Buried Too Deep (5 page)

“I bought him last June, so not even a year yet. I’m very pleased with him, though it doesn’t do to say so every hour, or else he’ll get too cocky. He’s learning fast, and he’s got a sensible calm head on his shoulders, which is half the battle in my trade. I’ve promised him his freedom as soon as he’s competent to treat simple cases without me, so he’s taking every chance he can to learn.” He smiled. “I was the same at his age.”

I stood a little while in the fresh air, mentally listing the various practical tasks for the morning. Another note for Lucius was top of my list. Next, I must make sure Timaeus remembered to send for one of the temple priests from Oak Bridges to perform the cleansing rituals needed to purify the room where Belinus had died. Though he denied that the gods had much influence on his patients’ well-being, he still couldn’t afford to take chances where divine favour was concerned. After that I must make arrangements to send Belinus’ body home to his family. As one of my brother’s informers, it was the least he deserved, and I ought to write to his widow—Illiana, was it? And of course there were the usual chores of the day, because at a mansio life goes on, even with death close by.

Gloom settled over me as I considered the morning’s tasks, and even the bright dawn light and the songs of the birds failed to dispel it. So I went inside, changed, and washed my face, which made me feel, if not happier, at least clean. Then I wrote to my brother, a short message as before, couched in words that wouldn’t mean much to anyone else, except that the plea for him to visit us urgently was clear enough. I went straight out and asked Secundus to get Malchus to deliver it as soon as possible. The gods alone knew what good it might do.

Doing something practical made me start to feel better. I also felt hungry, so I went to the kitchen, where Margarita was having breakfast, and joined her. She’d already heard about Belinus’ death, and lost no time in dispatching a messenger to the temple at Oak Bridges with a note and a purse of silver, asking one of the priests to visit us sometime today.

“Good. I’m sending Belinus’ body home to his farm this morning. From what he said before he died, he was definitely one of Lucius’ informers. I’ll write a letter explaining what happened and expressing our condolences. I’ll have to word it carefully, because it’s possible his wife and family don’t know he was working for my brother.”

“Mistress, this letter’s just come for you.” One of the maids bustled in, waving a small package. “A farmer on his way to Oak Bridges brought it in. He said your relatives on the wolds asked him to deliver it on his way.”

“From my sister? Thanks, Baca, I’ll come through and thank him, but I’d better read it first. Gods, I hope there’s nothing wrong.”

“He said he should have brought it yesterday but he’d been delayed somehow, and he was in a tearing hurry and wouldn’t even stop to see you. We gave him a drink on the house, but he just gulped it down and left again…”

I’d stopped listening. I quickly unwrapped the cloth around the package, and found inside a note written in ink on a flat wooden tablet. It wasn’t from Albia, but from her husband Candidus.

“Candidus to Aurelia Marcella, greetings. We have some trouble near here, caused by a band of sea-raiders who are picking on small farms, stealing animals and extorting money. They haven’t touched us so far, and we’ve enough farm boys to protect ourselves, but I can’t help worrying because of Albia and the children. If things get worse, could Albia and the little ones come to stay with you at the Oak Tree for a while?

Do come and see us soon. You know you’re always welcome, and I’d value your advice about what we can do to protect the farm. You’re used to dealing with trouble.

Albia doesn’t know I’m writing to you. I don’t want to alarm her.”

I stared at the note. It might or might not have alarmed Albia, who’s a lot tougher than she looks, but it certainly alarmed
me.
The simple fact that Candidus had written it was worrying, and his comment, “You’re used to dealing with trouble…” I was overwhelmed by a sudden strong desire to see my sister and make sure she and her family were well. Candidus had written that they were safe. But for how long?

“Margarita, I must ride over and see Albia today. Look at this.” I passed her the note.

She read it and nodded. “Yes, I think you must. Candidus is normally such a calm man, and an optimist. If he’s worried, you need to take it seriously.”

