No. He couldn’t let that happen. To turn back and live with the knowledge that he had not acted to prevent the child’s death would be unbearable. This was the irreducible truth of the situation. No matter how much he chided himself for being prey to his emotions, for being too sentimental to act according to objective reasoning, he could not swerve from the course of action demanded by some perverse instinct so deep inside him that it evaded any kind of analysis.

Cato turned towards Macro. ‘Are you saying we should turn back, sir?’

‘Makes sense. What do you reckon, Boudica? You and him?’

The Icenians exchanged a few words. Prasutagus did not appear very interested in the centurion’s proposal, and only Boudica seemed to have a point of view, apparently urging him towards one course of action. At length she gave up, and looked down into her lap.

‘Well? What’s the opinion of our resident Druid?’

‘He doesn’t care either way. It’s your people we’re supposed to be saving. Makes no difference to him if they live or die. If you want to leave them to burn then that’s up to you. Says it’ll be an interesting test of character.’

‘Test of character, eh?’ Macro stared coldly at the Icenian warrior. ‘Unlike you lot, we Romans can make difficult decisions. We don’t just charge in and die out of sheer stupidity. Look where your dumb heroics have got you Celts over the years. We’ve done what we can here. Now we get some rest and start marching back to the legion once night falls.’

Macro looked towards Cato. The optio returned his gaze without expression. It unsettled Macro.

‘What is it, lad?’

‘Sir?’ Cato stirred, as if from some kind of trance, and Macro recalled that they had had little sleep over the past few days. That must be it. ‘I was just thinking…’

Macro felt a heavy weight drag his spirits down; when Cato started sharing his thoughts, he had a tendency towards complication that made it very wearing for those trying to keep up with him. Why the hell Cato refused to see the world as plainly as it appeared to other men was one of the great frustrations Macro had to suffer in his dealings with his optio.

‘You were thinking what, exactly?’

‘That you’re right, sir. Best thing for us to do is turn tail and get as far away from those Druids as possible. No sense in taking any unnecessary risks.’

‘No. There isn’t.’

‘The general’s sure to understand your line of thinking, sir. He’ll make sure no one accuses you of lacking — how can I put it? — lacking moral fibre.’