He sprang this news of her husband’s death quite casually; Helena Justina was visibly moved. So was I. I had promised myself the pleasure of dealing with Pertinax. It seemed typical that he chose the kind of associates who robbed me of the chance.

“Helena Justina, did you and Pertinax remain on good terms?”

“No terms at all.” Her answer was steady.

He stared at her thoughtfully: “Are you mentioned in his will?”

“No. He was generous when we divided our property, then he made a new will.”

“You discussed that?”

“No. But my uncle was one of the witnesses.”

“Have you spoken to Atius Pertinax since your return from abroad?”

“No.”

“Then will you tell me,” Titus Caesar requested coolly, “why you went to his house today?”

The Emperor’s son was landing the kind of shocks I like to use myself. He had slid from pleasantries into inquisition in one seamless move. Helena answered him in her calm, positive way, though this turn of events plainly caught her unprepared.

“I had some idea, sir, knowing him, that I would face him with what we believed. His people told me he was not there—”

“No.” In the Mamertine; already dead. Titus looked slyly at me. “So why did you go, Falco?”

“Stepping in, in case her man should turn uncouth.”

At that he smiled, then turned back to Helena; she had whisked towards me with a jerk of her head so the beaten gold disks on her antique earrings trembled in a slight shower of rustling sound. Ignoring her reproach, I prepared to intervene if Titus overstepped the mark.

“The Pertinax will has a codicil,” he announced. “Written only yesterday, with new witnesses. It demands an explanation.”

“I know nothing about it,” Helena stated. Her face became tense.

“Is this necessary, Caesar?” I interrupted lightly. His jaw set but I persisted. “Excuse me, sir. A woman summoned to the lawcourts expects a friend to speak for her.”

“I imagine Helena Justina can answer for herself!”

“Oh she can!” I gave him a swift grin. “That’s why you may prefer to deal with me.”

She sat in silence, as a woman should when she is being formally discussed by men. Her eyes remained on me. I liked that; though his Caesarship seemed none too keen.

“Your lady is not in court,” Titus remarked quietly, but I saw I had checked him. “Falco, I thought you were working for us! Don’t we pay you enough?” A man whose heart has been seduced by the world’s most beautiful woman can be excused his romantic streak.

“Frankly, your rates are on the meagre side,” I told him without a flicker.

He smiled faintly. Everyone knew Vespasian was tight with cash.