‘You’re right – who knew she had that much energy? Except between the sheets …’ muttered Fauna cattily. ‘No, Albia, it was horrible. She ran into the kitchen and brought a big pan of hot water from the hearth. She threw it over Graecina. Her screams were awful; that was when I came running down.’ Fauna must have been on her stool looking, while the argument took place. She caught my eye, then added guiltily, ‘To see if there was anything that I could do.’

Myrinus said Graecina rushed out of the building, badly scalded. In terrible pain, she was tended by the two men from the shop, and had now been taken by another neighbour to an apothecary for treatment.

‘So where is Myla?’

‘That’s the thing!’ cried Fauna.

‘She burst outside,’ Myrinus explained. ‘She saw me and Secundus – we were standing here, wondering what to do. We were nervous of approaching her.’ It was noticeable that no one thought to send for the vigiles. Neighbourhood problems are not resolved that way.

‘I’d hardly ever seen her out in the street,’ said Fauna. ‘I was here with poor Graecina when Myla came out. She gave a shriek, then shouted something, and ran down the road.’

‘What did she shout?’ I had a bad feeling.

‘She said, “Tell them I did it then! Tell Albia she can blame me!” then she belted off down the Clivus like a mad thing.’

‘Oh, Juno! Did she have the baby with her?’

‘In her arms.’ Myrinus knew this boded ill. ‘I told Secundus to run right after her and try to catch her. He’s nippier than me. He took your lad, Dromo.’

‘Dromo? Where had he been holed up?’ I asked crossly. Myrinus nodded to the bar opposite, where Dromo was allowed to have his breakfast. ‘Fine. Never mind him. This is bad news, Myrinus. You thought she meant something?’

‘I know she did,’ Myrinus confirmed. ‘She screamed it at us, Albia: “I killed them all! – and now I’m going to kill myself!”’

I delayed only long enough to slip indoors and haul on walking shoes. Then accompanied by Myrinus, a man of conscience, and Fauna, a woman of curiosity, I hurried down the Clivus Suburanus in the direction Myla was last seen taking.

If anyone went far enough that way, it led them to the river.

45

It was a long walk if you were desperate, or even for concerned parties like us, hastening, fraught, wanting to prevent tragedy. It was one straight road after another, all the time having to shove through meandering crowds, dodge pavement obstacles, stand out of the way for soldiers, litter-bearers and hot pie-sellers with enormous trays. Clivus Suburanus, Clivus Pullius, Clivus Orbius, the push across the top of the Forum and the curve round by the Theatre of Marcellus … the same route I took yesterday at a much more sedate pace, on my way to re-interview the fugitives.