Tabula Rasa(30)

“I did not tell you because when I tried to help that family who had their goat stolen, you told me you are not a messenger boy for disgruntled natives.”

He took a long breath. Valens was right: Women’s memories really did have a special place for storing up phrases they might want to fling back at you later. He said, “Well, you did the right thing.”

“I have told Senecio you will apologize.”

“I see.”

“It is a great insult, master!” repeated Virana. “If you do not make things right, there might be no wedding blessing!”

It was a tempting prospect. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

Virana, as usual, had an answer. “Everybody has gone home early. Because of the curfew.”

Reminded, he said, “You should both get inside. I’ll walk you back to the bar.”

Tilla turned her back on him. “We can find our own way. It is only a hundred paces.”

He was not going to leave it like that. He called to the guards that he would be back in a moment. As he said it a late delivery cart rolled up, so the men had something more useful to do than grumble behind his back about officers who couldn’t make their minds up.

Meanwhile, Tilla’s frosty silence made the hundred paces seem more like a thousand. He made an unwise effort to break it with, “What was I supposed to do, tell them not to go to that particular farm because I’ve eaten there?” But if she knew the answer to that, she chose not to divulge it.





Chapter 15

Ruso lifted his medical case to shield the lamp flame from the draft as he carried it down the corridor. He wished Valens were here. It was always easier to frighten a patient when there were two of you.

After this he would have to tackle Fabius, which put him in mind of trying to stand a jellyfish up on end. As Fabius would no doubt point out, the search for the missing man had achieved nothing except to annoy the locals. Tomorrow he was going to have to go and apologize to Senecio and his family. That was going to be even trickier than he had expected, because not only had a curfew been imposed but an order had been issued forbidding any man to venture onto native property alone.

When young Candidus finally turned up after all this fuss—as he surely must—Ruso was going to make him one very sorry clerk.

He placed the extra lamp on the side table in Regulus’s room, next to the open medical case. The reflection of the flame glittered on the polished rows of scalpels and probes and clamps, and threw a shadow from the pleasing curve of the bronze catheter. Satisfied with the effect, he picked out a medium-sized hook. Then he sat down on the end of the bed, positioning himself so that whenever Regulus looked at him, the instrument case would be visible just beyond. He raised the hook into view between them and eyed his patient while casually rolling the bronze instrument between finger and thumb. “Ready?”

Regulus paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth.

“We had the mythical version earlier. Now tell me what really happened.”

“Sir?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand. You’ve wasted enough of my time already. One of my men is missing, so I’m not in a good mood.”

Regulus glanced toward the door, as if he hoped someone might come in and rescue him. He put his spoon down in his bowl.

Ruso examined the hook, rubbing off a speck of imaginary dirt with one finger and then polishing the instrument on his tunic. The bed squeaked in protest as Regulus burrowed back against the wall. Ruso looked up. “Don’t worry, I know how not to kill you. I’m a doctor.”

Regulus said, “You’re supposed to help me!”

“Exactly,” said Ruso. “So if you scream, nobody will take any notice.”

“Please, sir, I don’t—”

“Feel well?” Ruso finished for him. “Too much dinner.” He gestured toward the bowl. “How did you get hold of that, Regulus? It was left out of your reach on the window ledge.”

Regulus gulped. “I’m feeling a little bit better now, sir.”

“Excellent!” said Ruso. “Soon you’ll be well enough to start beating up your girlfriend again.”

“Sir, I never—”

“What did I say about wasting my time?”

“It’s not my fault, sir!”

How Ruso missed Valens. He would have turned to Valens and explained, It wasn’t his fault, it was hers, and Valens would have given a suitably dramatic sigh, shaken his head, and said, Women, eh?

But Regulus was keen to talk even without being outnumbered. “They wanted money, sir! They were all in on it. Her parents and her brothers and sisters and all the other hangers-on. That’s what they’re like round here. The natives. They all just want to see what they can get out of you.” He paused as if expecting sympathy.