Masters of Rome

CHAPTER XVI

Vespasian opened his eyes to see the familiar whitewashed ceiling of Caenis’ bedroom. Rolling over he found himself to be alone but that did not surprise him as it was well past dawn; the sun shone through the opaque glass window above him with a soft, diffused light that he found calming after the events of the previous day.

He had picked at the remainder of the meal in silence, unable and unwilling to converse further with Corvinus and uninterested in the forced conversation of the other guests as they waited for their host to meet the ferryman. The blood finally drained from Asiaticus’ wrist and he began his last journey across the Styx. With a coin under his tongue as payment for Charon he was borne to his pyre and his body was consumed without damage to his beloved apricot trees.

Vespasian had left as soon as the fire had taken hold and had made his way to the open arms of Caenis. Enfolded in them, he had lost himself in the one thing that he knew that he could trust: her love. They had barely spoken as they re-explored each other’s bodies for the first time since saying goodbye on the northern coast of Gaul, four years ago, on the eve of the invasion of Britannia. Finally satiated, they had fallen asleep and Vespasian had found peace: a peace that, as the door opened and Caenis appeared fully dressed with a cup of warmed wine, he knew would soon be broken.

‘Don’t you have slaves to bring wine?’ he asked, enjoying the sight of her sapphire-blue eyes shining in the soft light.

‘I used to be a slave and I haven’t forgotten how to please.’

‘And you did that very well last night.’

She handed him the cup and sat on the bed. ‘So did you.’

He put his hand around the back of her head, feeling the softness of her raven-black hair and drew her into a kiss, bathing in the musk of her scent.

‘I let you sleep, my love,’ Caenis said, breaking off after a few tender moments, ‘because I can tell that you are troubled. Narcissus dictated his account of Asiaticus’ hearing to me yesterday; I assume it’s about what Pallas forced you to do?’

‘It’s much more than that, my love; much, much more.’ He raised his head with his eyes closed, breathed deeply and then looked into Caenis’ eyes. ‘Since I was given the Second Augusta, six years ago, I’ve been used to command; I’ve made decisions for me and the men below me. For the four years that I was in Britannia my legion worked as an independent unit. Yes, I had orders from Aulus Plautius as to what objective I was to achieve in the campaign season, but it was I who decided how best to effect them and everybody obeyed me. That’s what I’ve become used to. But now, after just a couple of days back in Rome, I have no control any more; I’ve been forced into situations that I don’t want to be in by people who I don’t want to be involved with, just like when I was younger. Back then I accepted it because I had no choice if I wanted to rise in this city.

‘Now, however, I’ve risen. By rights I’ll be consul when I’m forty-two in four years’ time, the highest honour a man from my station can aspire to; and yet look at me, I’m being used as if I was a mere boy on his first trip to Rome rather than a man who commanded one of Rome’s legions in the biggest military operation since Germanicus crossed the Rhenus to avenge Varus’ lost legions. I’m being blown this way and that by forces fighting each other to gain as much personal advantage as they can in the shadow of a weak emperor. I’m sick of it already. I want to get out, but if I want that consulship, which, for my honour and that of my family’s, I do with all my being, then I have to stay here and let myself be subjected to the will of others because that’s how it works in the Rome we live in.’

Caenis stroked his cheek. ‘We all have to accept that our society works because it is a strict hierarchy, my love, just as the men under your command accepted their positions; the legion is just a smaller version of Rome.’

‘No it’s not; no one plays politics in the legion. In the legion every man knows exactly where he stands, be he me, the newest recruit or the lowliest slave. Here, one’s standing changes by the hour.’

‘Tell me what’s happened, my love.’

And then it all tumbled out: Corvinus, Messalina, Flavia, Pallas and Narcissus, all of whom Caenis knew and understood thanks, mainly, to her position as secretary to Narcissus, the imperial secretary.

