‘Understandable, but not true.’

‘Of course it’s not true, sir. But it doesn’t really matter.’

‘Why?’

‘Because nothing will ever come of it. Not one word of what passes between us now will ever be uttered outside this tent.’

‘And why might that be, tribune?’ Vespasian smiled.

‘I’ll come to that, in a little while. Since you seem to be quite keen to know the truth about things then I’ll indulge you. Actually, Narcissus told me about the chest.’

‘Narcissus?’

‘He told me before we’d even left the base on the Rhine. You see, I’m the imperial spy you were told about. He wasn’t entirely sure about you and wanted me to keep an eye on the operation. Of course, I was only too happy to oblige.’

Vespasian managed to smile at the irony of the situation. Even the cunning Narcissus had his blind spots. Motive and alibi had been handed to Vitellius on a plate.

‘But while he told me about the wagon, he didn’t tell me where it was. That’s why I needed to see the map on that scroll. Unfortunately someone beat me to it. Not only that but they tried to frame me for its theft. Still, it was simple enough to have Pulcher follow your men down into the marsh and send for some assistance the moment they started digging. I genuinely hoped to avoid any bloodshed, amongst my men that is. If I’d managed to persuade Macro to give up the chest we’d only have had to kill them afterwards. As it was, he demonstrated an unfortunate penchant for the most resourceful soldiering in adverse circumstances. And so the chest has been won for Claudius.’

‘But why would you want the chest in the first place?’ Vespasian asked. ‘You couldn’t possibly have hoped to use such a vast sum without attracting attention.’

‘Absolutely. I hope you don’t take me for that much of a fool, sir. I never intended to spend the money on myself.’

‘Then why go to such lengths to obtain it?’

‘For the same reason the Emperor wants that chest. Gold is power; and with that kind of wealth I could buy the loyalty of pretty much any, and every, man I wanted to.’

‘I see.’ Vespasian nodded. ‘Then that would make you the traitor Narcissus warned me about. It never occurred to me that the imperial spy and the traitor were the same person. I think Narcissus will be equally surprised when I tell him.’

‘Me the traitor? Is that what you think?’ Vitellius laughed. ‘Hardly! As it happens, I am still the imperial spy — always have been. At least that’s what Narcissus believes.’

‘So why try to kill him?’

‘Kill him?’ Vitellius frowned. ‘Oh, that business on the road to Gesoriacum. Not guilty, I’m afraid. And anyway what could I possibly gain from his death? I needed him to get to the army and help crush the mutiny. After all, how could I hope to get to the chest unless the invasion went ahead? No, that ambush was the work of someone else. My guess is that the person behind the ambush wanted to prevent the invasion. You know as well as anyone how important it is for Claudius to win approval for his elevation to Emperor. With Narcissus dead, the mutiny in full flow, the invasion abandoned, and the fortune in the chest denied him, how long do you think Claudius would last? Believe me, until I could get my hands on the chest I was only too keen to further the Emperor’s aims.’