Buried Too Deep (30 page)

The two raiders—I never did learn their names, so I mentally called them Black-hair and Curly—rowed with quiet efficiency along the coast towards the Headland. It wasn’t far, but it remained hidden in the fog until we were almost underneath it. I thought they’d pull into the beach on the south side, but instead they simply stopped rowing and let the boat drift, giving an occasional thrust with an oar to keep the bows facing the swell. Soon another small boat was rowed out to us, manned by two oarsmen, both enveloped in heavy hooded cloaks. Our boatmen started rowing to meet it, and before long I could see who was approaching us. I recognised Voltacos, the raiders’ leader, the third of the men who’d been chased from the sheep pasture by Lucius and me. His companion looked vaguely familiar, what I could see of him beneath his hood, but I hadn’t time to think about that because before the two boats had fully closed in, Voltacos let fly a string of oaths at Black-hair. He’d seen me, and realised his men had brought him the wrong prisoner.

The argument and abuse that followed were satisfying in a way. It’s always pleasant to watch your enemies falling out. If Voltacos had been in our boat, I believe he’d have struck Black-hair, and Black-hair himself must have thought so, because he kept his boat just far enough away from his leader’s to make it impossible. But he wasn’t intimidated by all the swearing.

“How was I to know?” he snapped back. “I did what you said, sent a note for Elli arranging to meet her lover on the cliff. Two women showed up, and this silly cow here said she was Elli.”

“But she hasn’t got a baby, you stupid…gods, the Chief’s going to be furious about this.” Voltacos turned his attention to me, and I got my own string of colourful abuse. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re not Elli, and the gods know what I’m to do with you. It’s Elli I need today.”

Black-hair said, “I don’t see why you can’t make do with this one. One woman’s much like another. But if you don’t want her, I’ll take her.
I
can find a use for her.” He laughed, and Voltacos swore.

I should have been afraid, but I felt only anger at the way they were talking about me. As I saw it, I’d nothing to lose, they could do whatever they liked with me. So I gave my anger free rein. “Neither of you are going to do anything with me or to me. I’m a Roman citizen, Aurelia Marcella, and if you lay a finger on me, you’ll wind up nailed to a cross or fed to lions and tigers in the arena. If you don’t fancy that kind of death, all you’ve got to do is put me ashore somewhere near here and I’ll make my way back to Bodvocus’ place. And don’t come looking for Elli. By now the Chief’s people will have found her, and they’ll make sure she and I are well protected.”

“Listen to it!” Black-hair jeered. “Who does she think she is, the Queen of the Nile?”

“I’m a citizen of the Empire. And my brother’s Lucius Aurelius, an investigator for the Governor, and he’s on your trail, you one-eared barbarian.”

I knew that would enrage Voltacos. He drew a knife and made as if to throw it at me, but his companion grabbed his arm and restrained him. “Go easy, Voltacos. If she’s really a Roman citizen…”

“Shut your mouth, or I’ll shut it for you. Now, you Roman whore, I’ve decided what we’ll do. Can you swim?”

“Yes, a bit.”

“It’ll have to be enough. Toss her over the side, boys, let the fishes have a meal or two.”

“Untie her hands first,” the man in Voltacos’ boat said. “If they find her, and she’s drowned because she can’t reach the shore, nobody will know we had anything to do with it. If she’s drowned because her hands are tied, they’ll all know it was us.”

Voltacos growled, “All right, get her untied and chuck her in. And then get back to the feast and bring me the right ones this time. Elli and her baby. Got that?”

They cheered as they threw me overboard into the icy cold water. I hit it with a resounding splash, went under, and immediately came up again. For a few heartbeats I stayed on the surface, buoyed up by the air trapped in my heavy cloak. I had time to gulp in a couple of huge breaths and to look round. The boat that had brought me was already just a dim blurred shape in the fog. I began to swim. I must stick close to the coast, because if I went very far out to sea I’d lose my bearings completely. I struck out towards the Headland, but Voltacos’ boat was still there, blocking my way towards the shore, the men laughing as they watched me. Then the water soaked into the heavy woollen fabric of my cloak, and I began to sink. My head went below the surface, the heavy wool pulling me down and down. Under the water it was grey and gloomy, and seemed to be getting darker, presumably because I was sinking away from the surface. My chest was beginning to tighten, and I felt panic reaching out to engulf me. Supposing I just went on down and down till I came to the bottom of the sea, and stayed there forever?