‘Corvinus would carry out his threat against Flavia and the children, I’m sure of it,’ Caenis said once Vespasian had finished. ‘He knows that Narcissus has never forgiven him for trying to hijack the invasion for his own personal gain so he’s fighting for his life. He has nothing to lose.’

‘So what do I do?’

‘You have to do what he’s asked and tell Flavia to carry on sleeping with Messalina.’

‘Does she really do that?’

Caenis’ full lips pursed and she gave a little shrug. ‘What can I say, my love? I don’t know; she certainly wouldn’t confide that sort of information to me — or anybody for that matter. But why would Corvinus tell you such a thing unless it was true?’

Vespasian was not surprised by this confirmation but resolutely pushed the information aside. There was no point delving deeper until he could confront Flavia. ‘And will Narcissus consent to meet with Corvinus?’

‘Narcissus never refuses any opportunity to strengthen his position. You’ll have to see him today as he’s leaving with Claudius tomorrow morning to inspect the construction work in the new port and won’t be back until the day before Plautius’ Ovation.’ She cocked her head and added innocently, ‘And I won’t charge you for the access.’

Vespasian was astonished. ‘You charge people for appointments to see Narcissus?’

Caenis raised her eyebrows conspiratorially. ‘Of course. He’s the most powerful man in the Empire and people can only get official access to him through me; they pay handsomely for a quick appointment and I’d be a fool not to take their money.’

Vespasian chewed this over for a moment. ‘Yes, I suppose you would be; after all, no one gets paid for serving Rome.’

‘And I’ve got one of the most important commodities in the city to sell and I’m doing very nicely from it.’

Vespasian smiled and kissed Caenis again. ‘Even the most beautiful woman in Rome sells her favour.’

‘It’s just business, my love; there is nothing wrong with the accumulation of wealth.’

‘I agree, but I was brought up to believe that a man should make a profit by working his estates hard.’

‘You do it your way and I’ll do it mine. But remember that every denarius that you pass up will belong to somebody else and seeing as wealth is power the best way to defend yourself from the powerful is to gain as much wealth as they have — as quickly as possible.’

‘And in the process make others less wealthy.’

‘Exactly.’

Vespasian thought for a few moments, toying with Caenis’ hand. ‘So I should use this situation that’s been forced on me to do precisely that. If I take the offensive and gain some advantage from this I’ll feel a lot better.’

Caenis leant forward and nuzzled his neck. ‘Much better.’

Vespasian responded, feeling the arousal of the previous night returning. ‘I think that if Corvinus really wants me to set up a meeting with Narcissus to bargain for his life then he should pay for the privilege.’

‘Just like everyone else does. But you’ve already agreed to do it free of charge.’

‘So I’ll have to find another way of extracting the money from him.’

‘And you will, my love.’ Caenis began working on his earlobe, flicking it gently with her tongue. ‘And because I’d rather have power over you than let Messalina have that pleasure, I’ll lend you the money to pay off Flavia’s debt, seeing as I can well afford it. Are you starting to feel better now?’

‘Far more in control,’ Vespasian said, sliding her stola from one shoulder and kissing the exposed flesh. ‘In fact, I’m feeling really quite manly again.’

‘That’s quite a boast; I’d be interested to see if it stands up under close scrutiny.’

He rolled her onto her side. ‘I shan’t dignify that with an answer.’

‘I wasn’t expecting an oral response from you.’ She smiled with a mischievous twinkle and then eased herself down and kissed his chest. ‘I was planning on doing the talking.’

‘I’ll be very attentive.’

Caenis began to kiss her way lower and Vespasian looked back up at the ceiling, smiling, and then closed his eyes.

A soft knock at the door made him open them a few moments later.

‘Mistress?’ a voice from outside called.

‘What is it?’

‘The master’s friend, Magnus, is here; he says that it’s very important.’

‘Are you sure that it was him?’ Vespasian asked Magnus as they hurried along the busy Alta Semita, the main street running the length of the Quirinal Hill.

