Tabula Rasa(106)

Albanus’s eyes widened. “You think a tribune is involved in this?”

“Accius is a good officer,” she explained, “but his orders are to get the wall built. He is never going to agree that there may be someone buried inside it, even though I have met the person who saw it happen. He will want to cover up anything he finds out, so that the season’s work is finished and the Legion can go home. If your nephew is inside the wall and we leave everything to the soldiers, you will never know.”

Albanus shuddered, and Tilla knew he was thinking of Candidus’s spirit, condemned to wander these windswept hills without the proper rites that would send him on his way to the next world, or whatever it was that Romans thought was on the other side of their gloomy River Styx. Then he straightened his shoulders and drew himself up to his full height so that his gaze met her chin. “I promised my sister I would look after her son,” he said. “I will be grateful for any help you can offer.”

“Good,” said Tilla, stifling a yawn and feeling her stiffening muscles protest as she rose from the step. She was too tired to feel hungry now. She led him out into the bar, where Virana was sweeping up and Ria was setting out clean cups for tomorrow morning. Her cousin and Rianorix had gone, and she had failed to wish them good night or even find out where they were staying. “I have kept you past the curfew.”

Virana said, “He’s staying here,” just as they were all startled by a bang on the shutters.

They exchanged glances. Ria shouted, “Too late, we’re closed!”

“Open up!” came the voice. “News from Coria!”





Chapter 63

A native youth with wild hair and bleary eyes stumbled over the threshold and looked at the three women. “Which one of you is the Medicus’s wife?”

Tilla stepped forward. “Is the boy found?”

The lad sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “Message from Susanna. She says to tell you the boy’s been taken north by some fur traders. The Medicus has gone after him, and he wants you to tell the tribune to look again at Mallius.”

“North?” Tilla put a hand to her mouth. She remembered being taken away by strangers from another tribe. The thought of something like that happening to a child made her shudder. “Who went with the Medicus?”

The youth shrugged. “That’s all I know. I came as fast as I could. Thought I’d never get here. There’s patrols out.”

“You are very brave, coming all that way,” Virana told him. “Especially tonight.”

“And now you’ll be wanting a drink and some supper,” put in Ria, as if he had arrived specially to inconvenience her.

The youth grinned. “Thanks, missus. And the horse too.”

Virana pointed out that he would need a bed for the night as well, but the youth said he would be happy to sleep in the stable. Ria told Virana to bring food and went to rouse her husband to deal with the horse. When she was gone, Virana said, “Are you all right, mistress? You look very tired.”

“You should rest,” Albanus agreed. “There is nothing we can do tonight.”

Tilla stared at them both. “Rest?” she demanded. “My husband will be murdered by foreigners, and Branan will be taken up into the mountains and never seen again! How can I rest?”

Albanus gulped. “Are you quite sure?”

She subsided onto a bench. “No. Of course not. I am sorry.” She pressed her eyelids with her fingertips to relieve the tiredness.

“Why has the tribune got to look at Mallius?” asked Virana.

“I don’t know.” Tilla opened her eyes and blinked the dryness away. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“Has he done something bad?”

“I am not even sure who he is,” she admitted.

“Oh, you know!” Virana insisted. “The one who used to make his hair lighter. The one who hurt his wrist. He likes wine and not beer.”

None of those things was a reason for the tribune to take an interest in him.

“You must have seen him,” Virana continued. “He was one of the ones who went to search the farm and they upset everybody looking for Candidus, and then people thought one of them might have stolen Branan and then they didn’t.”



The youth had gone to see to the horse, Virana was in the kitchen fetching his food, and Tilla was alone with Albanus in the bar. He looked as downcast as she felt. She tried to think of something hopeful to say but could not. Finally he said, “Your husband is a good man.”

“I know,” she said, ashamed of wishing that sometimes he would be a little less good and a little more safe. She had no idea how she would sleep tonight after hearing Susanna’s message. She must try to think about something else. “We should look at this Mallius ourselves,” she said. “He might know what happened to Candidus.”