Claudia Enica kept herself busy and worried about all the little things. Now and again she wondered about all the little steps in life that had brought her to this place, and that led to thoughts of other days and other times, some good and some bad. She and Lepidina shared a light meal together, saying little, which was rare for them, and simply enjoying the other’s company. Lepidina was worried about the games she could hear the children playing.

‘“He’s lost his head!” you hear them shout, and “That one’s got an arrow in the lungs!’’ Even young Flavia waves a stick as if it was a sword. That’s your influence, no doubt! … They seem less bothered than I would expect by all the dying though.’

There was not much other news, apart from the fact that Piso had woken up, but declared himself too hurt to do anything other than go off to one of the last rooms with no one else in it, taking an amphora of wine with him.

‘It’s dangerous after a blow to the head or at least I fear that it is,’ Lepidina told her friend. ‘Although in truth I did not argue too much. Angry and resentful man that – not happy in himself and blaming everyone else for it.’

‘Sosius had doubts about his loyalty, and I do wonder whether…’ Claudia hesitated, and would probably not have said this to anyone else. ‘I wonder whether it was Sosius who attacked him on the night of the fire. Probably acting on orders.’

Lepidina did not need to ask whose orders. ‘Perhaps. Sweet Minerva, that all seems an age ago. I just hope concerns about him do not deter them coming to help us.’

The Dacians made no attacks throughout the afternoon, although arrows flew now and again. Enica wondered whether they would wait for darkness and decided to get some rest before the sun went down, so that she would be fresher if something did happen. Before trying to sleep, she indulged herself with a wash down and a change of tunic and undergarments, going to one of the little rooms in the praetorium’s bath suite. There was no one else there, although the tribune was in a chamber off the same corridor.

Washing was a joy and she longed for a true bath and the feeling of the steam cleansing all her skin. Yet just a simple wash refreshed her so much that she wondered whether she could sleep. She ran her fingers through the clean tunic. Philo had taken it upon himself to launder her spare clothes, devoting his energies to her improvement. There was a knock on the door.

‘Lady?’

It was Indike, sent by her husband to collect the dirty clothes and take them away to where he could work his magic and restore them to life. She smiled as she came in. A slave was used to seeing nudity among the wealthy, just as Claudia gave little thought to the other woman’s presence.