‘Knowing our luck, they’ll just be more of those bastards.’ Macro pointed towards the enemy column approaching the hill. ‘Don’t know where they all come from. Thought we’d destroyed their army last summer. Caratacus must have found himself some new allies.’

‘With people like Tribune Quintillus handling the diplomatic side of things, it’s a wonder the entire island isn’t against us.’

‘Right.’ Both centurions turned their heads to look down the slope a short distance to where Vespasian and his senior officers were conferring. The tribune was talking in an animated fashion and pointed back in the direction of Calleva.

‘I expect he’s trying to persuade the legate to make a break for it.’

Cato shook his head. ‘Isn’t going to happen. Premature suicide isn’t the legate’s style. The tribune’s wasting his breath.’

‘He’s proved to be a real asset for our cause all right,’ said Macro. ‘Things dropped in the shit the moment he arrived.’

‘Yes . . . yes, they did.’

‘It’s almost as if the twat was trying to make a mess of the situation in Calleva.’

‘Well, why not?’ Cato replied quietly. ‘There was a lot at stake for him. If Verica managed to keep on top of events the tribune would just have had to go back to the general and make a report. I imagine he’s been stirring things up as much as he can behind the scenes. Anything to upset the situation, and give him an excuse to use his procurator’s powers. Not that he was very successful there. I think he must have assumed that Celtic aristocrats played to the same bent rules as Roman aristocrats. Didn’t account for their sense of honour.’

‘Honour?’ Macro raised his eyebrows. ‘Tincommius didn’t seem to know much about honour.’

‘Oh, he did, in his own way. The man wanted his tribe to remain free, almost as much as he wanted to rule it. And he must have been an eager enough student of Roman political techniques while he was in exile.’

‘You’ve got to hand it to us,’ Macro smiled, ‘there’s not much we can’t teach these barbarians.’

‘True. Very true . . . As it is, the Atrebatans are finished. Plautius will have to annex their kingdom and turn it into a military province.’

Macro looked at him. ‘You think so?’

‘What else can he do? Assuming the general can recover from this balls-up. The loss of a legion is going to stall the campaign for quite a while. And it won’t play well in Rome.’

‘No . . .’

‘But look on the bright side,’ Cato smiled bleakly, ‘at least Quintillus is going to have to live, or die, with the consequences of his actions.’ He waved his hand towards the enemy.

‘I suppose.’