I got them away that night. The cavalcade left in a resinous tang of torches: a rapidly convened train of baggage and querulous children, led by Larius and Ollia's fisherboy driving Nero with Petro's culleus of wine. We had certainly assembled a quaint batch of souvenirs. Milo's shrimp took charge of my goat, who was being sent with Nero to live on Petro's cousins' farm.
When it came to the point, my plans crumbled: face to face with Helena I told her the truth.
'Yes, I see.' She always had a quiet response to a genuine emergency, though obedience to my instructions had never featured much in our relationship. 'Marcus, is it still your intention to put Pertinax under arrest?'
'He has two deaths now to answer for, plus the attack on Petronius. Whatever his old father thinks, Pertinax is no longer simply a conspirator who can hope for an amnesty. After his arrest on the Isis, he must know it himself. But that only makes him more desperate.'
'I was so hoping we could find a way to make things right for him-'
'I hate you to defend him!'
Helena held me by the shoulders, looking miserably anxious. 'Marcus, I had more loyalty to you after four minutes in your arms than I felt towards him after four years of marriage-though that does not mean I have no loyalty to Pertinax at all.'
I caught her face between my hands. 'Helena! You have to let him go!'
'I know that,' she said slowly.
'I don't think so! When you reach Rome, stay indoors and if Pertinax tries to contact you, you must refuse!'
'Marcus, promise me one thing: don't kill him.'
'I don't want to kill him.' She said nothing. 'Helena my love, someone may have to.'
'If it has to be done, let somebody else be responsible. Marcus, don't forget that whatever you do, you and I will always have to live with it-'
That 'always' was a hard one to resist. Suddenly I was seeing her in closer focus, as I had not done since Petronius had been attacked. 'If I leave him free to murder again, I shall have to live with that!'
Helena Justina gave a long, ironic sigh. 'Then I shall have to bury him.'
'Duty's a wonderful thing!'
There were tears in her eyes. 'And what am I to do if he kills you?'
'He won't,' I said harshly. 'I can promise you that!'