As the cohort marched, the dull sun struggled across the leaden grey sky in a low arc. As the gloom of the day’s end began to thicken about the cohort, a sudden shout came from the head of the column. The men looked up from the track where they had been fixing their gaze, as tiredness and the weight of their marching packs bent their backs. A handful of cavalry scouts galloped down the track from the brow of a hill. Centurion Hortensius’s voice carried clearly to the rear of the column as he gave the order for the cohort to halt.

‘There’s trouble,’ said Macro quietly as he watched the scouts make their report to Hortensius. The cohort commander nodded and then sent the scouts forward again. He turned to the column, cupping a hand to his mouth.

‘Officers to the front!’

Cato shifted the yoke from his shoulder and laid it beside the track and trotted after Macro, feeling a thrill of anticipation race up his spine.

As soon as all his centurions and optios were present Hortensius quickly outlined the situation.

‘Noviomagus has been attacked. What’s left of it is just over that hill.’ He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. ‘The scouts say they can’t see any movement, so it looks like there’re no survivors.’

Cato glanced at Diomedes, standing aside from the Roman officers, and saw the Greek guide staring at his feet, a deep frown on his forehead. His jaw suddenly clenched tightly and Cato realised the man was close to tears. With a mixture of compassion and embarrassment at witnessing the private grief of another, he turned his eyes back to Hortensius as the cohort commander gave his orders.

‘The cohort will form a line just below the crest of the hill, we’ll advance over the crest and down the far slope towards the settlement. I’ll give the order to halt a short distance from Noviomagus and then the Sixth Century will enter the settlement.’ He turned towards Macro. ‘Just give it a once-over and then make your report.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘It’ll be dark soon, lads. We haven’t time to construct a marching camp so we’ll have to repair the settlement’s defences as best we can, and camp there for the night. Right then, let’s get to it.’