The man closed his eyes again. He shook his head very slightly, in resignation.

Helena breathed in. ‘Listen, then. All they really want to know is where that cameo jewel originated.’

At last he spoke. He said something to her, speaking almost inaudibly.

She moved away again and looked at us. ‘He says it was found in undergrowth, out on the marshes.’ Helena walked to the door. ‘Now you two, I want him out of here, please.’

She refrained from saying, That was easy, wasn’t it?

We refrained from pointing out he could be lying; he probably was.

When she had gone, Petronius asked him, in a quiet, regretful tone of voice, ‘I don’t suppose if we took you to the marshes, you would point out the spot where you say this cameo was found? Or tell us more about the context?’

The man on the bench smiled for once, as if he let himself enjoy our understanding; he shook his head sadly. He lay quite still. He seemed to believe that the end was coming. It looked as if he had decided there was no hope now, never had been any.

He spoke to us, the first time in two days. He croaked, ‘Are you going to kill me?’

‘No.’

We had our standards.

44

The next time I emerged from the room, I was shocked to find the hallway full of luggage. Sheepish slaves carried on moving chests out through the front doors, clearly aware that I had not been told what was going on. I bit my lip and did not ask them.

I found Helena. She was sitting motionless in the salon, as if waiting for me to interrogate her as roughly as we were dealing with the agent. Instead, I merely gazed at her sadly.

‘I cannot stay here, Marcus. I cannot have my children in this house.’ Her voice was low. Her anger was only just under control.

The usual thoughts passed through my head—that she was being unreasonable (though I knew she had tolerated what was going on longer than I could have expected) and that this was some overreaction in the grief she was still feeling after the baby’s death; I had the sense not to say that.

I seated myself opposite, wearily. I held my head in my hands. ‘Tell me the worst.’

‘I have sent the girls away and now that I have spoken to you, I will be joining them.’

‘Where? How long for?’

‘What do you care?’

Flaring up like that against me was so rare, it shocked me. A terrible moment passed between us as I held back the urge to retaliate with equal anger. Perhaps fortunately, I was too tired. Then perhaps because I was so exhausted, Helena was able to see me as vulnerable and to relent slightly.

‘I care,’ I said. After a moment I forced out the question: ‘Are you leaving me?’