‘And it could have been me, if the Rabirii know that Justinus and I visited the tribune together—’

‘They are bound to have that information. Vigiles barracks leak information like worn-out gourds.’

‘The question is, Albia – did the gang act because they were guilty of the theft and they don’t want us finding out?’

‘Or do they just want to frighten us?’

‘To avoid attention? − If so, they have attracted even more.’

‘Yes, but they thought they were in control. They won’t have planned on having a man arrested.’

‘Right. Now if we can prove he has a connection to them, they are in trouble. Their best choice was no action at all …’ The aedile sounded urgent. ‘I am worried about tomorrow, Albia. Aelianus has arranged to visit the Fourth Cohort’s tribune.’ Because my uncle had been attacked almost on his own doorstep, the crime came under the jurisdiction of our local vigiles. ‘He couldn’t get to see the man tonight, but he’s anxious to liaise directly, first thing. He has asked me to be there.’

‘You saw Aulus when he came home?’

‘Briefly.’

That was him; never a great one for chat. ‘Tiberius, why so worried? You can handle a tribune. In the Fourth it’s Cassius Scaurus. You know him; he’s just a bully and an imbecile. But he won’t bully you.’

For once Faustus coughed with amusement. ‘It’s when he tries to stop looking like an imbecile that I find him scary – such a terrible actor … No, I’m really cursing over the search for the missing Aviola silver. If I am over here, supporting Aelianus, I cannot be there to supervise.’

‘Stick with him. I can be at the Esquiline in time. Let me exercise a watching brief.’ Always a useful phrase. State officials use ‘watching brief’ to imply they will be observing an activity, yet will not interfere. That leaves them free to interfere like energetic billygoats.

Faustus fell for it. That is how I knew he was exhausted. Otherwise he would have seen through my innocent-sounding offer.

There was a noise, a small thump somewhere, behind or near to an open second-floor window in a room above the garden. It could just be a pigeon shifting in a gutter, or an eavesdropper.

In a house like this there would be slaves everywhere. Some might be close by in the very shadows here, tucked up behind the battered fountain or curled on a mat under the jasmine on the trellis. Possibly they were sleeping, perhaps they were listening to us. There was no moon and the sky must be full of haze because only a few faint stars could be glimpsed in the open square between the pantiled roofs around the courtyard.