Shadows in Bronze

XXXIV

A ladybird landed on Helena's dress, which gave her an excuse to catch it on her finger and watch it instead of me. The ladybird was prettier anyway.

'I beg your pardon.'

'There's no need,' she said; I could see that there was.

After a short silence she asked me what to do if she found any trace of Barnabas, so I explained how I was staying in Oplontis, and the best time to catch me was in the evenings when we ate. 'It's not far; you could send a slave with a message-'

‘Are you staying in Oplontis on your own?'

'Oh, no! Larius and I have a lively female entourage -' She looked up. 'Petronius Longus is here. He has a bevy of little girls.' She had met Petro; she probably thought him respectable (which, in the presence of his wife and children, he generally was).

'Ah, you're with a family! So you're not lonely?' 'It's not my family,' I snapped.

She frowned over that one then started again. 'Are you not enjoying your beach party?'

Defeated by her persistence, I finally sighed. 'You know me and the sea. Sailing on it makes me sick; even staying alongside makes me nervous in case any of my jolly companions suggests a joy ride on the waves… I'm here working.'

'Aufidius Crispus? How far have you got?'

‘I've sold a lot of good people new sets of water pipes; hence the dreadful garb.' She made no comment. 'Look, when do you expect I'll hear from you about Barnabas?'

'Today I shall have to let this commotion you've caused settle; tomorrow I had planned going to Nola with my father- in-law.' Helena seemed to hesitate, then she continued. ‘Perhaps I can help you with Crispus. I may know people he visits when he comes ashore.'

'Your father-in-law for instance?'

'No, Falco!' she replied sternly, rejecting my suspicion of political skulduggesy up at the villa.

'Oh pardon me!' I wriggled against my olive tree and gave her a twisted grin. 'I'll find him eventually,' I assured her.

Helena was looking thoughtful. 'Listen, try the magistrate in Herculaneum. His name is Aemilius Rufus; I've known him for years. His sister was engaged to marry Crispus once. Nothing came of it. She was keen, but he lost interest-'

'Trust a man,' I contributed helpfully.

'Quite!' she said.

I sighed slightly. I was feeling melancholy. It seems a long time .

'It is!' she retorted crossly. 'What's the matter? 'Thinking.'

'What?'

'You… Someone I thought I knew so well, yet will never know at all.'

Now there was a silence that said if I intended to be objectionable, the whole conversation was closed.

'You were going to come and see me, Falco.'

'I know when I'm not wanted.'

A tired expression crossed her face. 'Were you surprised to find me here?'

'Nothing women do surprises me!'

'Oh don't be so conventional!'

'Excuse me!' I grinned. 'Princess, if had had the slightest inkling you featured on today's job list, I would have spruced up my togs before I came barging in. I do prefer to look like a man whose departure a woman might regret!'

'Yes, I realized you wanted to leave me,' Helena stated suddenly.

The ladybird flew off, but she soon found some other six-legged friend to study on the back of her hand. She was sitting extremely still, not to disturb the bug.

I thought of all the things I ought to say; none of them came out. I managed to ask, 'What do you think?'

'Oh… it does seem best.'

I stretched my chin and studied the space ahead of my nose. Somehow the fact she was making no difficulties only created more. 'People were going to get hurt,' I insisted. 'Two of them were people I particularly cared about: me and you.'

'Don't worry about it, Falco… just a passing fling.'

'A special one,' I told her gallantly, having problems with my throat.

'Was it?' she queried, in that thin, light voice.

'I thought so… Are we still friends?'

'Of course.'

I smiled miserably. 'Ah that's what I like about senators' daughters – always so civilized!'

Helena Justina rapidly shook the wildlife off her hand. There was a scuffle behind us and my nephew tumbled into the grove.

'Sorry, Uncle Marcus!' His diffidence was pointless since there was nothing going on. 'I think that pest with the sunshade is coming down!'

I rocked to my feet fast. 'Your new bodyguard seems a persistent type!' I offered my hand as Helena scrambled up too but she ignored it.

'He's not mine,' she said shortly. I felt an uneasy twinge, as if a drunk in a bar had lurched to his feet, staring straight at me.

We all headed back to the track. At the ox cart, Helena urged us, 'Drive under the trees and stay out of sight-'

I nodded to Larius to drive under cover. Still no sign of her minder. Abruptly I grasped her shoulders, confronting her. 'Listen lady, when I was your bodyguard, there were no conflicts of interest. I took my orders from you – and when you wanted your privacy I stepped back!'

A splash of colour moved among the cypresses above. I shot a warning glance then dropped my fists as I let her go. Her left hand brushed through mine – but made no attempt to answer my pressure as she slipped free.

Something had been bothering me; I realized what:

On the finger where people display their wedding rings a twist of metal had run beneath my thumb like an old friend. It was a ring made of British silver which I had given to Helena myself.

She must have forgotten it. I said nothing, in case she became embarrassed and felt obliged to take it off now our affair was supposed to be at an end.

I started to turn away under the trees, then came back. 'If you're going to Nola – no; it's nothing.'

'Don't be so irritating! What?'

Nola was famous for its bronze. My mother expected a present from Campania so had tactfully suggested what to get. I told Helena. The Senator's elegant daughter gave me a cool look.

'I'll see what I can do. Goodbye, Falco!'

Larius and I sat under the olive trees while I counted off the time for a tall girl, striding furiously, to storm up past the terrace and the riding range, then back into the house. 'Are you seeing her again?' my nephew quizzed.

'Sort of'

'Assignation?'

'I've sent her out to buy something.'

'What?' Suspicion was already darkening his romantic soul as he guessed I had done something outrageous.

'A bronze bucket,' I confessed.