“Yes. Apparently he’s going to get little gold crowns made for the king and queen fish. Light ones, you know, so they can still swim.”

“He spoils her.”

“Someone should.” Lollia tipped her head back to the lace-leaved trees overhead. I used to wish she’d take her responsibilities seriously, Cornelia remembered, watching the cousin who had always annoyed her the most out of all of them . . . but now Cornelia found she didn’t like this downcast version of Lollia at all. Her cousin’s wide generous mouth wasn’t made to droop so sadly.

“You look tired,” Cornelia said at last.

“So do you, my honey. Are you sleeping?”

“Of course.” Quickly. “I don’t have nearly the social life you do these days. Mornings in the Senate—”

“Listening to Fabius bully Vitellius’s latest vague directive through; very exciting.”

“Afternoons at the Campus Martius—”

“Watching Fabius complain that the army isn’t assembling fast enough. At least my vocabulary of swear words is expanding.”

“Evenings at one banquet after another—”

“More like competitive vomiting. Meals that cost half a million sesterces each, just splashed all over the floor of a vomitorium. The most appalling waste you ever saw.”

“I never knew you had such an economical streak.” Cornelia smiled.

“I never knew I did either. Every gown I have smells like vomit, my head aches all the time like Vulcan’s anvil, and every night Fabius has me dress up in my jewels and parade around the bedroom naked, telling him he’s history’s greatest kingmaker . . .” Lollia broke off. “Oh well.”

Cornelia cast about for a lighter topic of conversation. “Where is your grandfather this afternoon?”

“Cutting deals with the grain factors. The Prefect of Egypt just declared for Vespasian, so grain may come in short supply. At least our tenants will be well fed.”

“You should be careful, saying such things.” Cornelia splashed gently at Flavia, who was trying to catch the fish and whispering some game to herself. “Fabius might . . .”

“Arrest me? He’s arresting anyone else who says Vespasian’s on the way. Even though everyone knows Vespasian’s on the way.”

“Well, the Emperor says there’s nothing to worry about.” Cornelia trailed her toes through the dappled water. “I could hardly hear the last play at the theater, he was reassuring everybody so loudly.”

“Vitellius is riding a tiger and doesn’t dare look down.” Lollia snorted. “Diana says that’s why he gets drunk instead, so he can pretend everything is all right. She’s quite sensible when she’s not raving about horses, isn’t she?”

A long iridescent fish nibbled at Cornelia’s toes. “Vitellius will have to send his armies north soon, though.” She felt a shaft of relief that this time, Drusus could not march with them. “Do you know if he’ll send Fabius?”