they were genuine, and it was Quintus Antonius who was a criminal on the run? But in that case, surely they’d simply say so and arrest him. No, I’d come this far, and I’d go through with it.
I took a deep breath and looked Nonius in the eye. “I’m sorry, but Eburacum’s a good fifteen miles away. The journey could kill him, and I can’t allow such a risk. He’s staying here till he comes round. I promise he’ll be well cared for, and when he’s conscious and it’s safe for him to be moved, he can decide for himself whether to go to Eburacum. Not before.”
Rabirius said, “Now my dear, it does you credit that you’re so concerned, but this is state business. Men’s business. We know what’s best, so you can just leave it to us, all right?”
Oh no! Now you’ve well and truly cooked your goose, my friend! Nobody tells Aurelia Marcella not to be concerned with “men’s business.”
“Taking care of my guests is very much my business,” I retorted. “What would it do to my reputation here if the word got around that a poor wounded traveller had been taken out of his sick-bed against doctor’s orders, and died as a result? So I repeat, I won’t let him be moved till he’s well enough.”
Rabirius’ face reddened and he took a step towards me, angry and threatening. I stayed where I was. “We don’t need your permission for this,” he almost shouted. “He’s coming with us, and that’s that.”
Nonius advanced on me too, and snarled, “You’d better not dare to refuse military orders. You’ll be in real trouble if you go down that road.”
His threat simply made me angry, and I stood tall, and threw my winning dice. “I’m not under military authority. I’m a free Roman citizen, running my own business and doing what’s best for my guests. So you can’t march in here throwing your weight around as if I’m some native in a mud hut. I have a brother in the army, so I’m fully aware of military procedures, and I don’t take kindly to threats. Either you leave my property now, or I’ll report this incident to headquarters myself as a case of military harassment of a Roman citizen. If you go straight away, I’ll put your heavy-handed style down to your zeal and sense of duty, and we’ll say no more. Is that clear?”
“You are refusing my orders?” Nonius was now deadly calm.
“I am not under your orders.” I was calm too. I was in the right. I knew it, and they knew it.
“By the gods, you’ll regret this attitude,” Rabirius was shouting again now, but Nonius glared at him and he subsided. Nonius, it seemed, had realised what would happen if I did indeed report them. I hadn’t told them where my brother was stationed; they would assume it was Eburacum.
“We’ll leave then,” Nonius said, attempting a dignified retreat. “I’m sorry you’ve adopted this unhelpful attitude, but as you say, when it comes down to it, we can’t force you to release this man against your will. Not yet. But consider this. If any harm comes to him because he hasn’t had proper treatment, if he doesn’t recover, or if he is so damaged when he recovers that he’s no longer fit for his work as an investigator, then you, and only you, will be held to blame for it. Meanwhile, I shall certainly be reporting to my commanding officer, and I can promise that you haven’t heard the last of us.”
He turned to the door, Rabirius close behind him. I followed on their heels, and ushered them along the corridor, out through the door that faced onto the stable yard, and round to the front of the house, where their two horses were waiting for them. They mounted and left without another word.
Then I summoned Titch, who was helping Hippon harness the ponies.
“You were right about those two men,” I told him. “They were up to no good. I want you and the others to keep a sharp lookout for them, and if they come anywhere near the house again, I want to know at once.”
“Yes,
I took a deep breath and looked Nonius in the eye. “I’m sorry, but Eburacum’s a good fifteen miles away. The journey could kill him, and I can’t allow such a risk. He’s staying here till he comes round. I promise he’ll be well cared for, and when he’s conscious and it’s safe for him to be moved, he can decide for himself whether to go to Eburacum. Not before.”
Rabirius said, “Now my dear, it does you credit that you’re so concerned, but this is state business. Men’s business. We know what’s best, so you can just leave it to us, all right?”
Oh no! Now you’ve well and truly cooked your goose, my friend! Nobody tells Aurelia Marcella not to be concerned with “men’s business.”
“Taking care of my guests is very much my business,” I retorted. “What would it do to my reputation here if the word got around that a poor wounded traveller had been taken out of his sick-bed against doctor’s orders, and died as a result? So I repeat, I won’t let him be moved till he’s well enough.”
Rabirius’ face reddened and he took a step towards me, angry and threatening. I stayed where I was. “We don’t need your permission for this,” he almost shouted. “He’s coming with us, and that’s that.”
Nonius advanced on me too, and snarled, “You’d better not dare to refuse military orders. You’ll be in real trouble if you go down that road.”
His threat simply made me angry, and I stood tall, and threw my winning dice. “I’m not under military authority. I’m a free Roman citizen, running my own business and doing what’s best for my guests. So you can’t march in here throwing your weight around as if I’m some native in a mud hut. I have a brother in the army, so I’m fully aware of military procedures, and I don’t take kindly to threats. Either you leave my property now, or I’ll report this incident to headquarters myself as a case of military harassment of a Roman citizen. If you go straight away, I’ll put your heavy-handed style down to your zeal and sense of duty, and we’ll say no more. Is that clear?”
“You are refusing my orders?” Nonius was now deadly calm.
“I am not under your orders.” I was calm too. I was in the right. I knew it, and they knew it.
“By the gods, you’ll regret this attitude,” Rabirius was shouting again now, but Nonius glared at him and he subsided. Nonius, it seemed, had realised what would happen if I did indeed report them. I hadn’t told them where my brother was stationed; they would assume it was Eburacum.
“We’ll leave then,” Nonius said, attempting a dignified retreat. “I’m sorry you’ve adopted this unhelpful attitude, but as you say, when it comes down to it, we can’t force you to release this man against your will. Not yet. But consider this. If any harm comes to him because he hasn’t had proper treatment, if he doesn’t recover, or if he is so damaged when he recovers that he’s no longer fit for his work as an investigator, then you, and only you, will be held to blame for it. Meanwhile, I shall certainly be reporting to my commanding officer, and I can promise that you haven’t heard the last of us.”
He turned to the door, Rabirius close behind him. I followed on their heels, and ushered them along the corridor, out through the door that faced onto the stable yard, and round to the front of the house, where their two horses were waiting for them. They mounted and left without another word.
Then I summoned Titch, who was helping Hippon harness the ponies.
“You were right about those two men,” I told him. “They were up to no good. I want you and the others to keep a sharp lookout for them, and if they come anywhere near the house again, I want to know at once.”
“Yes,
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