Eventually Maximius nodded and sheathed his sword. ‘All right, boy. Let’s hear you out.’ Maximius casually turned his back on Cato and stepped towards his desk,’Tell me about this attack.’

Cato saw Tullius’ cheeks puff out as he breathed in relief. But Cato knew it wasn’t over yet. He quickly moved up behind Maximius, shot out a hand and snatched the cohort commander’s sword from its scabbard with a sharp rasping noise. He stepped back and raised the blade towards the spine of his superior. Maximius froze.

‘You’d better replace that, before it’s too late,’ he said.

‘It’s already too late,’ Cato replied.

Tullius started forwards.’What the hell are you doing, Cato?’

‘Sir, we can’t trust him. He’ll pretend to hear us out and the moment we leave this tent he’d have us arrested, or killed on the spot. Nepos?’

‘Sir?’

‘Tie him up.’

‘What about him?’ Macro prodded his sword at Centurion Felix. ‘This one won’t rise against his master.’

‘Yes, Felix as well. We have to be quick.’

While the two officers were held at the point of a sword, Nepos hurriedly undid their bootlaces and used the tough leather thongs to bind their wrists and ankles. Tullius and Antonius looked on in mounting horror.

‘You can’t do this,’ Tullius muttered. ‘This is mutiny. Shit, you’ll get us killed.’

‘It’s too late now, sir,’ Cato said gently. ‘We’re all involved. Me, Macro, you and Antonius. If we let them go now, we’ll all be executed.’

Maximius shook his head. ‘It’s not too late for you, Tullius. Or you, Antonius. Stop these madmen and you have my word, you’ll not stand trial.’

Cato glanced at Tullius and saw that the old man was wavering.’Tullius! You set me free. You arranged for Macro to be armed and brought here. There’ll be no mercy for you now, sir. There’s more at stake than our lives. He’s not fit to command this cohort. Not when we’re about to be attacked by Caratacus. Sir, hold your nerve. Your men need you.’

Tullius looked from Cato to Maximius and back again and rubbed his face. ‘Damn you, Cato! You’ll be the death of me.’

‘We’re all dead in the end, sir. All that matters is to make certain your death isn’t pointless. If we release him now, Maximius will have us killed like dogs. If he saves us for trial, then we’ll just die in chains when Caratacus gets here. But if we - you - take command, then there’s a chance some of us will survive the attack. Better still, we might even be able to cripple Caratacus’s force. If that happens then it’s possible General Plautius will overlook this.’

‘Fucking fat chance of that!’ Maximius snorted.