Vespasian picked up the scroll and tapped it against his chin as he regarded the two centurions, and thought the matter over. The fact that Tullius had submitted his report written on a scroll, rather than the usual wax tablets, indicated that he wanted a permanent record of events kept in the archive. That in itself was suspicious; the preferred option of men out to cover their backs.

Vespasian tossed the report on the desk. ‘I’m afraid I don’t believe a word of it, gentlemen. So tell me, what really happened?’

Cato answered for them. ‘It’s as Tullius says, sir. We were offered the chance to fight.’

‘With no prospect of remission of punishment?’

‘With respect, sir,’ Macro bowed his head,’when your mates’ lives are on the line, you don’t stop to argue the terms. You just fight.’

‘That I can accept. But this business about Maximius staying behind to finish some paperwork . . . What was it? Ah yes, a dispatch to me.’

Cato shrugged. ‘That’s how it happened, sir. Permission to speak freely, sir?’

‘That would be a most refreshing change, Centurion. Go on.’

‘I suspect the cohort commander knew we were heading into a pretty hopeless fight. I think he was looking for a way out.’

‘I see. And Centurion Felix?’

‘Maybe he was trying to save Felix. Maximius had his favourites, sir.’

Vespasian smiled. ‘And then there’s you two. A fugitive on the run from military justice, and an officer who refused to obey an order. I’d say he was within his rights not to bestow any favours on the pair of you. Wouldn’t you agree?’

‘That’s how it looks from the outside,’ Macro admitted.’But you had to be there, sir. You had to see the way he ran the cohort. He just wasn’t up to the job. First that balls-up at the Tamesis, for which Cato and others were punished. That wasn’t justice, sir. Then there’s the way he treated the locals. You’d think he was trying to stir ‘em up deliberately. Force them to react. I’d say the man was mad.’

Vespasian shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. ‘That’s not relevant, Macro, and you know it. Sometimes an officer has to be a harsh disciplinarian. Perhaps Maximius did what he thought was necessary.’

Cato was staring hard at the legate. ‘Unless, of course, he was ordered to give the locals a hard time . . .’ His eyes narrowed.’That’s why the legion was camped at the end of the track on the other side of the marsh. That’s why you marched so quickly to relieve us. You were expecting Caratacus to come out and fight, sir.’

‘Silence!’ Vespasian snapped, then continued in a cold, threatening tone, ‘What the legate of this legion thinks is not the concern of his centurions. Do I make myself clear?’

‘Yes, sir!’ Cato said stiffly.