So the pressure is on, Surely you don't want your little girl to be unhappy, Posidonius?" Appeals to his love, backed by unspoken threats. Theopompus claims to adore her, while making sure the father knows he could make her really miserable."
Exactly, Marcus. Poor bastard. Posidonius is being begged for a trousseau and dinner service already, and knows future bills will mount. The vigiles had sparse consolation to offer him."
Are we surprised?" I asked bitterly.
Anyway, the girl thinks her dreams have all come true but the father knows better. He won't simply take it, though. He intends coming to Ostia to search for Rhodope; he is bringing people he knows in Rome. A group at the Emporium are getting together." Quintus paused, unsure how I would take this. I think your father may join in."
Heaven help us!"
Anyway, I told Posidonius where to find you." Now Pa would know too. I can stay if you want, Marcus, but I would rather go back and head up the Rome office." He had a fancy way of putting it. Our Rome office was just my house, with whoever knocked on the door bringing their troubles. Claudia would be happier," Quintus confessed. I said, whatever made Claudia happy would make me happy. With one associate bunking off to Greece, I had to keep the other sweet. Otherwise I would go back to pounding the pavement night and day as a lone investigator. The senator had been right. I liked to enjoy life nowadays. As Aulus helped their mother into the carriage, which she achieved with less agility than normal, I muttered to Quintus, When your mother comes to Portus tomorrow, warn her to leave her jewels behind." Julia Justa was always smart in a restrained way. She chose her tunics to tone or contrast aesthetically with her over-mantles; today she was in two shades of violet. Even for a journey and an informal alfresco fish supper, she wore a necklace formed from two rows of suspended gold spindles, large ear-rings with big central pearls and pearl drops, bracelets on both arms and various finger rings. If she used the public baths, her embroidered girdle would be a magnet for pilferers; likewise her beaded shoes.
You don't think my mother will fall prey to kidnap!" Quintus guffawed. They'll get more than they bargain for. They would end up paying us the ransom, pleading for us to take Mama back!"
The point is," I suggested," she looks wealthy, and since your father eagerly throws off his purple-edged toga when he leaves Rome, nobody will know she is the wife of a senator. Don't scare her, but make her be sensible." Decimus himself had now clambered into the vehicle after his lady, and was waving cheerfully through the small curtained window. Originally, theirs must have been a marriage of convenience. I knew Julia Justa had brought in money, though less money than the impoverished Camilli really needed. Nonetheless, they had made it a marriage of affection and stability.
She's safe if they do know her rank?" Quintus was moving to join them.
This gang is clever. They don't invite trouble. They choose merchants from overseas, to limit the support their victims can call on here in Italy. Then they scare them so badly they just want to flee back home. It works. Picking on outsiders, they have, up until now avoided an outcry."
Was Diocles going public on them?"
Maybe he just inadvertently gave that impression." Quintus waited while Helena leaned into the carriage to kiss her parents. So what's happened to Diocles, Marcus?"
Maybe some frank Cilician seafarer has explained that he would like Diocles to keep quiet."
And carried him off?" Maybe, but I still had the feeling that Diocles had not gone far from Ostia. After we waved off our visitors and peace descended on the street, the others went on up. I stood alone for a few moments breathing in the night air. Helena and Albia would be indoors, washing the children and putting them to bed. I would be needed soon for my tucking-in duties. I stood in the darkness and felt aching sympathy for Posidonius, who had lost his only daughter to an adventurer.
Next morning we all trooped out to Portus with Aelianus and saw him board the Spes. The last time the Camillus brothers went abroad, they had come with us on a trip to Britain. Helena and I, always keen to travel, felt a shared pang now as we braced up to seeing one of her brothers venturing abroad without us.