‘I didn’t see him. I’ve had my lads watching all the gladiator schools in the city; Marius and Sextus sent me a message saying that a man answering Theron’s description arrived at the school on the Campus Martius soon after dawn. Whether he’s still there now I don’t know; but the lads will follow him. If you hadn’t taken such a long time “getting dressed”, we’d be there by now.’

Vespasian mumbled an apology.

‘I’ve never known someone take almost half an hour to put on a loincloth, tunic, belt, sandals and toga; and you must have had help because Caenis came out of the bedroom with you.’ Magnus looked at Vespasian, his expression a study of innocence. ‘I just don’t understand it.’

‘What’s happened to your eye?’ Vespasian asked, keen to change the subject.

Magnus put his hand to his left eye, which stared sightlessly and unmoving directly ahead in a very unnatural manner. ‘I bought a glass one. Not bad, eh?’

‘You’d never know the difference,’ Vespasian lied as they passed the roofless Temple of Sancus, the god of trust, honesty and oaths.

‘That’s what all the lads say. They tell me that you have to look really carefully to spot that it’s a fake.’

Vespasian smothered a smile and refrained from giving his honest opinion as they passed through the Porta Sancus and out onto the Campus Martius.

Magnus’ crossroads brethren, Marius and Sextus, a couple of bull-like men in their fifties, were waiting for them leaning against the arched façade of the Circus Flaminius sharing a loaf of bread and an onion.

‘He’s still in there, sir,’ Marius said, pointing the leather-bound stump at the end of his left arm to a substantial, high-walled complex built of brick, with a single well-guarded gate, across a wide thoroughfare, next to the Theatre of Balbus. ‘That’s the only way in or out.’

‘Thank you, Marius,’ Vespasian said, handing each of the brethren a couple of sesterces. ‘Did he have anyone with him when he went in?’

‘It was Sextus that saw him; I was in Agrippa’s Baths taking a shit.’

Vespasian’s confidence in the sighting plummeted as he looked at Marius’ companion. ‘Well?’

Sextus scratched his shaven head and squeezed his eyes tight shut as if he were attempting a piece of complex mental arithmetic. ‘More than four, sir,’ he announced eventually with a look of relief.

‘How many more than four, Sextus?’

‘One or two.’

Hiding his annoyance, Vespasian decided not to pursue the finer details of Theron’s entourage — if, indeed, it was Theron. ‘Well, we’ll soon find out. Stay here, lads; there’s a tavern next to the baths and we’ll be in there having breakfast — one of you come and find us when they emerge.’

‘Theron!’ Vespasian called, walking fast to catch up with his quarry, with Magnus and his brethren following.

The Macedonian did not turn around even though he must have heard the shout. Surrounded by eight ex-gladiator bodyguards and a boy holding a parasol over his head, he walked on towards the Carmenta Gate in the shadow of the Temple of Jupiter, towering above on the Capitoline Hill to the right.

The deliberate slight annoyed Vespasian but he did not break into a run: it would have been beneath his dignitas as a senator to chase after a slave-trader in the streets.

As the Macedonian slowed to get through the crowds filing in and out of the gate, Vespasian drew level. ‘If you ignore me again, Theron, it’ll be more than just money that you owe me.’

Theron turned. He cranked his face into his most ingratiating smile and stepped towards Vespasian, holding out his arms as if greeting a long-lost friend. ‘Excellency, I did not know that you were back in Rome. I thank the gods for your safe return; news of your valiant exploits have travelled before you and I am honoured by your attention.’

‘I’m sure that you are, Theron, and I’m sure that you’ll be equally as honoured to pay the money that you owe me immediately.’

‘Noble senator, nothing would give me greater pleasure but, alas, you find me between transactions and-’

‘I don’t care for excuses, Theron, you’ve sold the stock that I allowed you to choose and therefore you have the money to pay me. I want it delivered to my uncle Gaius Vespasius Pollo’s house on the Quirinal this afternoon along with the bills of sale, which I shall verify with each of the parties involved to make sure that you haven’t cheated me. If it doesn’t arrive I’ll have no choice but to make use of the contract that you signed.’

