We don't know anything at all about any fires last year," the spokesman repeated, inches from my face. His filthy finger prodded my chest. So, Falco He repeated the poke, much harder. We would like you to remove yourself!" The others all took a step towards me. Behind me, my exit was clear so I took it. I heard them laughing. I continued home, feeling soiled and disconcerted. On the first stretch of the Decumanus I kept looking over my shoulder, and I made sure I mingled quickly with the crowds once I reached the Forum. The moron who talked of search fees had plainly asked me for a bribe. The general threat of violence was real. I wondered whether this showed the reaction local people had met when they called for help, the night Diocles" aunt found her house on fire. Then I wondered whether Diocles had been staying with her, last year when the blaze happened. When I returned to our apartment I was gloomy and introspective. Any joy at finally locating the scribe's aunt had vanished when I learned of her death. My confrontation with the vigiles added to my foul mood. I told Helena about the episode, playing it down. We discussed the aunt's tragedy. I can see," I said, that if Diocles had always stayed with her in summer, he may have come back automatically this year. Once he got here, he could have booked into lodgings and then started brooding about what happened to his aunt. If he's sensitive, this could be why he has gone off somewhere."
You think he can't stand being here again, so he's taken himself to have a holiday at Lake Nemi instead?" After Helena asked, You don't think Diocles was applying to join the vigiles so he could expose some inefficiency that caused his aunt's death?" I pulled a face. I know what Petro would suspect if Diocles has a fascination with fires. he'll think Diocles is an arsonist."
No!"
Arsonists don't just start fires, you know. Some like to hide in a portico and watch what happens, but some want to show themselves as heroes who can save people and put fires out. Types like that regularly apply to join the vigiles. Smart recruiting officers have a nose for it and reject them." in
You met a recruiting officer. You thought Rusticus was smart, didn't you, Marcus?" I pondered that. Yes, I did. But thinking back to what he said, he was uneasy, Rusticus was fazed himself and didn't know why he had said no to the scribe. Diocles was a puzzle, not a phenomenon he recognised."
Doesn't sound as though Rusticus suspected he was an arsonist. You still think Diocles was up to something?"
Yes, love. But it may have been nothing to do with his aunt." Helena was silent for a moment. Then she said, His aunt was on his mind, Marcus. When Diocles told Holconius and Mutatus he was coming to Ostia, he said he would be staying with her."
True. Maybe subconsciously he forgot her death. Maybe his mind played a trick on him." Now Helena and I were both worried that Diocles might have come here and had a breakdown.
Talking of breakdowns," Helena said, smiling and changing the subject as she tried to cheer me up a little. I had a surprise today, I met your uncle!" I raised an eyebrow, sensing what would come next.
That's right, Marcus. The one nobody ever talks about."
It was a quarter of a century since I had seen Uncle Fulvius. He did have a name; it was just damned to the memory. Had Ma's family been able to commission statues, his would have been broken up and re-used by Fabius andjunius to build a pig sty. I was curious to know how he had weathered.
We hardly exchanged more than a few words," said Helena. He wanted your mother; I told him Junilla Tacita was staying with Maia now, as they have more room than us, and I gave him directions." In the act of re-pinning an enamelled shoulder brooch, she paused for a moment. Mind you, I did gain the impression he was slightly odd."
In what way?" I asked, grinning. Helena merely shrugged, unsure. I just felt happier when he left." Albia looked up from the floor, where she was playing with the children. What has your uncle done, Marcus Didius?" I suspected I had been too young to be told the full story. I supplied the safe part. He ran away to Pessinus, but he got on the wrong boat."
And now he has come back? That took him over twenty years?" exclaimed Helena, amazed. Surely when his brothers are restless, they just disappear for a couple of seasons and then come sidling home?"
