At some point during the night, he heard someone shuffling towards him in the darkness, then a voice rasped.

‘Boy, is that you? In the corner there.’

At first Marcus did not recognize the voice and kept still, holding his breath.

‘I know you can hear me, boy ... It’s Marcus, isn’t it? Titus told me about you once, when he came to do business with me.’

Marcus felt a familiar anger flare up in his heart. He drew a slow breath to calm his body so that his voice would not tremble when he spoke. He did not want Decimus to think that he was afraid of him. ‘What do you want?’

‘A word.’

‘Why would I want to talk to you, Decimus? After everything you have done to me and my family. All I ever want to hear is you begging for your life before I kill you.’

‘Kill me?’ Marcus heard a low chuckle, then the man’s voice caught as a bout of shivering seized his body. ‘You? What makes you think you could ever harm me? I have powerful friends. Men who depend on me. You are just one step up from being a common slave. Be realistic, Marcus. There’s nothing you could ever do to harm me.’

‘I won’t have to. Not now. I just hope the rebels get round to killing you before me.’

Decimus was silent for a moment. ‘Fair enough ... But there’s a chance that Caesar might find us first.’

So that’s what he wanted to ask Marcus about. He laughed quietly. ‘I doubt it. Caesar has his own problems now that he has lost his baggage train.’

‘You know him better than I do, Marcus. Do you think he will come looking for us?’

‘He might. But it would make sense for him to find fresh supplies and shelter first.’

‘But he can’t afford to let the rebels get away with taking hostages.’

‘Why not? We’re dead, Decimus. Face it.’

‘No. Why would they take us prisoner if they meant to kill us? Perhaps there is a way out. I have money. I can offer them a ransom for my life. But not yours, alas.’

‘And your men? What about them?’

‘I can always hire more men.’

Marcus stared at the dim outline of the man, a short distance away. There was no limit to the callousness of Decimus. If only his hands were free, he could throw himself on the moneylender. Without weapons, he might not win a fight with a fully grown man, but he could do him some injury.