Theron opened his mouth and eyes in mock horror. ‘Take me to court! The humiliation of it when our sordid little deal is exposed to the public; and you a senator, what disgrace!’

Vespasian took a pace forward and thrust his face close to Theron’s. ‘I’ve no intention of taking that contract anywhere near a court for the reasons that you’ve just outlined.’

Theron scoffed; all pretence at subservient friendship had now disappeared. ‘And what will you do with it then that’ll make me pay you?’

‘I strongly advise you to bring the money this afternoon because I don’t think that you’ll want to find out what I intend to do; and I certainly don’t think that you’ll want to see just how much I’ll enjoy doing it. Don’t forget, Theron, I really don’t like you.’

Theron hawked and then spat at Vespasian’s feet before turning to go.

Vespasian did not demean himself by responding to the insult. ‘I think I’ve had my final answer. Have one of your lads follow him and find out where he lives, Magnus.’

‘Do you want me to arrange for his house to be heated up a touch, if you take my meaning?’

‘No; but thank you for the offer. He will be my price for Flavia’s co-operation.’ Enjoying the confused look on his friend’s face, Vespasian set off to confront his wife, determined to regain some control over his affairs.

Flavia stood before Vespasian with defiance in her eyes, her arms tense by her side and her shoulders shaking. ‘Who told you such a wicked lie?’

‘It’s not a lie; I saw how you and Messalina looked at each other at the circus yesterday. I suspected then what was going on — though I didn’t really believe it. But when it was confirmed to me last night, I knew it had to be true because I didn’t feel surprised.’

‘It’s not true!’

‘Flavia, keep your voice down.’ Vespasian rose from his seat and paced quickly to the door of the triclinium and opened it abruptly; it crunched into the heads of two of Flavia’s slave girls. ‘Get away! And draw lots between you, because one of you will be sold; and tell the rest of the household I’ll get rid of anyone else I ever find listening in on our private conversation.’

The women fled, too terrified to plead for forgiveness.

Vespasian slammed the door and rounded on Flavia. ‘Let’s stop this accusing and denying. Admit the charge and then we can discuss how best to take advantage of the situation.’

Flavia wrenched an ivory comb from her hair and hurled it at her husband. ‘What did you expect me to do for six years? Lie in my bed every night as unfulfilled as a Vestal? I played the faithful wife for you; I kept my virtue for four years.’

‘And then you cuckolded me!’

‘With another woman!’ Flavia screamed. ‘Yes! But that is not the same.’ She pointed to the couch upon which they had made love. ‘Since the day you left no man has touched me until you took me there on your return. And don’t tell me that you didn’t have another woman in all that time; Caenis was with you for a few months and then there would have been all those captives.’

‘My actions are irrelevant in this, woman. We are talking about your chastity, or lack of it, whilst I was away serving Rome.’

‘I was chaste! No one impregnated me. I didn’t feel an erect penis for six years. Do you know how hard it was to deny myself that? Can you understand the longing, the images burning in my head night and day, the trembling desire each time I caught the scent of a man? I had to do something before I broke and straddled the nearest slave, as many of the women do. But I didn’t, out of respect for you, husband, even though I was well aware that you wouldn’t be showing me the same consideration — not that I expect it of you. Messalina offered comfort of a different sort, not as satisfying but at least it was physical; now you’re back I don’t need that any more so I won’t be going to her bed again.’

Vespasian stared at his wife, his mouth gaping in astonishment. ‘Do you have any idea what would happen if you broke off your affair with her?’

‘She would understand now that you’re back.’

‘Understand? What do you know of this woman?’

‘She’s the Empress and she has been my friend ever since Claudius invited me to move into the palace. We weave together and talk about the children and-’

‘And do whatever it is that women do together; you don’t have to go into the details, I can imagine.’

‘I’m sure you can.’