“I do. I can ride with the carriage that’s taking Belinus home, his farm’s on the way. I can even call in and talk to his family. It won’t be a very pleasant errand, but they’ll appreciate my going personally I expect. Then I’ll still have time to see Albia, and be back here tonight. Will you be able to cope without me during the day? If it gets busy again…”

She smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll manage fine.”

She would, too. I trusted her, and I knew she was more than capable of running the mansio in my absence. She’d been my housekeeper for two years now, and I suspected she enjoyed being in sole charge. She was looking thoughtful. “How far is it to Belinus’ farm?”

“A bit more than twenty miles. Then it’s another three or four to Albia’s.”

“And you’ll be slow for those first twenty miles if you’re with the raeda. So wouldn’t you be better staying the night at Albia’s, and coming home tomorrow? I don’t like the thought of you riding back in the dark, if there’s any chance of trouble.”

“Yes, I will, if you’re sure. Thanks.”

“You’ll want to take some food with you?”

That’s one of the many reasons Margarita suits me as a housekeeper. She has a knack of knowing what I’m thinking, and she remembered I always like to take some provisions with me when I call in on my sister unannounced. “Yes, but I’ll be riding, not driving in the raeda with the—with Belinus. So I’ll be a bit limited in what I can carry. Some olives, I think, and sausage, and a piece of that goat’s cheese.”

“If those greedy gannets haven’t eaten it all for breakfast. And Cook made some honey cakes yesterday.”

“Ah, now that’ll make me doubly welcome. As many as you can spare, please.”

She began making me up a couple of saddlebags of food to take, while I walked outside to finish my morning rounds. I’d already seen Secundus, and when I went back to the stables he assured me my message for Lucius was on its way.

He was in one of the stalls now, smearing ointment on a horse’s back where the saddle had rubbed its hide raw, and muttering curses on the careless courier who had ridden the poor animal in such a state.

“Could you tell someone to saddle Merula for me, and harness up a medium-sized raeda please? Make sure it looks smart and clean, because it’s for one of Timaeus’ patients who died this morning. I’m taking his body home to his family, then I’m going on to my sister’s place.”

He nodded. “I heard that poor young farmer died. A sorry business, but if Timaeus couldn’t help, I doubt anyone else could. I’ll put two drivers on the raeda with the body, just for once. Some of the boys aren’t very happy about being too close to corpses, and they’ll be company for each other on the way home.”

“Good idea, yes, if you can spare two. I’m afraid I’m leaving you a bit short-handed.”

“No bother, everything’s well in hand. Now, there’s this talk of trouble near the coast. Are you taking a guard?”

“Well…I don’t know.” Normally I’m happy to ride without an escort, especially on good Roman roads like the one I’d be taking today. But this morning, events were conspiring to make me nervous. I made up my mind. “Yes, I think I will. I’ll take Taurus.”

Taurus is my handyman, and I’ve often used him as a bodyguard when I needed someone strong and reassuring. Besides being tall and powerfully built, he’s always been one of the most loyal of our slaves, more or less part of the family. And he loves children, so I knew he’d enjoy visiting Albia, and get a warm welcome there. I found him in the workshop, and he jumped at the chance of a trip into the wolds, even though it involved escorting a corpse part of the way, and possibly encountering trouble when we got there. “We’ll have a brilliant time, Mistress Aurelia. Such a lovely day too. And I can take along those toys I made for the twins’ birthday. And we’ll be staying overnight? Oh, that’s good!”

I wished I could share his simple happiness, but the more I thought about the day to come, the more apprehensive I felt.

I was almost back at the bar-room door when the sound of a horse cantering along the main road made me look up. A rider turned down our track, and as I recognised him, my gloom suddenly vanished. It was my brother Lucius, and he was waving joyfully.

Chapter V

“Lucius, this is wonderful!” I ran to him as he jumped down, and we hugged.

“Now that’s what I call a proper welcome! Good to see you, too, Sis. You’re looking well.”

“I’m fine, sir. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“I’m extremely well, Sis. Never better.”

“But how did you manage this? I thought it might be a month before you got my message.”

