‘Nothing big can get through,’ Hadrian cut in. ‘Not much in the way of supplies, no artillery – at least not decent sized stuff – and without those they’re not well placed to take Dobreta or anywhere else by storm or siege.’

‘So if we pull up the bridge they might not come at all, unless they’re looking for a cheap victory by taking one of our most vulnerable posts, stuck out on its own and unsupported.’

It was Hadrian’s turn to lapse into silence for a while, before shaking his head. ‘No,’ he said at long last. ‘It won’t do. Not proper for a Roman officer to flinch at rumours. And if you rip it up and they change their plans and do not come then that’s what it will seem – a nervous officer who cannot even control his own soldiers panicking and destroying a perfectly innocent bridge.’

‘We’d be alive though,’ Ferox suggested.

‘Still,’ Hadrian went on, clearly giving little weight to that point, ‘have a word with the Greek and see if he has any ideas of how to make their life difficult if they do come.’ Ephippus was to stay at the fort, as were all but the legatus’ most important staff – and now Sulpicia Lepidina and her household, at least until Hadrian had seen the lady’s husband and found out his situation and whether or not it was safe for her to join him.

Hadrian shaded his eyes from the sunlight as he stared up the slope at the fort as if measuring the distance. ‘Have you thought of reaching this spot with a ballista on top of the gate towers?’

‘They say it is too far, sir.’

‘Talk to Ephippus. He’s been trained by one of the best there is and strikes me as thorough. Maybe an extra storey to one of the towers would give more height and a longer range? There’s usually a way if only you can find it.’

‘My lord,’ Ferox said flatly so that the words could mean anything.

‘Yes, Crispinus told me you were insolent. Let us hope he was right in his other judgements.’ Hadrian whistled to attract the attention of one of the two cavalrymen and then gestured at the fort. The man rode away to summon the escort, while the other brought over the legatus’ horse. Hadrian nuzzled its face with great fondness. ‘I must leave,’ he said.

‘Are you sure that you do not want a larger escort, my lord? It is a long way to Sarmizegethusa.’

‘Then better to travel fast. If they kill a Roman senator in time of peace then the princeps would be implacable and destroy Decebalus and his kingdom.’ Hadrian snorted. ‘He might even thank me for the chance! But I don’t think any harm will come to thirty well-armed soldiers. Not yet at least.’ He swung himself easily up into the saddle. ‘And I do love a hard ride. Reminds me of when I was a tribune and…’ He seemed to decide that Ferox was not a worthwhile audience for the story. ‘No matter.’ The escort were trooping out of the main gateway. ‘Time to leave. Good fortune to you, Flavius Ferox. Let us hope we meet again, eh!’