‘I thought the appearance must be a disguise.’ She looked him up and down. ‘It is a very good disguise. Do not worry. That is not to give you licence to maul me about or shout orders, but the occasion was unusual and we are both still alive, so it seems to have been justified. It is I who thanks you. If you had not arrived then it would surely have been unpleasant.’

Ferox thought she spoke as if they were discussing some breach of etiquette at a dinner.

‘How do you know such things?’ he asked, encouraged by her friendliness. ‘The way you dealt with your girl’s shoulder, the poultice and everything.’

‘Roman nobles raise their daughters to run a household. That means that we must know about everything if we are not to make a mess of it or be cheated blind by our slaves.’

‘Your husband is most fortunate,’ he said and meant it. There was something overwhelming about this woman.

There was a smile now, but a thin one. An excited squeal came from the coach. ‘I had better see what that silly girl is doing. She has had excitement enough today, trying on some of my jewellery. You would have thought that that and surviving a brutal ambush was enough for one day. Must she really flirt now?’ she said and nudged her mare forward. He watched her go, cloak flung back, sitting as comfortably and naturally as a Numidian. Even in the plain, unflattering clothes, her hair wild and loose, she was beautiful and somehow out of place – not just here in the frontier, but anywhere in this grim, squalid world.

Vindex started to hum a tune that was as old as the hills, sung by Britons and Gauls alike, telling of the first meeting between a great hero and the queenly, magical woman who would become his wife. The names changed from place to place, but some of the lines never altered – ‘I see a sweet country; I’ll rest my weapon there.’

A little later Crispinus eased back and joined the centurion. ‘I understand you will not come with us all the way?’

‘No, my lord, I want to go to the watchtower. I sent one of my men to raise the alarm, but it took far longer than it should.’

The young tribune considered this. ‘Probably nothing, but you may be right to check. When will you leave us?’

‘Another mile.’

‘Will it not be dark by then?’

‘Yes, sir.’ The tribune appeared to be expecting more, so after a moment Ferox went on. ‘I’d prefer to look in daylight, but if something has happened better to know about it as soon as possible. If nothing has happened then it does not matter.’

‘Well, you know best.’ Crispinus grinned, looking boyish in spite of his prematurely grey hair. ‘You don’t know who I am, do you?’

‘A noble officer, from the highest family, and of unimpeachable virtue.’