He laughed. “I’ve had no message from you, so it probably will be. When did you send it?”

“Yesterday, to Petreius. I’ve sent another this morning.”

“I haven’t been to headquarters for quite a few days. I’m based on the coast at present.”

“You’ve ridden all the way from there this morning? You must have set off in the middle of the night.”

“Nearly. But I’ve only come from Albia’s. I went to see her yesterday as nothing much is happening by the sea, and decided I’d take today off to come and visit my favourite twin sister.” He turned as one of the horse-boys came out to see who the new arrival was. “’Morning, Castor. How are you? Have you married that pretty girlfriend of yours yet?”

“’Morning, Master Lucius. No, I can’t afford to get married, not on the wages I get here.” He grinned. “That’s what I tell her, anyway. It’s good to see you again. Are you staying long?”

“Only a few hours, unfortunately. Long enough to sample some of Cook’s food and have a beaker or two of wine, and maybe a hot bath.” He patted his tall gelding. “Look after this old boy, he’s had a hard ride this morning. And pick me out one of our good black horses to take me to the coast. I’ll have to leave by noon.”

He turned back to me, pushing his untidy mop of fair hair out of his eyes. “Well, what’s all the to-do, Sis? Two messages in two days? Actually I can probably guess. Are they about Belinus?”

“You’ve heard he came here?”

“One of my other informers told me he’d been hurt. Is it serious?”

“Come inside and I’ll find you some breakfast, then we can talk.”

“That means it is,” he said quietly, and followed me into the bar-room.

Everyone was pleased to see him, and he kept up a cheerful banter with Margarita, Cook, and the servants, while I collected a tray of bread and cheese and watered wine. We took it into my private sitting-room, where he dropped his cheerful mask.

“So what’s happened, Aurelia? Tell me the worst.”

I poured the wine. “It’s bad news, I’m afraid. Belinus died this morning. Timaeus did his best, but the wounds were too serious.”

Lucius sighed. “Poor lad. It’s sad, and it’s a blow, because I hoped he’d be one of my most useful sources of information on my present case. That’s why the Governor sent me up here, because I have quite a few informers scattered about near the coast.”

“Are you after the sea-raiders?”

He nodded. “My job is to find out about them, if possible locate their camp. Then either catch them if I can, or send for reinforcements if it’s too big a job. I’ve only got six men, and we’re camped near the Headland, because the raiders are supposed to be using the caves there as a hideout. Of course we haven’t found any trace of it, or them. They can vanish like the morning mist, those boys. That’s why local informers are so important. They can gather information slowly and quietly, and feed it to us.” He took a long drink of his wine. “Well, I know the Oak Tree is as good a source of information as most. What have you heard about them?”

“Nothing at all till a couple of days ago. But if word’s reached Londinium…”

“It has. They’re causing real trouble to some of the settlers. And they’re coming much further inland.”

“You don’t think they’ll come as far in as Oak Bridges, do you?”

“No, you’re safe enough here. The nearest bit of coast is thirty miles away, and they won’t venture that far.”

“But the Governor’s taking them seriously, sending one of his bright young investigators all the way up from Londinium?”

“Thanks for the compliment, Sis, but sometimes I don’t feel as bright or as young as I used to.”

“Tell me about it.”

“To be truthful, I wangled myself the assignment up here, because I’ve got—well let’s just say some surprising family news.”

“Gods alive, you’re not getting married at long last?”

“No fear. I’m like young Caster, I enjoy my freedom.”

“What then?”

“It’s good news, and it’s something you’d never guess. But I’d rather wait till the three of us are together. I said so to Albia, and I want to persuade you to come back with me today to her farm, so we can get together there. There’s really no point telling you and then having to tell Albia all over again.”

“Of course there is. If you keep me in suspense, I’ll die of curiosity.”

“Too bad. I haven’t time to organise your funeral.”

His words brought me up short. “We shouldn’t joke about funerals, Lucius. Not today.”