No, I thought, that’s not going to happen. I began kicking with my feet and using my hands to claw my way up towards the light. Slowly, slowly, I rose through the water, and just at the point when I thought my chest would burst, my head broke the surface. I trod the water as I got my breath back and looked around anxiously for the raiders’ boats, but they were gone. I had the sea to myself.

So you’re on your own, Aurelia, I told myself sternly. Think what’s best to do. First, get rid of this clinging cloak, you’ll never swim anywhere with a burden like that. I undid the bronze brooch that fastened it at the neck, and felt a great surge of relief as it fell away from me.

Now look around and get your bearings. There, that dark mass ahead of you is the Headland. Turn left and keep swimming with the Headland on your right. Just keep swimming, swimming, till you reach the landward end of it, and you’ll see the big sandy bay.

How far was it? I didn’t know. How far was I capable of swimming? I didn’t know that either. Father had taught the three of us to swim when we were children in Pompeii, but we’d never ventured far from land. Probably the most I’d ever swum was half a mile. Surely I could keep going for much further than that if I had to. Again I felt the icy touch of panic, so strong it threatened to paralyse me. But thinking about Father comforted me, and I ploughed on.

I’m not a very good swimmer, slow and clumsy even in the warm blue waters of the Bay of Neapolis. Here the cold of the German Ocean was seeping into me, and I didn’t know whether there were offshore currents that would sweep me out to sea. I suppose there must be, or the Mother-gift ceremony would tend to produce a bad omen, if the boat and its sacrificial cargo found their way back to shore. The tide was still ebbing, but would soon turn, and that would help me. Or would it?

Anyhow, I reasoned, I won’t have to swim the whole way. The beach in the big sandy bay to the south is wide and easy to approach. I can get ashore there and just walk steadily along the sands till I come to the area below Bodvocus’ estate. There the Beltane feast will still be in progress, and all I have to do is climb the cliff, and I’ll find all my friends waiting for me, with a hot fire and a mug of warm wine, and some dry clothes, and a chance to rest…

Thinking of warmth and rest made me realise how cold and tired I was. My hands had turned white, and I had hardly any sensation in my fingers. A small wave slapped me across the face, then another. Gods, the sea was getting rougher. If the wind got up and disturbed the dead calm of the water, I was finished. But I couldn’t feel any wind, and the waves still looked flat and friendly. So it must be that I was swimming lower in the water, failing to keep my head up high enough. And that would be why the Headland seemed further away than it had before. Yes, surely that must be the reason its bulk was less solid in the white gloom. Or perhaps the fog itself was growing thicker, making it harder to discern the outline. Or perhaps I was drifting away from it…no, I wouldn’t let myself even think about that.

I tried to make my arms and legs go faster, and with more force in each stroke. I began to pray to Father Neptune. He’s not a god I’ve had much to do with, but I asked him to hear me and spare my life because I’d tried to protect Elli. Then I prayed to Diana, my guardian goddess.

Another wave buffeted me, almost washing over my head. Water splashed into my mouth and in a fright I breathed some in through my nose too. I began to cough and splutter. Was this how it felt when you started to drown? My body tensed, and my chest and throat were tight, but the coughing went on, and I swallowed more water. As I fought to get my breath, I felt a sudden agonising cramp in my left calf, all the way down to my foot. I screamed with the pain of it, and stopped swimming, just managing to flail my arms enough to keep my head above the surface.

I sucked in a desperate breath of air and yelled, “Father Neptune! Holy Diana! Help me! Help me now!”

Out of the fog I heard an answer. “Hold on there. Hold on! We’re coming!”

I felt a sudden rush of hope. There was someone else out here. It wasn’t Father Neptune, even in my despair I knew that. The voice hadn’t the majestic cadence of an immortal god. It had a gruff barbarian accent that came from Britannia, not Olympus. But it was
someone!

Before I could call out again, yet another wave caught me full in the mouth, and I swallowed more water. I felt myself going under. I made one last effort not to sink. When I surfaced, the voice was there again, much closer. “It’s all right, we’ve got you. Why, it’s Aurelia Marcella. Now what in the gods’ name are you doing here?”

I remember thinking that was a particularly silly question, as strong hands grasped my tunic and pulled me from the ocean and into the bottom of a fishing-boat.