‘Does she not involve you in her other affairs, try to tempt you into bed with her other partners?’

‘She has suggested it but I said no.’

‘You refused Messalina?’

‘Yes, husband; I know what she does, she confides in me. I know about all the men, I know about her going out into the city and whoring herself in rough brothels. I have no wish to do that; at least, I wouldn’t let myself do that. I just enjoy her when she wants me.’

‘And have you noticed what happens to people who refuse her?’

‘They end up either dead or banished.’

‘And you still think you will be able to say: “That’s it, no more, Messalina; I shan’t open my legs for you again”?’

‘She loves Britannicus and values the friendship that he has with Titus; she won’t harm me if I refuse to “open my legs” for her.’

‘Well, you won’t refuse; you will carry on as before.’

‘What, in Mother Isis’ name, do you mean?’

Vespasian found himself cooling in the face of her obvious confusion. ‘Flavia, you weren’t asked to move into the palace as a favour or an honour to me or you; quite the reverse: Claudius was manoeuvred into extending the invitation to you by someone who wanted vengeance on me, someone who wanted to scare me by showing how much power he could have over my family.’

‘Who would do a thing like that?’

‘Messalina’s brother.’

‘Corvinus? But he’s so polite to me; he’s even taken Titus on his knee on the few times that he’s visited.’

Vespasian shivered at the image. ‘He fully intended to harm you and still might. We are not safe. Somehow he knows of your relationship with Messalina and he wants to use it to his advantage; and to be frank, we’d be stupid if we didn’t take advantage of it ourselves.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean that the tide has turned against Messalina and she is not long for this world. Corvinus is conspiring against her and if he adds his weight to Narcissus and Pallas they will soon persuade Claudius how worthless she is; but to do that they need someone close to her to report her activities and, if possible, her plans.’

Flavia put her hands to her chest. ‘Me?’

‘Yes, my dear, you. You are to act as if nothing is wrong; you’ll tell her that just because I’m back doesn’t mean that you should deprive each other of — what was the word she used? — ah yes, each other’s nectar. You’ll kiss her sweetly and moan at her touch and listen to all her stories. If Narcissus agrees to Corvinus’ proposal then he will reveal what she’s planning and it will be down to you to keep us informed of the progress. If we’re part of bringing her down we’ll gain tremendously from it.’

‘You’re asking me to whore myself for our political gain.’

‘No, Flavia, it’s not whoring, any more than sleeping with another woman is cuckolding your husband. You just said so. This is business. It may be business that I would rather not be involved in, but seeing as your affair with this harpy has dragged us into imperial politics it seems to me that the best thing that we can do is try to survive and come out with credit.’

Flavia slumped down onto a couch. ‘How am I supposed to act naturally with her when I’m part of a plot to bring her down?’

‘I’m sure you’ll manage; you were quite prepared to lie to me just now and pretend you had been faithful. If it helps, try to remember that this woman has already caused the deaths of over a hundred senators and equestrians, the latest one being Asiaticus. There will be many more if she stays in power and I may well be one of them if I refuse the advances that she made to me yesterday.’

‘She wouldn’t harm you, you’re under my protection.’

‘Under your protection! Flavia, just who are you trying to delude?’ Vespasian scoffed. ‘However, whilst we’re in a position to take advantage of your relationship with Messalina, we should try and make some money out of it.’

‘But we’re already in her debt.’

‘I’m now in a position to pay that off and retrieve the debt marker, which will release us from any obligation to her for the moment. However, it would be a shame if she was to cross the Styx and we didn’t owe her money; so when the time draws near you will ask her for another loan, twice the amount. Tell her that it’s without my knowledge so you’d appreciate it if it was just a private agreement between the two of you.’

‘So that there’s no record of it when she dies?’

‘Exactly; without the debt marker we get to keep the money and you’ll see some reward for all your hard work.’

‘Vespasian, don’t put it like that, that’s not fair.’

‘How else can I put it? You’re going to get money out of her because you have sex with her.’

