The Vestal Vanishes

TWENTY-THREE

Paulinus turned his attention to the slave. ‘What is it?’ he enquired.

She mimed at him, pretending to be a driver of a carriage urging on the horse. Even I could understand the message she was trying to convey.

‘I do believe there’s someone at the gate,’ I said, wondering whether the raeda had been sent to fetch me after all. If so there must be news. Perhaps Lavinia had turned up again? I was about to voice this happy possibility but my words were interrupted by a loud imperious rapping at the door.

I saw the look which flashed between the owner and his wife — a look of total apprehension and surprise. Paulinus closed his eyes. ‘I forgot to let the guard-dog loose again,’ he muttered, in evident distress. ‘Somebody’s managed to come directly up the path.’

Secunda had turned even paler than she’d been before but she said calmly, ‘Then we’d better answer it. Go yourself, Paulinus. It isn’t fair to Muta otherwise. Strangers ask her questions and she can’t explain. Much better if she goes back and looks after Paulina.’

He nodded and went out into the little passageway towards the outer door, from whence the hammering was getting louder all the time. Muta disappeared to tend her charge again, while Secunda and I stood — as if by mutual consent — in silence, listening.

We heard Paulinus saying, ‘I am the householder. Can I be of help?’ And then his startled, sharp intake of breath. ‘Dear Mars! To what do we owe this?’

‘I am looking for a citizen named Libertus,’ said a voice I recognized. ‘I understand he may be calling at the house. I am sent here to inform him that — since Audelia is dead — he is to discontinue his enquiries and return to Glevum with us instantly. The gig is waiting for him at the gate.’

I was already in the passage by this time. I did not need to see the scarlet tunic and the fur-edged cape, to know the visitor’s identity. ‘Fiscus!’ I exclaimed. ‘What are you doing here?’

He looked at me with that expression of disdain. ‘I am sent here to inform you that…’ he began again, with elaborate patience, but I cut him off.

‘I heard that! What I mean is, how did you find me at this farm? And how do you come to be here at this time of day? You must have left Glevum shortly after dawn.’

‘We did!’ The eyes took in the two Roman togas with contempt: mine, which was even more dishevelled and travel-stained by now and the old (though cleaner) one which Paulinus wore. Fiscus’s own attire was immaculate. ‘Publius was for sending us after you last night, as soon as Audelia’s body was brought home, but Cyra and Lavinius said it was too late to travel then and we would never get to Corinium safely before dark. So, instead, they sent us at first light. We called at the lodging-house and they told us where you were. We would have been here rather sooner, in fact, but earlier in the day the sky was overcast and we had no sun and shadows to judge direction from. Several times we had to stop and ask the way.’

Paulinus had been listening to all this with interest. ‘You are Lavinius’s servant?’ he asked, and then — aside to me — ‘I did not think my kinsman kept menservants like this! But evidently you two have met before?’

‘This slave belonged to Publius, originally,’ I explained. ‘He made a gift of him to my patron, who then lent him to me, just for a few hours when I had no servant of my own to travel with.’

‘I imagine that’s why I was selected for this task,’ Fiscus said, with evident distaste. ‘Riding and jolting all this way in a gig. And jammed in with a slave-girl all the way!’

‘A slave-girl?’ I was mystified. ‘Whatever did they send a slave-girl with you for?’

‘To ride back in the raeda and guard the nurse, of course — though naturally the prisoner would have ridden back in chains. Lavinius was going to send her to the torturers, to see if something could be extorted out of her about the disappearance of his daughter. Obviously at that time we did not know the nurse was dead.’

‘They told you about that at the lodging-house, I suppose?’

It was a rather fatuous question and he treated it with the disdain that it deserved. ‘They could hardly hope to keep it a secret, citizen!’ he said, with a facade of politeness that was more humiliating than open rudeness would have been. ‘But in fact we met that horseman on the way. That giant fellow. He recognized the gig and waved us down. He warned us what had happened, so by the time we reached the lodging-house we knew what we would find. Obviously, in the circumstances, we didn’t linger there.’