Chapter XXIX

I don’t remember being taken back to Bodvocus’ beach. I suppose I must have fainted. In fact I recall nothing at all till I woke up in a bed.

I opened my eyes and wondered where I was. The small room wasn’t familiar, but that didn’t seem important really. I was warm and dry and very tired, and all I wanted to do was rest.

“Relia,” Albia’s voice said softly. “You’re all right. You’re safe, and I’m here.”

“Albia?” She was by my bedside on a stool, holding my hand. So we must be at her farm. That was odd, I thought I should be at Bodvocus’ house. Well, if Albia was with me I needn’t fret. I started to sit up, but it was an enormous effort, so I lay down again.

“Don’t try to move, just relax. You’re quite safe. We’re at Bodvocus’ house.”

“Why?” And why did she keep saying I was safe?

“Because of the Beltane feast. You’ve been in the sea, and some fishermen found you and brought you back to land. Do you remember?”

“In the sea? No, I’d never go in the sea. It’s too cold. And the tide would take me…oh, gods!” Suddenly I did remember. “Albia, it was awful! The Long-hairs threw me in. I swam, and I prayed to Neptune, and then someone saved me. They wanted Elli.” I was wide awake now, and I sat bolt upright. “Elli, they tied her up. Is she all right?”

“She’s safe, and being well guarded.”

“And the baby. He told them to come back for it. Is it safe too?”

“Elli says you were very brave, letting the raiders take you instead of her. Someone found her quite soon after you disappeared, and she sent all the local fishermen out in their boats to look for you. The ones who picked you up were the same two who told Lucius about the shipwreck.”

“But the baby, Albia. Is the baby safe?”

She hesitated. Albia and I don’t lie to each other.

“Gods, they’ve got the baby?”

“We’re not sure. But Illiana and the baby have been missing for some time.”

“Then Voltacos has them.” I told her what I could remember of Voltacos’ words. She was horrified, and got to her feet.

“I must find Divico. He’s been going nearly frantic, looking for them. Will you be all right here by yourself for a little while?

“Of course. I’ll get dressed and come outside. Maybe I can help. And I’m starving hungry. Will there be any food left at the feast?”

She giggled. “Ah, that’s a good sign. There’s some bread and cheese over on that table. And I made you some mulsum. It’s not very warm now, but it’s sweet, and it’ll help you get your strength back. Have something to eat and drink while I see Divico. I promise I won’t be long.”

Normally I think mulsum is much too sickly-sweet for my palate, the flavour of all that honey spoiling the wine. But just then it was delicious. I drank two beakers, ate a couple of slices of bread, and thought, “Now I’m ready for anything.” Well almost anything, because my muscles screamed in protest when I got out of bed, and it was an effort to dress myself. But I did it. Only later, when I stopped to think, I realised that the clothes draped ready over a chair weren’t mine. Of course they weren’t. Mine were either soaking wet or lost in the sea. But at the time all that concerned me was that they were the right size, and would keep me warm.

There was a soft tap at the door.

I called, “Come in, if that’s Albia.”

“Yes, it’s me, and Lucius is here too. He’s just arrived from the farm.”

They both came in, and Lucius looked at me anxiously. “You do like getting into scrapes, Sis, don’t you?”

“I’m all right. I thought it was a nice day for a swim, that’s all. What’s the news from the farm? Did the raid happen?”

“It never even got started. We ambushed the bastards before they reached us.”

“Candidus and the others? Are they all safe?” Albia demanded.

“And Quintus?” I added.

“All safe and sound. It was even better than we planned, because we had a piece of good luck. One of the pirates deserted, and came to warn us of the attack, and which way they’d be coming. We thought at first it was some kind of trick, but he convinced us he wanted to help, and we ambushed them on their way to us. They didn’t know what hit them.”

I asked, “Did you get them all? Vividus, Coriu…”

“Every last one of them, all killed. Vividus, Coriu, Voltacos, and nine assorted guards and raiders. And none of us have even a scratch.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful news,” Albia exclaimed. “Well done!”

“Yes, congratulations, brother. An excellent day’s work.” I grinned at him. “I suppose you didn’t find Caratacus’ gold while you were at it?”

“Not yet. But Candidus has all his boys digging over his land yard by yard. If it’s buried there, they’ll find it.”

