‘Does that mean we’ve won?’

‘Don’t be flippant, centurion. We have mislaid one of the Lord Trajan’s legions, and I do not suppose that they will simply let us indent for another to replace it. So it might be best if we find them before their absence is noticed. Or perhaps steal some soldiers from another legion? After all, there has to be a simple answer.’

Rufus’ spirits began to sink again. For a moment he had trusted in Arrian’s confidence and hoped that they would head straight back to camp. Instead, he feared being sent off on his own to search for errant soldiers. He doubted that he could find his way in this landscape in daylight, let alone in the remaining hours of darkness.

‘Hold!’ Arrian’s hand shot up as if signalling a column to halt. ‘What do you make of that?’ He was staring down into the valley below them. Rufus followed his gaze and saw only darkness.

‘I am not sure,’ the centurion ventured.

‘There, man! There!’ Arrian was pointing. ‘Movement, I am sure of it, and coming towards us. Can you not see?’

Rufus shook his head and said nothing.

‘There is a darker shadow in the gloom, one that is moving and moving quite fast.’

‘A caravan?’ Rufus suggested. ‘I hear tell some sneak through at night hoping to avoid paying the tolls on either side of the river.’

Arrian was unconvinced. ‘Too fast for camels, and certainly for men on foot. Perhaps some of our own horsemen or men from the cohorts have found us?’

‘That is not the way we came.’

‘Hmm.’ Arrian considered this. ‘Yes, chance then, and perhaps an opportunity for us – or better yet for the noble Crispinus – to surprise them and impress one and all with his skill at navigation even in the foulest of weathers. Quite a coup. The Divine Spirit appears to be smiling on us.’

If that was so, Rufus could not help wondering why the gods had been pissing on them for so many hours. ‘Are you sure, sir?’

Arrian did not appear to be listening. ‘Too far to shout though. One of us had better go down before they ride past and get themselves even more lost.’

‘But we don’t know they are our men.’ Rufus was again thinking of bandits, or latrones or lestai or whatever they were called locally. As a child he had suffered many nightmares about robbers in the night and out here the old horrors seemed all too real.

‘Who else would they be? Still, I’ll show the courage of my convictions by going down to meet them. You go back the way we came and inform the legatus. There looked to be a clear route leading from that valley into this one, so I will bring them to you all or you can meet us halfway. Understand?’

‘Sir, I am not sure.’

‘Not sure of what?’ Arrian’s tone was sharp. ‘The orders or my decision? You will obey, centurion, and do your job while I do mine. I am going down.’