‘Quite.’ Laeta, too, became more subdued. He clasped his hands on the surface of his shining marble table. Mention of moral duties always casts a blight on bureaucrats. He admitted, in a frank way that from him was an apology, ‘It now appears the man’s petitions were justified.’

We had reached the crux of the meeting. Claudius Laeta half rose from his throne-like chair, so he could wriggle out of his toga. In palace code, this told us whatever was said next must be in confidence. Petronius Longus eagerly shrugged off his own formal robe. He and I moved closer to Laeta. We three were alone in the enormous room, but all of us dropped our voices.

‘What are we dealing with?’ The expert now, Petronius was terse, calm and impressive.

‘The misfit family are called the Claudii. Mean anything?’

I had heard the name only recently so I pricked up my ears, though Petronius shook his head, asking, ‘Are they in Rome?’

‘They may set their sights on moving to the city,’ Laeta answered. ‘So far we are spared.’

‘Did your writer name names?’

‘Often. He mainly railed against a brutish wastrel called Claudius Nobilis.’

‘Anybody talked to him?’

‘I believe he is frequently the subject of enquiries. However . . .’ Petronius glanced my way as we waited. ‘It is a little delicate.’

‘Why?’ I asked bluntly.

‘These people are freedmen,’ Laeta said. ‘Not just anybody’s freedmen—they originally came from the imperial family.’

Petronius chewed it over for a moment then clarified: ‘The current Emperor’s family name is Flavius. So not Vespasian’s familia?’

‘Yes and no.’ Laeta’s backside must be purpose-made for fence-sitting.

I saw the problem all right. ‘All the imperial possessions passed over when Vespasian took the throne. Not just official buildings and mansions, but all the Julio-Claudians’ vast portfolio of palaces, villas and farms—together with, presumably, their battalions of slaves. Claudian freedmen might transfer their respect to the Flavians—if they thought there was anything in it for them. As there generally is, with imperial connections.’

‘The Flavians in turn must have been happy to accumulate powers of patronage—or not, in this case!’ joked Petro.

Claudius Laeta had a chilly demeanour as we scoffed. ‘Most freedmen of the old imperial house transferred their allegiance to the new.’

‘And that’s why you are here!’ I told him, with a wicked smile.