‘What if she refuses?’

‘Do whatever you must to make sure that she doesn’t and you’ll find me a little better disposed towards you. If not you’ll find me extremely well disposed towards Caenis, who’s offered to lend me the full amount to pay off your original debt.’

‘Don’t start playing me off against her after I’ve been so understanding about the situation, Vespasian, I beg you.’

Vespasian paused and drew breath, contemplating his wife’s pained expression. With a conciliatory nod of the head and a half-smile he held out a hand. ‘You’re right, my dear, that was unbecoming of me. Just do your best.’

Flavia took the peace gesture and held it to her cheek. ‘I will, husband; and I’m sorry, I was weak and I didn’t think about the consequences of what I was doing.’

Vespasian cupped her face in his hand. ‘It’ll all be fine if you play your part over the next few months or however long it takes. Now I wish to see the children.’

‘Of course, husband, and whilst you do that I’ll make the arrangements to dispose of whichever of my girls drew the long straw; we can’t afford to have the slaves snooping-’

A knock at the door interrupted her.

‘Enter.’

The door opened to reveal Cleon the steward.

‘What is it?’

‘Caenis has sent a message for the master. The imperial secretary will see him at the fourth hour.’

‘I don’t suppose you had to pay for the privilege of such a quick appointment,’ Narcissus observed as Vespasian was shown into his office, ‘at least not financially.’ A rare trace of a humorous smile graced his lips and he indicated the chair on the opposite side of his desk.

‘We all use what we have to gain advantage, imperial secretary.’ Vespasian sat and adjusted his toga, conscious of Narcissus’ penetrating gaze.

‘And what advantage are you trying to gain? Be quick because I’m leaving for Ostia with the Emperor to inspect progress on the new port.’

‘I’m here to offer you a way into Messalina’s plans and thoughts.’

‘I already have access to them.’

‘Access through kin and lovers or just through the titbits picked up by spies?’

‘Only the latter, I’ll admit.’

‘Well, I can give you the former.’

Narcissus steepled his hands and tapped his forefingers against his pursed lips, studying Vespasian intently. ‘At what price?’ he asked eventually.

‘At no cost to you personally.’

‘What do you want?’

‘I’ve got three requests. The person who offers their services has come to me to broker a meeting between you both as they are naturally wary of contacting you directly for fear of Messalina’s agents. This person is prepared to give you information that’ll help you bring down Messalina in return for their life. I want you to charge them for access to you and give me half the fee of two hundred and fifty thousand denarii.’

‘That’s a lot of money.’

‘Which they will be willing to pay if it buys them their life.’

‘Granted. And if you set up the meeting and I don’t pass on my share to you?’

‘I will get the money off them in advance and give you your share before the meeting.’

‘And if I take the money but don’t bother with the meeting?’

‘Then you won’t have access to Messalina’s private pillow talk.’

‘None of her lovers is going to be foolish enough to admit sleeping with her to me, even though I have a list of some of them already. There’ll be a lot of executions when she falls.’

‘I imagine that once Claudius finally believes in his wife’s infidelity then he’ll want any man who slept with her punished.’

‘Impossible, we’d lose most of the Senate, the command structure of the Praetorian Guard and a goodly amount of the normal citizenry who frequent the brothel that she whores in when she fancies it rougher than usual. But certainly her more regular lovers will die; he won’t pardon them.’

‘But if I were Claudius I think that I might be able to pardon a woman — if she was even to come to my attention in the first place.’

Narcissus leant forward, genuinely interested. ‘A woman, you say? I know she has sessions with men and women together but I’m not aware of a female lover.’

‘A lover of two years’ standing; a regular lover to whom Messalina talks intimately.’

‘Information from that source would be priceless. Are you sure that you can deliver it and that it would be trustworthy?’

‘Yes, Narcissus, because that lover is also my wife.’