‘But I want to go back there before I leave Corinium,’ I said. ‘I need to speak to the landlady again. There are some clothes I want to look at, and something that her slaves were going to try to find for me.’

He looked at me coldly. ‘That will not be necessary now. Your involvement in the matter is to cease at once. I am instructed to make that absolutely clear. Audelia is dead, and being cremated as we speak. Since there is no question of a Vestal marriage now, Publius has no further interest in the case. Clearly feels the match was ill-omened from the start. As for Lavinia, since she has run away, her father has formally washed his hands of her in front of witnesses and her parents would disown her if she ever did return. Certainly they do not wish to waste more money seeking her.’

‘I would still like to call in at the lodging-house,’ I said stubbornly, wondering whether Trullius would ever now be paid.

He raised a supercilious brow at me. ‘In that case, citizen, you are fortunate. We will have to stop there on the journey back. The undertaker’s women hadn’t finished with the nurse and the slave-girl didn’t want to stay in the same house with the dead, so we brought her here with us. It seems she’s superstitious about accompanying the corpse and wants to appeal to you about the necessity of riding back with it.’

He seemed so irritated by this appeal to my authority that I was instinctively in favour of the plaintive in the case. I peered towards the gig. A skinny figure in the back seat waved a timid hand at me. ‘Is that Modesta?’ I said, incredulous.

Fiscus made his self-important face. ‘It may be, citizen. I didn’t ask her name. Anyway, we shall take her back as soon as possible and she will have to do her duty and ride home with the corpse — on the front seat of the raeda, if she must, since there won’t be room inside. I don’t suppose she’ll like it very much but those are my instructions, so perhaps you will be good enough to see that she obeys? She’s a slave-girl after all and her master put me in charge of her today. I wasn’t consulted about bringing her out here — that was the landlord’s doing, I believe, or I would never have agreed to that. It’s the sort of concession to the foibles of a slave that may be frequent here, but would not for a moment be condoned in Rome.’

His condescension made me furious and I was suddenly determined to impede him if I could. For instance I would not be hurried into driving back with him. I turned to Paulinus. ‘These poor slaves have driven all the way from Glevum ever since first light, and I doubt they have been offered rest or any food and drink. I myself am not quite ready to depart…’

The householder made a little deprecating gesture with his hand. ‘We really have no slave-quarters that we can offer them. Only the nursemaid has a room inside the house and she shares that with Paulina, to keep an eye on her…’

‘And the little page?’ I asked.

‘Has been sleeping on a pile of rushes at the door,’ he said. ‘We have not made permanent arrangements, since we’re due to leave for Gaul…’

He broke off as Secunda came out from the house. It was evident at once that she had overheard. ‘Paulinus, these are servants sent from your kinsman’s house. Of course we must provide refreshment as the citizen suggests. It would seem remarkable to do otherwise.’ She smiled at Fiscus and I saw him melt. It was magic. Who needed Druid spells when Secunda’s smile could charm a man like that? ‘We’ll bring it to the barn. There’s clean hay there where they can sit and eat. Perhaps they would also like to make use of the latrine? It’s a long way to Glevum.’

I wouldn’t have minded using the latrine myself and I murmured something of the kind to Paulinus. He nodded. ‘Then I’ll show them to the barn and take you there myself. In the meantime, I’ll put the dog on guard. We can’t have just anyone coming to the door!’ He left us in the entrance and went back to the gate. He summoned the two slaves from the gig and moved the dog back to its earlier position where it stood bristling and growling at the gig-driver and had to be restrained from leaping at his throat as he went past. At Modesta, for some reason, it only bared its teeth and barked.

I was directed to the small latrine and by the time I had emerged from it, the three slaves from Glevum were already in the barn and Muta was crossing the yard towards it with a tray, on which I could see another hunk of bread, more of the curd-cheese which had been offered me and three wooden drinking bowls.

