‘Really, Cato! You should be more inventive.’

‘What do you mean, my lady?’

‘I mean these excuses you have for coming to see me,’ she smiled, ‘or should I say coming to try and see Lavinia.’

Cato flushed and stammered out a garbled protestation that only provoked further laughter. He frowned.

‘Please don’t get cross! I’m not making fun of you. Really I’m not. If you wanted to see the girl then you should have said and I’d have arranged something for the two of you. Would you like to see her now?’

Cato nodded.

‘All right then. But in a moment. We need to talk first.’

‘What about, my lady?’

‘I take it you know very little about Lavinia?’

‘I only met her the same day you bought her,’ admitted Cato.

‘So she said.’

‘The merchant who sold her said that she used to be owned by one of the tribunes.’

‘Yes,’ Flavia nodded. ‘Plinius. Nice man, very intelligent — a quality that is totally wasted on the army.’

‘Why did he sell her? Why did he leave her nothing more than those rags?’

‘The answer to that depends on who you listen to.’

‘What do you mean, my lady?’

‘Plinius let it be known that he had sold her because Lavinia was useless as a house-servant. He said she was lazy, dishonest and incapable of learning her duties. The last straw, so he tells the tale, is that she stole one of his silk nightshirts.’ Flavia leaned forward and continued, quietly. ‘But the story being touted around the officers’ wives is far more interesting. They say that Lavinia was something more than a house-servant. With her looks, anything else would be a sheer waste. Anyway, word has it that Plinius bought her from a sex-slave trader and was trying to groom her to while away the long winter evenings.’

‘A concubine!’

‘Not quite. Our Plinius wanted someone more sophisticated than that. Someone he could converse with afterwards. So, for the last few months he’s kept Lavinia hidden away in his quarters teaching her how to read and write so he could introduce her to some literature. Bit of an uphill struggle apparently.’

‘Hardly any reason to throw her out like that.’

‘Quite.’

‘So what happened, my lady?’

‘What always happens. While looking up from her studies her head was turned by another tribune, somewhat more handsome and personable than Plinius. And definitely more cunning and versed in the ways of subterfuge and seduction.’

Cato thought for a moment. ‘Vitellius?’

‘Who else? He had to have Lavinia as soon as he slapped eyes on her. Being rather new to the game Lavinia hadn’t quite cracked playing hard to get and caved in with distasteful celerity — she must have been quite taken by Vitellius. In any event, she was taken, quite a few times if rumours are to be believed. Until one day Vitellius over-extended his tryst and in walked Plinius, fresh from a hard day’s work and just itching to get stuck into some elementary grammar tuition. Well, you can imagine the scene and the consequences you already know about. He almost gave her away to that merchant.’