“Has Quintus come over with you?” I asked.

“He’ll be arriving soon. He had to make arrangements about some of the bodies—Vividus and Coriu. We couldn’t just bury them in a pit with the rest. And he’s bringing over the raider who deserted. There are a lot more questions we want to ask him.” He grinned. “And I think you’ll want to meet him too.”

“Me? To see if I recognise him, you mean? I’ll certainly have a look at him. Did he say why he deserted?”

“Only that he and Voltacos quarrelled over something important, and he didn’t want to work with him any more. Perhaps he’ll be more forthcoming now Voltacos is dead. Come on outside and wait for them, they won’t be long.”

So I wrapped up warm, and we all trooped out into the mist, where the feast was still going on at full gallop.

The later stages of a party are always more enjoyable if you’ve been part of it all the way through, rather than leaving it and then returning. The drunken youths, the courting couples, the over-enthusiastic singing and dancing…well, I suppose I just wasn’t in the mood for them. But among the merrymakers a quiet group waited round one of the bonfires. Divico, Elli and Aquilo, and Balca with Titch in close attendance, clustered together, and we three joined them. Neither Bodvocus nor his wife were there, and I wondered who would be given the job of telling them about Coriu.

We joined the group, and Lucius and I gave accounts of our respective adventures. The congratulations (for him) and the sympathy (for me) were interrupted by a shout from the direction of the road, and five figures loomed out of the fog: Quintus, Brutus and two of his men, and a tall man in chains. They brought the prisoner to us, and when I got a proper view of him, I felt a shock that was almost physical. Before I could stop myself, I cried out, “Gods, he’s the image of father!”

Beside me, Albia muttered, “Jupiter’s balls, you’re right. That’s just how father looked when we were children.”

Lucius said softly, “I thought so too. I wanted you girls to see for yourselves.”

The man was tall, thin, and brown-haired, with the familiar high forehead, sharp grey eyes and prominent nose and jaw. Incredibly, he had father’s way of holding himself, erect and alert, even now when he was a captive in chains.

I stepped up to him till I could almost touch him. “What’s your name?”

“Rollus.”

“Who was your father?”

He frowned. “What’s that to you?”

“Just answer the questions.” Lucius had come up to stand beside me. “Who was your father—if you can name him, that is.”

“I can name him, but what’s the point? You’ll not believe me.”

“Listen, scum.” Quintus gripped the prisoner’s tunic at the neck and shook it hard, making his head jerk like a puppet’s. “Don’t push your luck with us. You gave us some help today, and we appreciated it, but you’re still an outlaw, and I carry the Emperor’s authority to rid the world of filth like you. So do as my friend here says. Answer the questions.”

He released his grip and stepped back. Rollus said, “My father was a Roman soldier named Lucius Aurelius Marcellus. He was based in Britannia for a while in the Emperor Nero’s time, but he was born in Italia.”

“And your mother?” I could hardly get the words out.

“My mother was Huctia, originally from Glevum, which is where she met my father.”

“Are you in contact with your father?” Lucius asked. “Or any of his family?”

The prisoner laughed. “Of course not. I hardly remember him. I was only a baby when he left us, and then much later we met once in Lindum, when I was almost a man. He wasn’t exactly a resident
paterfamilias.
But he cared for my mother, or so she always said. He was prepared to acknowledge me as his son. He wrote a letter about it, and he left me his ring.”

“Have you the ring still? Or the letter?”

He shook his head. “Both were stolen from me in Londinium, with all my other possessions. I’d moved there to look for my family, and I spoke too freely about…about some property that my father said he would bequeath to me. My own fault, I suppose, for opening my mouth too wide. I was left with nothing but my tunic and sandals. I managed to get to the coast, and eventually I joined Voltacos’ men.”

I felt so excited, I didn’t know which of several questions to ask him next. But I asked none, because he was clearly getting impatient with this topic.

“Look, this is all typical stupid Roman bureaucracy, isn’t it? You waste time asking about my ancestors, while that poor girl and her baby are out there on the sea.”

“
What?
” we all exclaimed.

“That’s the reason I fell out with Voltacos. He kidnapped a lass and a baby today and left them to die in an open boat. I was sickened by the whole thing.”

