Rome's Lost Son(25)

No, he decided, somehow he had to navigate himself through this and try to come out of it with, if not some credit, then at least without too much damage.

‘Pallas will always try to help you if it coincides with his interests,’ Caenis murmured, kissing him.

‘That’s just the point: while he is, for whatever reason, Agrippina’s lover then his and my interests will never coincide. I stand more to gain by Narcissus bringing down the Empress, but I’ve already jeopardised that by having this conversation with my lover who will report it back to Pallas.’

‘I don’t have to, my love.’

‘Of course you have to; and, of course, I had to tell you because I’d promised Pallas I would. He’ll be impatient for the full transcript first thing tomorrow and he’ll be expecting me to keep him informed of all contacts that I have with Narcissus concerning this matter. You know and I know that trying to lie to him is not an option; to construct a lie that fits the facts as he knows them will be fine now but it’ll be impossible to maintain as events take their inevitably unforeseen course.’

Caenis was quiet for a few moments and then looked up at him in the dark. ‘There may be a way for you to play both sides but it involves patience.’

‘I can be patient.’

‘We need to find out exactly what Agrippina’s done and get proof of it before Narcissus does.’

‘We?’

‘Of course “we”, my love; who else can you trust to help you? I’ll tell Pallas all that you’ve told me. He’ll want to know what Agrippina’s done and how he could be implicated and I’ll be able to say, quite truthfully, that Narcissus didn’t have time to tell you before the tavern was attacked. All he said was that he believed it was to do with the embassy. That will leave Pallas with a straight choice: demanding Agrippina tells him what she’s done behind his back, which he’ll be afraid of doing for fear of her refusing and their relationship being permanently damaged; or finding out himself and then making a judgement whether to betray her to the Emperor to save his skin.’

Vespasian stifled a yawn. ‘Which, if I can help him achieve that, would free me of her and keep Pallas in a position where he could still be of use to me.’

‘And you can help him achieve that: Pallas will see that the easiest way to find out what she has done is through you; he’ll realise that Narcissus didn’t come to you because he thought you would help him as Agrippina’s blocking you. Narcissus doesn’t care about things like that. He chose you because you, and only you, can help him. Narcissus can’t accuse Agrippina and Pallas of treason without the proof. I know how his mind works because I was his secretary for six years; he feels that you and your uncle are the key to finding that proof, otherwise why else did he want to meet with you in secret? Now, why would that be? Why did he specifically choose you?’

Vespasian squeezed Caenis’ shoulder. ‘Of course! You’re brilliant, my love; what’s the common factor between Agrippina’s supposed treason and me and Gaius? Sabinus. What she did has something to do with the embassy that Sabinus failed to capture. Narcissus suspects that, inadvertently, Sabinus knows something that can help.’

‘Exactly; and my guess is that Narcissus wants you and your uncle to talk to your brother and find out; he will ask you both to travel to Moesia.’

‘Both of us?’

‘Yes, I assume so; it seems odd, but otherwise why meet with you both?’

‘But what can Gaius do or say that I can’t?’

‘I’m sure that’ll become clear. Now, when I present this to Pallas I can do it in a way that he comes to the same conclusion as you just did. He will think that it’s his idea and his first reaction will be to have Claudius recall Sabinus to Rome and question him here.’

‘Then Narcissus would know for sure that I’ve betrayed him.’

‘And Pallas will lose any advantage he may have; far better for him to have Narcissus believe that he knows nothing. Far better for Pallas that Agrippina doesn’t suspect that her lover is investigating her. Far better for us that you go to Moesia at Narcissus’ request but with Pallas’ secret blessing. And to convince Narcissus that you are working solely for him I shall have Pallas dismiss me from my post for plotting against him.’

Vespasian sat up as the full implication of what Caenis was suggesting hit him. ‘And if I were to find out the proof of whatever it is that Agrippina has done, then when I return I can give it to whoever has the best chance of giving me the governorship of a province.’