“You’re right, sorry. Tell me about Belinus.”

I told him all I could. He nodded at Belinus’ comments on Voltacos’ men, and frowned over his idea that someone rich and powerful was organising their raids.

“So,” he said when I’d finished, “the raiders got to poor Belinus. I suppose they must have found out somehow that he was working for me. As far as we know, this is the first time they’ve killed anyone. A murder makes the whole business much more serious, and in this case, more personal.”

“Do you think they’re really looking for gold, as Belinus said? I don’t know of any hoard of gold in these parts…”

He laughed. “I should hope you don’t—at least if you did, I hope you’d tell me where to find it. There’s King Caratacus’ gold, of course, they could be hunting for that.”

“You’re not serious! You don’t believe that old story?”

“Why not? I’ve always thought it was possible. Caratacus was a powerful warrior chief when Claudius Caesar conquered this province. He must have had plenty of gold…”

“I’m sure he did, but what I don’t believe is that he hid some of it here in the north while he was running away from the Romans. It’s too far-fetched for words.”

“Plenty of people believe it.”

“Oh certainly, and they’ve all spent the last forty-some years looking for the hiding-place and not found a single aureus. So even if there is any gold, a boatload of Gauls aren’t going to discover it, are they?”

He shrugged. “I suppose not. And anyway, whatever they
say
they’re up to, they’re spending their time attacking innocent people, and that’s got to be stopped.”

“What worries me is that Albia and Candidus could be in danger.”

“I know. Albia seemed happy enough yesterday, but Candidus told me he’s concerned, only not wanting to show it for fear of frightening Albia. He said he’d written to you.”

I handed him Candidus’ note, and he scanned it quickly.

“Yes, this is worrying, Relia. Have you replied yet?”

“I’ve decided to visit them in person. I was all set to leave this morning when you got here.”

“Really? Then we’ll go together.”

“And on the way I’m going to take Belinus’ body home to his family. I thought I should, as he was working for you.”

“Thanks, Sis. That was good of you.”

“I wasn’t looking forward to it. It’ll be easier if you’re there to offer your condolences in person.”

He nodded. “I can do more than that. I’ll make sure they’re all right for money.”

“Good. If there’s nobody else on his farm who can do Belinus’ share of the work, his wife and children will be struggling. And we can try to find out more about how he was killed. What do you make of his story of some rich landowner trying to drive him off his farm?”

“Unlikely, I’d say, though not completely impossible. There are only two landowners in that area who’d be powerful enough to try it. Ostorius Magnus, and the local chief, Bodvocus. I can’t really imagine either of them conspiring with a gang of outlaws.”

“Belinus was so sure, though. If you could have seen him…It’s just a pity there wasn’t time for him to tell me who he thought it was.”

“I doubt if it’s anything that sinister. My guess is he’s fallen out with one of his neighbours, and they’ve been making trouble along with the raiders, so he’s confusing the two. You know how these disputes go, they start small and get more and more bitter with every passing month.”

“Maybe. It’s something else we can ask his family about when we meet them. What are they like?”

“I hardly know them really. There’s a pretty wife, an old lame father, a couple of children. I’ll do what I can for them. And at least he managed to pass on one useful fact. The raiders are from Gaul—in other words not local criminals. And their captain’s known as Voltacos.”

I piled the breakfast things back onto their tray. “Voltacos could just be a nickname, though, because he’s a long-haired Gaul.”

He got to his feet. “There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to catch the bastard. Let’s make a start, Relia. How soon can you be ready?”

As we walked through into the bar-room, the door to the forecourt opened and a soldier strode through. He was a cavalryman in full military gear including a sword, but he carried no satchel of despatches. He glanced round the room and when he spotted Lucius, he saluted and came over to us.

“Ollius!” My brother exclaimed. “What in the gods’ name are you doing here?”

“Sorry to disturb your day’s leave, sir. There’s been a development, and the decurion thought you ought to know about it straight away.”

Lucius looked round, noticed that the first customers of the day were starting to drift in, and turned to me. “Can we use your study please, Aurelia?”

