Semper Fidelis

Chapter 62

Flat-nose moved toward the gate with a limp he did not have before and glanced across to where Virana was waiting in the cart. “You’re wasting your time with that one, miss.”

The rude one said, “We’ve had enough of Romans, all right?”

“It’s not her fault!” Flat-nose turned to Tilla. “We told them everything we could, miss.”

“That didn’t stop ’em,” put in the rude one. “Sick bastards.”

Tilla said, “You were questioned about the murder?”

“We saw him come out the gate,” said Flat-nose, “but we never saw no doctor. Not that I know of. Unless he were one of them fellers with the scorpions.”

“A Praetorian?”

“That’s them.”

“You saw some Praetorian Guards that night?”

He snorted. “Couldn’t miss ’em. All over the place like a plague of rats. Them and the new lot with the funny-speaking women.”

He must mean the Sixth, some of whose families had followed them from their last posting in Germania.

“Where were you when you saw Geminus?”

The brothers glanced at each other, evidently embarrassed. Finally Flat-nose said, “In the ditch.”

“Where Geminus was found?”

“No,” said the rude one, “the other side of the gates. It was getting a bit lively out there. We didn’t want to get stabbed, so we hid. Me and him and our mate. He’s the blacksmith.”

“Why did you not tell the questioners this?”

He frowned. “I did.”

Flat-nose said, “So did I.”

Tilla spoke slowly, just to make sure her meaning was precise. “Did you see anyone near Geminus?”

“I just told you!” The rude one was getting impatient now. “Like I told old Skinny-legs with the fancy sword. I saw the centurions come out the gate banging on their shields. I thought, Somebody’s in trouble now. Then Geminus come out with some of them Praetorians. I don’t know why that’s so hard to understand.”

“How many?”

“I don’t know. Three or four.”

“You’re sure they were Praetorians? It was dark.”

“They had torches.”

“And that’s how you recognized Geminus?”

“Nah. They all look alike with them helmets on. I heard his voice.”

Tilla looked at Flat-nose for confirmation. He nodded. “It was him all right.”

“What was he saying?”

“It was in Latin. Something about going into action together again.”

“And then what happened?”

“We hid.”

“So you didn’t see what happened next?”

“No.”

“What did you hear after that?”

“Hear?” said the rude one. This was clearly something they had not been asked before.

“You knew Geminus from his voice. You must have good hearing.”

The brother sighed. “Are you going to call in a man with a whip too?”

“Shouting,” suggested Flat-nose. “Grunting. Like a fight.”

The rude one said, “Did you hear someone breathing funny?” They looked at each other for confirmation.

“We had a good laugh after,” said Flat-nose. “Somebody had the same idea as us, see. We heard him go into the ditch the other side, only that side’s all nettles.”

“Did you hear him complaining?”

They looked at each other, but neither could remember any complaints. “Well, he wouldn’t shout about it if he was hiding, would he?”

Or if he was dead. “And then?”

“We followed the ditch away from the gates, got out where nobody could see, and went back to our mate’s workshop to sleep it off.” Flatnose rubbed his leg and winced. “Then next day we all got woke up and marched in to the fort to see a man who didn’t believe a word we told him.”

“Romans do not believe that ordinary people will tell the truth unless they are in pain,” explained Tilla. “Did you see Geminus again after that?”

“No. Well, he were dead, weren’t he? Lucky they didn’t throw him in our side.”

“From what I hear,” said the rude one. “Good riddance.”

Tilla allowed herself a smile. “Yes,” she said, “I think we are all better without him. Now, about your sister …”

“How much are you offering?”

“I am not offering to buy your sister!” Tilla was shocked. “I am come to ask your mother’s blessing for her to travel with me to Deva. Then I will see to it that she gets safely home again.”

Back at the cart, Tilla merely told Virana that she had the family’s permission to go to Deva. She left out the brother’s demand for money, and the fact that the mother had said she need not bother coming back.