Aelianus was more sturdily built and less fine featured than his sister and younger brother. A good chunk of Roman manhood, in his way: athletic and possessing good reflexes. He left his sister to be the reader in the family, while his brother was the linguist. Straight sprouting hair, cut rather longer than suited him; dark eyes; a sallow complexion at present: too many nights out with the boys. I would have envied him his lifestyle, but even though he was given too much freedom, he was plainly not happy.
“Yes, I’m here! Still, cheer up, Aulus.” He hated his sister living with an informer. Now Helena and I had made it permanent, I enjoyed teasing him.
Aelianus just stood there, neither coming in to join us nor storming off in annoyance. His father demanded to know any news about his co-option.
“I didn’t get in.” He could hardly bear to say it.
Decimus asked who was elected. His son forced out a name I did not know; Decimus exclaimed in disgust.
“Oh, he’s a good fellow,” Aelianus managed to mutter, surprisingly mildly.
I murmured sympathy. “Helena will be very sorry to hear this.” She would realize that it was one more slapdown for a brother who might be spoiled for good unless he soon bagged some public achievements.
More than his failure with the Arvals was bothering him. Both his father and I belatedly stared harder at Aelianus. He looked as if he was going to throw up. “Buried your face in too many goblets?” He shook his head. I grabbed a tasteful ceramic from a shelf with a vase collection and proffered it anyway. Just in time.
It was an Athenian cup, featuring a boy with his tutor, a nice didactic subject for one who seemed to have overindulged himself. The vessel had decent proportions for a sick bowl, and two handles to grip. Wonderful antique art.
After he stopped retching, Aelianus made an effort to apologize.
“Don’t worry; we’ve all done it.”
“I’m not drunk.”
His father hauled him to a couch. “And we have all produced that finely honed poetic line as well!”
Aelianus stayed lost in a heavy silence. While Decimus fielded the Athenianware and shunted it elsewhere for some poor slave to find tomorrow, his son sat, oddly hunched. Experience told me he had passed the risk of being ill again.
“What’s up, Aulus?”
His voice was strained. “Something you know all about, Marcus Didius.” Decimus moved abruptly. I lifted an eyebrow, signaling that we should let the lad take his time. “I found something.” Aelianus now looked up and wanted to talk. “I stumbled over something horrible.”
He closed his eyes. His face told me the worst. In the grim business of informing, I had seen more than enough people wearing this expression. “There has been an accident?” I was being optimistic.
Aelianus braced himself. “Not exactly. I fell over a corpse. But whoever it is, it’s very clear he did not die by accident.”
“ALL RIGHT; TAKE your time, son.” The senator had found a jug of water and a beaker. Aelianus rinsed his teeth and spat into the beaker. Patiently I emptied it into the Athenianware he had already used, rinsed the beaker, then poured fresh water, which I made him drink.
“So,” I said firmly. “Your father told me you went to partake in the main day of worship amid the corn wreaths and dinner napkins. Stuffing your face in the cause of new growth at the Arval Brothers’ Sacred Grove-was that where this happened?”
Aelianus sat up straighter and nodded. I chivvied him, brisk as a legionary commander taking details from a scout: “The Grove is where?”
“Five miles outside the city on the Via Portuensis.” He had served in the army and civil government. He could give a reliable report when he chose.
“Are we talking about some verdant circle of venerable trees?”
“No. It is more like a forum complex. It has a circus, several temples, and a Caesarium for the deified emperors.”
“How modern! Silly me, I had expected some rustic haven.”
“The Emperor Augustus brought the rites up to date. The cult had fallen into abeyance rather-”
“Of course! He interfered in everything. So just set the scene for me.”
“There has been a day of worship, followed by games and races.”
“Members of the public?”
“Yes.”
“All men?”
“No.”
“Is the revelry over?”
“People are hanging on. Most of the Brothers have returned to Rome for another feast at the house of the current Master.” He paused. “ Well, except for one of them.” I noted that remark, but let him carry on. “I came home early. People who had been at the Games were still enjoying themselves in the Grove.”
“What made you leave early?”
