After the latch on the door clanked down there was a moment of silence before Verica began. He knew the value of silence as a means of focusing attention. He cleared his throat and began.

‘Before we get to the substance of this meeting I want you to swear an oath that whatever is said here this afternoon goes no further than these walls. Swear it now!’

His guests slid their hands down to their dagger hilts and made the vow in a collective low mumble. One or two looked slightly offended by the instruction.

‘Very well, let’s begin. By now you all know about the Atrebatan prisoners taken by our men at the ambush. Most of you were there to welcome the cohorts home. You may have witnessed the unfortunate scene when that woman discovered her son’s head amongst the war trophies.’

Cadminius grinned at the memory, and a cruel sense of mirth at the woman’s grim discovery caused some of the others to chuckle. Verica’s face remained expressionless, except the eyes, which involuntarily widened with mild shock and a little anger at the laughter. When the laughter had died away he leaned forward slightly.

‘Gentlemen, there’s nothing in the situation that should amuse you. When our own people are killing each other there’s no room for rejoicing.’

‘But, sire,’ protested an old warrior, ‘the man betrayed us. All those men betrayed us. They deserved their fate, and that woman should never have shamed herself grieving for a son who turned on his own people, turned against his own king.’

There was a mumble of approval for these words, but Verica quickly raised his hand to quiet them.

‘I agree, Mendacus. But what of the people out there? The people of Calleva, and our lands beyond the walls of the town? How many of them agree with us? Surely not all. How could that be when so many of them are now fighting with Caratacus? Fighting against us, as well as our Roman allies. Answer me that!’

‘Such men are fools, sire,’ Mendacus replied. ‘Hot heads. The kind of impressionable young men who are easily talked into anything . . .’

‘Fools?’ Verica shook his head sadly. ‘Not fools. Not that, at least. It’s no easy thing to turn your back on your people. I should know.’