but if not you're a liability. I can't watch you and my back at the same time.'

She sighed. 'Don't argue, please. And don't be ridiculous. We'll be taking a small army with us. Plus enough weapons to hold off every footpad in Rome. And I have infinite confidence in your abilities to maim in my defence should the occasion arise.'

'Uh, yeah.' I wasn't quite sure how to take that last one. 'Still…'

'Good. Then that's settled. We'll need both litters. And wrap up well, we don't want you clanking.’

We left the litters on the path and stole across the rough ground to the corner of Marius's wall, both muffled to the eyeballs in heavy cloaks for extra secrecy. Personally I'd've thought two mysterious hooded figures crawling about the Janiculan in the dark with a ladder and four seriously-weaponed gorillas in tow would've looked suspicious enough for anyone, but then I felt pretty silly about this whole business. If you listened hard enough you could just about hear the squeak of the Alexandrian bodice-ripperist's stylus. It wasn't a full moon, anyway. That was a plus. Alexandrian novelists love full moons, but when you're being sneaky they can be embarrassing.

When we got closer I could see why Marilla had specified the south-west corner of the garden. We wouldn't need the ladder. A fresh-fallen tree had knocked a major chunk of masonry down from the garden side, and what was left of the wall couldn't've been any more than six feet high, tops. Also, because the tree was still in place there were branches to clamber up on the other side.

I motioned the Gauls to wait. 'Okay,' I murmured to Perilla. 'You want to go for it while I keep watch?'

She nodded and put her mouth to the crack in the broken brickwork under the trunk. 'Marilla?' she whispered. 'Are you there?'

There was a movement beyond the wall, and Brito's voice said:

'We're here, madam, and ready. I'll help her up.'

The tree branches rustled and the girl's face appeared through them. She looked like I'd imagine a dryad might: a lovely, dark-eyed dryad who was scared half to death and trying not to show it.

'Valerius Corvinus?' she whispered.

'Yeah, that's me, princess. Jump and I'll catch you.'

'Let me just get Diana first.'

'Who the hell's Diana?'

'My sparrow.'

Oh, yeah. The birdcage she'd been carrying when I first saw her on the balcony.

'Gods alive! You got a menagerie waiting behind that wall, bright-eyes?'

'Marcus!' Perilla snapped.

'Yeah, okay.' I sighed. 'Go ahead, princess, let's have the sparrow. But just leave the pony behind, right?'

The face disappeared and the branches rustled again. A moment later she was back with the wicker cage.

'Can you reach if I hand her down to you?'

'Sure.' I stretched up and took the cage. The bird fluttered. 'Okay. Now you.'

She was feather-light, no heavier than a bird herself. Good bones. And she was trembling.

'Don't worry, princess,' I said gently. 'That's you out for keeps now. Go with Perilla to the litter.'

She went, and I handed Brito down with her bundle. It was comfortably small. At least she'd been sensible over the packing.

'No problems?' I said.

'No problems, sir. And the Three-Faced-Mother bless you.'

'Sure.' I picked up the birdcage and gave it to one of the Gauls. 'Here, sunshine. You're in charge of pets. Guard it with your life.'

We lit the torches when we were well clear of the Marius place and headed for the Sublician and home: a litter without torchbearers stands out like a sore thumb on the night streets, and I didn't want to attract any attention either from would-be freelance entrepreneurs or the local Watch squaddies. Bathyllus had performed his usual psychic trick and was waiting for us at the door. I sent the Gauls off minus the birdcage to play with their marbles while Perilla sneaked Marilla inside suitably wrapped: Poplicolan Street was deserted, like it usually was at this hour, but there was no point in taking chances.

When I came into the living-room myself, Marilla had just taken off her cloak.

'I want to thank you, Valerius Corvinus,' she said in a precise voice. The scared look had gone, but she still looked pale. Beautiful, sure, but every inch a thirteen-year-old trying to act grown up. 'You too, Perilla. You could get into terrible trouble over this, I know.'