For the first time in their relationship Vespasian was aware that he had actually surprised Narcissus. He watched the freedman’s eyes widen a fraction and his steepled hands fall to the desk.

‘Now that was something that I confess I was not aware of.’

‘Well, it’s true; Flavia has just admitted it to me.’

‘And you are willing that this, er, arrangement carries on?’

‘As a favour to you, yes.’

‘And what favour would you ask in return?’

‘My second request is just as simple.’ Vespasian took a scroll from the fold of his toga. ‘Do you know the slave-trader, Theron?’

Narcissus thought for a few moments, trawling through the vast amounts of information stored in his head. ‘He has a licence to purchase captives in Britannia, doesn’t he?’

‘That’s right.’ Vespasian unrolled the scroll and placed it on the desk between them. ‘This is a contract that I had with him that gave him exclusive rights to the pick of prisoners in return for a percentage of their end sale price. He’s refusing to honour it.’

Narcissus picked up the document and perused it. ‘Because he thinks that you won’t take him to court as it shows you being, shall we say, a bit too Republican in these days of the Emperor?’

‘That’s what he’s gambling on but I didn’t get him to sign a contract so that I could take him to court; I did it for precisely a time like this. Everything was done legally; the Emperor got his purchase tax in Britannia and I would assume that Theron was not stupid enough to avoid paying the sales tax here in Italia.’

‘Very commendable. So what do you want me to do?’

‘Revoke his licence for Britannia, ban him from conducting business in Italia and make it clear to him that unless he honours his debt to me and pays a premium of another hundred per cent of the amount, he will never have the chance of favour from you again.’

Narcissus raised his eyebrows. ‘You set a high price on your wife’s virtue.’

‘I just intend to benefit from a situation that is not to my liking.’

‘Very well; I’ll have Caenis summon this Theron for a little chat as soon as I get back from Ostia.’

‘I have men following him to find out where he’s staying; I’ll give the address to her.’

‘Very good. To show my good faith in this matter, that business will be concluded by the time I meet with Messalina’s mystery relation. How will we manage that?’

‘We’ll be on the steps of the Temple of Jupiter at Plautius’ Ovation. Look out for us; the meeting will be as if by accident as he doesn’t want to risk the-’

‘“He”?’

‘What?’

‘You’ve been careful with the sex of your kinsperson, I was assuming that it was because it was a woman; perhaps one of her cousins, like Vipstania, the sister of the Vipstanus Messalla brothers.’

‘Knowing the way that imperial politics works, I was just keeping as much information to myself as possible.’

Narcissus inclined his head and spread his hands. ‘You’ve learnt well.’

‘I’ve learnt from the masters.’

‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’ Narcissus got to his feet, indicating that the interview was at an end. ‘I will look out for you at the Ovation. My guess is that you will be accompanied by Lucius Vipstanus Messalla; I’ve heard that he’s disaffected because I blocked his consulship next year and Messalina couldn’t persuade Claudius to overrule me. Perhaps he wants me to unblock it in return for his cousin’s life.’

Vespasian kept his face neutral as he rose. ‘Perhaps, Narcissus.’

‘I would like to think it was Corvinus, but that would be too good to be true: you and him working together; I don’t think that you’ve come that far yet. But nothing should surprise one in imperial politics.’

Vespasian shrugged non-committally. ‘Before I go there is the matter of my third request, which I believe is the hardest of the three.’

‘Go on.’

‘When all this is over I want you to persuade Claudius to allow me to remove my family from the palace. If he wishes that Titus is still educated with Britannicus then he can come on a daily basis, but I have to get Flavia out before she spends all my money or compromises me again.’

Narcissus picked up Theron’s contract. ‘You are asking a lot of me.’

‘I’m giving a lot to you.’

‘If I get everything that you’ve promised then I’ll see to it.’

‘Thank you, imperial secretary,’ Vespasian said, turning to go. For the first time in his political career he did not feel out of his depth. He walked to the door with an accelerating heart and allowed himself a satisfied smile only after he closed it behind him.