‘I’ll send some water when the page comes back with it.’ Secunda’s unexpected voice at my shoulder made me whirl around. ‘Meanwhile would you care to come back into the house? I think you said you were not wholly ready to depart? Is there something else you wished to ask of us?’

‘Not really,’ I said wryly, and when she looked surprised, I confessed why I had said it. ‘Fiscus is so arrogant and pompous, for a slave,’ I finished, and rejoiced to see her smile.

‘He values himself higher than his slave-price, doesn’t he? I suppose it is his training,’ she said, with humorous sympathy. ‘I think you said that he was Publius’s slave? No doubt he’s spent his whole life in the capital and, because his master is a very wealthy man, he feels that deference should be shown to him. I expect he gets it, for the most part, too — and that is how he calculates his worth.’ She gave that lovely smile. ‘I’m very glad I’m not obliged to go and live in Rome. I think that I should hate it in those circles, citizen.’

I looked around this simple, happy home and I could only nod. I would not have swapped my roundhouse, with all its smoke and draughts, for the underfloor heating and marble colonnades of a great house in the Imperial city, either — to be spied upon and taxed, obliged to spend one’s days currying favour from the Emperor’s latest favourite, and being forced to feign support even for Commodus’s more outlandish fads. Of course, I was too careful to voice this thought aloud. Fiscus was about. Even here, such criticism might be dangerous.

I was still smiling hopelessly at my beautiful hostess when a small scruffy figure tottered through the gateway at the back, struggling with the pitcher which was now evidently full. It was clear that Servus was not used to this: he put the jug down more than once or twice as if it were too heavy and he couldn’t manage it.

Secunda stepped towards him and I thought that she was going to send him to the barn with it, but instead she stooped and picked the pitcher up herself. ‘Get into the house at once,’ she muttered urgently. ‘Don’t stop and stand about. Go inside and play with Paulina — see that you look after her this time. And don’t come out until I call for you. You understand?’

Servus stared and nodded, rather doubtfully.

Secunda turned to me. ‘Perhaps, citizen, you would be kind enough to go with h-’ She broke off as Muta came out from the barn, carrying the tray, with Modesta trailing after her and earnestly attempting to converse.

Servus took one look at them and bolted for the house, while Secunda murmured, ‘I’m sorry, citizen, to have spoken so sharply to the child — and before a guest as well — but I could hardly let Servus go into the barn. That poor creature is too nervous to say a word to me! Imagine how Fiscus would have frightened him! We should have had this water spilt all over the new hay! And what stories Fiscus could have taken to Lavinius about us!’ She paused to look at Muta, who had crossed to us by now and was making irritated signals with her hand, pointing at Modesta — who came up close to me as though for protection.

I looked down at the slave-girl and she gave a little bob. ‘I’m sorry, citizen. I don’t know why this slave-woman is so upset with me. I was only asking if there was any watered wine. Fiscus said there should be, since we were offered cups, but when I approached this slave she wouldn’t answer me.’

I shook my head and said, as gently as I could, ‘That is because she cannot speak at all. The poor thing is a mute. You must be kind to her.’ I found that I was trying to model my reply on what I thought Secunda might have said. ‘Anyway,’ I went on, ‘there isn’t any wine, not even for visiting citizens like me. But there is water, and very good it is — the slave-boy has just brought some from the well.’

Modesta gave her timid sideways smile. ‘Is that the little fellow that I saw scurrying inside?’

‘Exactly. He is very new and does not understand his duties yet. But here is the water that he brought,’ Secunda intervened, proffering the jug. ‘Now, if you have everything that you require, there are matters in my household to which I must attend. Paulina — my husband’s daughter — has been alone too long, though I think her father may be taking care of her. I will relieve him of that woman’s chore. I know he wants to go and tend his beasts again. Join us when you are ready, citizen.’ And attended by her ancient maidservant she went into the house.

Modesta watched them go, clutching the pitcher against her skinny chest. ‘What a lovely lady. Shame about her slave.’ She giggled. ‘And what a funny little page they seem to have. You would think he’d never carried water in his life.’