Divico strode forward and reached out to seize Rollus by the throat, but Quintus pulled him aside. “All right, calmly now, everyone. I think we can all see where he’s driving, and we need to be quick. Rollus, you say a girl and a baby are at sea in a boat. A
live
girl and baby?”

“That’s right, in the boat that was sent out for the gods. Voltacos put them there. He really wanted some woman called Elli, but he said as long as he’d got Elli’s baby, the other girl would have to do instead.”

Elli gave a low moan, and Aquilo put his arm round her.

“But I was at the ceremony!” Balca spoke up. “There were no live people in the boat when it was launched. Just two dolls.”

Rollus nodded. “Of course there were dolls
then
. But later Voltacos went after it in his own boat and put in the girl and the baby instead.”

“Why?” Aquilo asked. “Has Voltacos some quarrel with Bodvocus?”

“Quarrel? Hardly! It was Bodvocus who ordered us to do it. Ordered Voltacos, that is, and paid him. Coriu brought the money, but it was the Chief wanted it done.”

“No!” Elli shrieked. “It isn’t true, it can’t be. Father—where’s my father? I’ll fetch him, he’ll tell me you’re lying.”

He shrugged. “Whether you believe me or not, it doesn’t alter the truth.”

“Elli,” I said, “don’t forget, some of the Gauls tried to capture you today. They took me instead, and when Voltacos found his men had brought me and not you, he was furious, and said something about the Chief being angry, but it was the baby he really wanted. He sent his men back to look for it. They must have found Illiana with your son at the feast.”

“That’s right,” Rollus agreed. “I was with Voltacos when they brought you to him. He said Bodvocus wanted his daughter and the baby dead, on account of they’d brought disgrace on his family, but especially the baby, because being a boy it would be more of a threat if it was allowed to grow into a man. Voltacos sent his men back to the feast to find them both. He didn’t think you’d survive your swim,” he added, looking at me.

“I wouldn’t have done, if you hadn’t insisted they untie my hands before they threw me in. I owe you my thanks for that.”

“Just common sense, like I said. And, well, when you mentioned your brother’s name…”

But our own family concerns weren’t the important issue just now. “So the raiders came back here,” Aquilo said, “and saw Illiana with our baby, and made another mistake.”

Rollus nodded. “That made Voltacos madder than ever, but he said they couldn’t waste any more time. That was when he told us what he intended to do with the lass and the child. It disgusted me. Raiding and pirating, that’s one thing, but killing an innocent girl and child…I made up my mind to leave Voltacos straight away. But I didn’t dare risk an open quarrel about it. They’d have killed me on the spot. So I said I’d got a bad belly ache and lay low in one of our caves till I got the chance to sneak off. I knew the place they were going to raid, the farm where the gold was supposed to be. I went and warned the people there, and gave myself up.”

Elli stepped slowly towards the prisoner. I tensed, thinking she was going to attack him, but she stopped in front of him, her face only a hand’s breadth from his. “I’m Elli, daughter of Bodvocus,” she growled, “and I’ve heard what you have to say. Do you swear it’s all true? Because I shall ask my father about it, and if I find you’ve made it up to save your life, I’ll kill you with my own hands.”

“I swear. By my father’s life, and by the gods of the sea, I swear it.” He added after a pause, “I’m sorry, lady.”

She covered her face with her hands and began to sob. “They’ve killed my baby! They’ve killed him!”

“Not necessarily,” Quintus said. “The currents around the bay are strong, but they change with the tide. Surely there’s a chance the boat may come back to land again while they’re still alive.”

“There’s no chance.” Elli’s voice was like the cry of a tortured animal. “They’re both as good as dead!”

Aquilo said, “Don’t give up hope, love. The gods of the sea won’t allow such an injustice. They’ll let the boat come ashore again.”

“The gods have no choice in the matter. They’re given a little help by their priests.”

“Help?” Aquilo said, and we all stared at her blankly, not understanding.

She dried her tears. “ If the Mother-gift comes back to land, it brings a curse on the people. It happened once years ago, the boat came ashore after three days, and there was a drought all summer long, and a cattle-plague and a famine. So now the priests make sure the boat has a small, slow leak in it. Wherever the currents take it, it will always sink, and never return.”

Quintus was the first to break the stunned silence. “How long have they got?”

“A day and a night, perhaps,” Elli answered. “But this night is cold and damp. The baby won’t live through it, even if the boat does.”