'That's okay,' I said. 'Our pleasure. Don't give it another thought.'

'Sit down and drink this, dear.' Perilla took the cup of hot honeyed wine from the tray Bathyllus was holding and gave her it. 'You're safe now.'

Marilla sat down on the couch and cradled the cup in both hands, taking little sips. The grown-up image was evaporating fast, but she seemed more comfortable without it. Like it was something she was glad to be rid of.

Suddenly she looked up.

'Where's Diana?' she said.

'Here.' Perilla set the cage on the table beside her. 'Safe as well. Brito, perhaps you'd like to go with Bathyllus to see about a bedroom.'

'Everything's ready, madam.' The little guy was smiling; we'd told him the whole story before we left, and got his gracious approval. 'I've put our guest in the west wing. And the bed's been aired. Would you like some dinner?'

'Marilla?' Perilla asked.

'No. No, I'm not hungry.' The wine was doing its work and there was more colour in her face. 'Or tired. If I could just sit a while, perhaps?'

She was like a kid asking for permission to stay up late. Perilla smiled.

'Yes, of course, dear,' she said. 'As long as you like.'

'I'll take your things upstairs anyway, mistress,' Brito said. 'You'll be all right while I'm gone?'

'Oh, yes.' For the first time the girl tried a smile. 'Yes. Perfectly. Thank you.'

The maid left with Bathyllus. I poured myself a cup of Setinian from the jug he'd brought with the honeyed wine and sat down on my usual couch. Perilla took the chair next to me.

'How long have you had Diana?' she asked.

'Only about two months. My last sparrow died. That was Sophocles, he was a male and I'd had him almost a year. Brito gave me Diana. She bought her in the market.' The girl paused. 'Perilla, what are you and Valerius Corvinus going to do with me?'

The words had come out in a rush. Perilla waited a moment and then said: 'There's a very nice old lady called Marcia. She has a villa in the hills, and she's very fond of birds and children. She would be very glad to have you, for as long as you wanted to stay with her.'

'She wouldn't mind that I've…' She made a slight movement with her hand. 'I mean that I'm not…'

'No, dear,' Perilla said gently. 'She wouldn't mind that at all.'

Jupiter, I'd get that bastard the Rock if it was the last thing I did! 'You have any family in Spain, Marilla?' I said. 'Someone we could get in touch with?'

She hesitated. 'An uncle. Father's brother. I don't like him much.'

'Anyone else?'

'No. There's no one else.'

Uh-huh. Well, scratch that one. I took a swallow of wine. We couldn't've risked contacting the uncle straight away in any case, but it would've been nice to know he was waiting in the wings. As it was, this looked like being a tough one. 'Never mind, princess,' I said. 'It doesn't matter. And don't worry, we're not going to hand you over anywhere you don't want to go.'

I could feel the tension go out of her, but she said nothing and sipped her hot drink. Then, suddenly, she yawned and covered her mouth, almost spilling the wine. Perilla reached forward and gently took the cup from her.

'I'm sorry,' Marilla said. 'I think I may be tired after all. Do you think I could go to bed now?'

'Of course.' Perilla was smiling. 'I'll show you where it is.'

Marilla stood up to follow her, swaying slightly. Yeah, well, the poor kid had had an exciting evening, and the hot wine on top of it had obviously finished her off.

'Sleep tight,' I said.

'Thank you, Valerius Corvinus.' She smiled. 'I was right, wasn't I? Despite what Perilla said in the litter?'

'Yeah? Right about what?'

'You do have a nice face.'

Perilla snorted, and I grinned. 'The best,' I said. 'I'll see you in the morning.'

'Mmm.' She paused, her hand on the banister. 'Oh, I almost forgot, and it's important. Very important. I promised myself I'd tell you if I got the chance, because you looked like you'd care.'

'Care about what?'

'It's my father. He's planning to murder the emperor.'