‘Sorry,’ he whispered. ‘Where are we going?’

‘The quietest place we could find.’

‘We?’

‘The mistress and me. This way — come on.’

They passed down a long corridor with rolled-down flaps, leading to private sleeping chambers, and came to a large space dominated by the dark forms of a campaign table and various seats and couches. No more detail than that was available in the darkness. Cato found himself being pushed down on to a soft couch and, with a small chuckle, Lavinia collapsed on top of him. Immediately his lips sought hers again and he kissed with a burning passion that flowed to every extremity of his body. As Cato held her close he untied a silk ribbon and ran his hand through the long flowing hair. Suddenly Lavinia pushed herself upright so that she was sitting on his stomach.

‘What?’

‘Shhh! Lie still.’ She placed a finger against his lips and, with her other hand, reached behind her and felt for his crotch.

She giggled as she discovered his excitement. ‘Do you want to do it?’

Cato choked out a yes.

‘All right then. I hadn’t planned to let you. First I need to get something.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Something to prevent babies.’

‘Do we have to stop now?’ Cato asked desperately, stroking and squeezing her thighs with his hands. ‘Please.’

‘Typical man!’ She slapped his hands gently to show she was only joking. ‘You don’t have to live with the consequences, we do. And I don’t want to get pregnant.’

‘I don’t have to, you know, come inside you,’ Cato said shyly.

‘Oh sure! That’s what you all say. I can control myself really I can but when it comes down to it — wallop! Then what’s a poor girl to do?’

‘Don’t be long,’ Cato said, somewhat startled by her forwardness.

‘Relax. I’ll be right back.’

Lavinia climbed off his chest, gave him a final soft kiss and padded away into the darkness, leaving Cato alone in a thrill of expectation. He lay still, eyes closed, heart pounding, letting his mind dwell on that last kiss and the shocking excitement of the touch of her hand on his crotch. He wanted to treasure this moment for ever and opened his eyes to take in as much of the detail of the chamber as possible. Now that they were fully accustomed to the dark, his eyes could discern more of the surroundings and they passed curiously over the trappings of command.

Lavinia had been gone a little while now and a tinge of doubt slowly swelled in his mind. He wondered if he should go and look for her.

Surely she shouldn’t take as long as this? Unless she planned to use the most extreme form of birth-control and not turn up at all. That wasn’t funny, he decided. Suddenly some sixth sense made him aware that someone else was in the chamber. He was about to whisper Lavinia’s name when he realised that the sound of a tent flap being pushed aside was coming from an altogether different direction to the one Lavinia had taken.