‘Sit man, sit.’ The legate waited until he obeyed, placing himself on one of the folding camp chairs. ‘That is better,’ he went on. ‘This will take a while so you may as well be comfortable. Now Crispinus has told me about the gifts someone has been sending to Tincommius – the money and weapons. He suspects the same people encouraged the high king to lend his aid to this Stallion’ – he said the world with distaste – ‘and the druid. It was better that he not include such detail when he spoke to the other officers, but he told me the truth. It is also clear that the people who snatched that unfortunate lady and murdered her and the slaves – and who wanted to kill my wife’s cousin, the Lady Sulpicia, and her husband – knew a good deal more than they should have done about this garrison. Without your warning they might well have succeeded.’

The legate paused and stared at his face. Ferox did not think that the man could have any idea that he and Sulpicia Lepidina were more than junior officer and commander’s wife, but the announcement of a family connection was a surprise. For all its size, for all that senators – and now the princeps himself – had origins all over the world, the aristocracy of Rome still lived in a village where everyone knew everyone else and was related to almost everyone.

Ferox said nothing, and after a long silence Neratius Marcellus resumed.

‘This attack followed the one on her carriage, and all that your report said about that incident – as well as much it did not say – shows that our enemies know our every move even before we make it. The massacre of the men stationed at the beacon confirms it. Only someone of high rank would know enough to give them so much information. That means at least one traitor. Perhaps there are several, and certainly others who follow their orders. My nephew has spoken to you about this and says that you have told him most of what you know and some of what you think.’ The legate must have seen a trace of confusion. ‘The Tribune Crispinus is my nephew,’ he explained, and Ferox thought about the village again.

‘There are men who wish our princeps to fail. I am not one of them. He is a decent man and the empire needs stability above all else. I serve the good of Rome and so I shall do everything in my power to serve Rome and serve him. That means that I must prevent this traitor or traitors from doing any more harm, and I cannot do that without your help. We must find this man and punish him.’