‘Quite possibly he hasn’t,’ I told her, with a smile. Talking to Secunda made me feel benevolent. ‘They only got him from the market yesterday. Sold by his parents to buy food, I understand.’

‘No wonder he hardly knows where to begin!’ Suddenly she creased her brow at me. ‘I wonder if they tried to sell him in Glevum market once before? I’ve got the oddest feeling that I’ve seen that boy somewhere — though for the life of me I couldn’t tell you where. Perhaps it is simply that he looks like someone else. That must be what it is! You would not forget that haircut and those knobbly white knees!’

I found that I was standing very still. ‘Who is it that the slave reminds you of?’ I said, almost fearing what she might reply. ‘It wasn’t the mistress of this house, by any chance?’ That at least, would make a kind of sense — and explain the mystery of Secunda’s past. I added, ‘I can see no such resemblance myself.’

To my relief the slave-girl only laughed. ‘That lovely lady? Not a bit of it. Someone in our household, or in Glevum, I am sure,’ she said. ‘And not my master or the lady Cyra, certainly. Perhaps the chief steward or possibly the nurse, or maybe even…,’ She broke off, laughing, ‘I don’t know why I’m bothering to tell you all of this. It’s nonsense, anyway. How could a pauper from Corinium have anything to do with my master’s slaves at home? Anyway, it was just a brief impression, I only got a glimpse.’ She glanced towards the barn. ‘But now, forgive me, citizen — I must take this water back. Fiscus will be angry and I’m more afraid of him than I’ve ever been of any of the usual stewards at my master’s house.’

‘Tell him that it’s my fault because I kept you here,’ I said, although I did not have much conviction that it would help her cause. ‘In the meantime, I should go myself and conclude my business in the house.’ I looked up at the sky. How long would it take those slaves to eat some bread and cheese? I made a calculation. ‘When the shadow of that oak tree meets that flagstone there, I shall be ready. Come and get me then. In the meantime, enjoy your little meal.’

She nodded and went hastening back into the barn, carrying the brimming pitcher on her head. There was no doubt that she was used to doing it.

I was feeling very thoughtful as I went back to the house. Muta was waiting and she let me in, and when I reached the central room I found Paulina there, scribbling a picture on a piece of slate, while Servus crouched down on a stool and watched her work.

He sprang up when he saw me and murmured, ‘Citizen!’ It was the first time that I’d heard him utter any word at all and I realized that my unspoken theory had been wrong again. This child had no impediment of speech, beyond the terror that was clearly in his eyes and which was evident by the tremor in the syllables. Like all such young pageboys he had a fluting tone, but there was no stutter and he spoke quite well.

He saw me looking and he backed away from me until he stood with his back against the wall. I wondered where he had learned that defensive strategy. I said, quite kindly, ‘Will you go and find your mistress and tell her I am here?’ He looked panicked and bewildered and he did not move. I tried again. ‘Find Secunda for me. Tell her I am here. Or Paulinus if that is easier.’ It had not occurred to me, until I said the words aloud, that I should — of course — have asked first for the master of the house.

This time he nodded and edged slowly to the door although he didn’t for a moment take his eyes from me. Meanwhile Paulina scratched away with her chunk of chalk-stone, happily oblivious to the pair of us. Once or twice she even put it in her mouth.

I did not feel that the pageboy kept a proper watch on her, certainly he hadn’t since I was in the room. I decided I would have to mention it to his mistress when she came. It was just as Modesta said about the water-jug — it was evident that Servus had a lot to learn. At the moment he had no idea at all of what was expected of a household slave.

I looked at him again. What else was it that Modesta said? That he had reminded her of someone she had seen before. And then, like a mosaic, all the little fragments settled into place. It was hardly credible. But it must be the solution. How could I find out? As he turned away to lift the latch and push open the door he had his back to me.

‘Lavinia!’ I called softly, and Servus whirled around.

‘What is it, citizen?’ And then I knew for sure.