“Of course.” I led the way.

“This had better be good, Ollius. I don’t get much leave, and I don’t appreciate having it interrupted. Make your report.”

“There’s been a shipwreck, sir, on the Headland. An important one, the decurion thinks.”

“A
shipwreck?
You mean a boat that pirates have attacked?”

“No, sir, this was driven ashore in that bad storm we had late yesterday. It fetched up on the north side of the Headland—you know what a bad spot that is for wrecks.”

I shivered. It was notorious, even to me, living well away from the coast.

“How did you hear about the wreck?”

“Two fishermen came along to the camp just after you’d gone, and they told us. They say they get a reward for reporting Roman wrecks.”

Lucius nodded. “They do, as long as they stop the other natives from plundering the cargoes. But what makes Tertius think I need to know about this boat? What’s the cargo?”

“Only one item, a big wooden chest, all nailed up and with Government seals on it. And it must be valuable, because there’s a warship escorting the boat, a Liburian of the Fleet. It’s standing by just out to sea.”

“Standing by?” Lucius looked at him sharply. “Are you sure it’s not just sailing past?”

“Oh no, sir. Some of the sailors rowed ashore when they saw us, with a message from their captain. Apparently they’ve been following the ship, keeping an eye on it they said, and now they’re under orders to stay and protect the cargo till someone in authority comes.”

“Neptune’s balls!” Lucius sprang to his feet excitedly. “What’s this boat called, Ollius?”

“The
Sea Horse
, sir.”

“Gods, it’s our lucky day then.”

“Sir?”

“Never mind. You were right to come and report this. The cargo that boat’s carrying is extremely important, and I’ll take charge of it as soon as I can.” He stopped suddenly. “It’s still intact, presumably?”

The soldier nodded. “As far as we can see. The boat’s stuck on the rocks with some of its planks smashed in, so it’s pretty well under water most of the time. We’ll only be able to bring the chest ashore when the tide’s low.”

“You haven’t moved it yet? Why not?”

“We didn’t like to, sir, because the Liburian’s captain said it wasn’t to be touched.”

“Fair enough. Anything else I need to know?”

“Tertius says to tell you he’s moving our camp over to the north side of the Headland, to keep the wreck under continuous observation.”

“That’s right, don’t leave that boat unguarded at any time. Now go and get something to eat, then ride back there as fast as you can. I’ll be with you by dark at the latest. I’ve an important errand to do on the way, but I won’t take longer than I have to. Off you go now. And Ollius…”

“Sir?”

“Guard that cargo well. There’ll be a very handsome reward for everyone involved in recovering it.”

Ollius grinned, saluted, and left. My brother began pacing round the room, as excited as a schoolboy going to his first gladiator show.

“This is the most amazing piece of luck, Relia. The
Sea Horse
wrecked, just when I’m here to deal with it.”

“A shipwreck doesn’t sound like good luck to me.”

“No, but I mean if it had to be wrecked, it’s lucky that I got to hear about it. I’m one of the few people who knows how important that box is.” His green eyes sparkled. “Now, Sis, there’s no time to lose. We must leave as soon as we can, and I’ll fill in the details on the way. Oh, wait though—I’ll need your help.”

“What sort of help? I’m not getting onto any boat…”

“Nothing like that. This cargo’s in a very large wooden box, too big for a horse to carry. I’ll need transport to bring it back. So can you lend me an ox-wagon, please, and a couple of men? With food and bedding for them, in case they have to camp by the sea tonight. We may have to wait till tomorrow morning before the tide’s gone out far enough…Don’t worry, I’ll requisition it all officially, with paperwork and everything. So you’ll even get paid for the use of it.”

“If I live long enough.” But his excitement was irresistable. “Of course I’ll lend you a wagon. But it’s on one condition.”

“Which is?”

“That I can come down to the coast with you and see this wreck for myself.”

“Excellent!” He slapped me on the shoulder. “Then let’s get moving.”