The Governor's Man: A Quintus Valerius Mystery by Jacquie Rogers

Author:Jacquie Rogers [Rogers, Jacquie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Published: 2021-05-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Quintus gently helped Julia back onto her feet. The familiar scent of rosewater reached out to him. Silently, she moved into his arms, shuddering and weeping. Tiro tactfully looked away and busied himself tying up the prisoners. After a moment Julia stepped back, brushing dust and leaves off her torn robe. Quintus looked her over for injuries. She smiled, saying, ‘I’m tougher than I look. Shame the robe isn’t.’

‘It was a good choice of robe,’ Quintus conceded. ‘Although you had me confused at first.’ The robe reminded him of the old wise-woman.

‘Have you got that little cup, Tiro?’

‘Of course, sir.’ Tiro fetched his saddle bag, reached in and handed the tiny wrapped cup to Quintus.

‘From Velvinna’s house.’ He held it out to Julia. She sniffed the contents, and dipped a cautious finger into the flecked milky fluid.

‘Juice of poppy, mixed into a little wine. With added honey and …ginger? Thank the Lady, at least she died peacefully and without pain. The actress masquerading as a trainee herbalist, I suppose.’

He nodded agreement. He saw a tear glimmer in the stray torchlight as it rolled through the pale dust on her face. There was so much to say, but not now.

He contented himself with, ‘I was wrong to doubt you, Julia. Here — you’d better take care of this too.’ He held out the bottle of dried foxglove. She nodded, recognising the medicine, and tucked it away.

The square was clearing now. Many of the older citizens had taken their protesting younger folk away home. Two men, one big, the other young and slight, were standing guard over the furious Caesulanus. They nodded greetings to Tiro.

‘Frumentarius Quintus Valerius, this is Morcant, brother to Britta and estate manager for Marcus Aurelianus; and Rufus, groom to the Lady Aurelia. They came to help when the dominus and Britta told them where Lady Julia had gone.’

The black-haired man, broad and sun-darkened by a life on the land, grinned crookedly. Quintus immediately saw the resemblance to his younger sister. Rufus gave him a shyer look.

‘Groom to Aurelia, hey? You’ll have your hands full then. I hear she’s quite the horsewoman.’ The boy, not much older than Aurelia, smiled shyly.

Quintus turned to Morcant. ‘I’m grateful for your timely help, Morcant. I wonder, did you recognise anyone here tonight?’

‘Well, sir, there were lots of local folk, of course. That girl from the theatre, Fulminata, had got some of the foolish young men riled up and raring to go. Like Master Drusus Sorio and his gang. No fault of theirs, I hope you can see, no harm meant.’ Quintus made no reply; rebellion against the Empire was a capital offence. There had been a narrow escape for this little town tonight, mostly thanks to Julia’s intervention.

Morcant hurried on. ‘And the old codgers at the back, they never expected anything to come of this, just venting they were. Habit of a lifetime. Would’ve been pretty horrified if they’d been taken seriously, I do believe.’

Perhaps there was something in that. Morcant

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