There was a porter from the Palace payroll whom I had installed to guard the mansion until its freehold was transferred. I expected him to be fast asleep at the back of the house, but he answered my urgent banging almost at once. My heart fell: that probably meant he had been roused from his normal slumbers by previous activity today.
'Falco!'
'Has a man called Pertinax been?'
'I knew he was trouble! He claimed to be a buyer-'
'O Jupiter! I told you to keep out passing speculators-is he still here?'
'No, Falco-'
'When was it?'
'Hours ago-'
'With a lady?'
'Came separately-'
'Just tell me she didn't leave with Pertinax.'
'No, Falco…'
I squatted on the porter's stool, held my temples until my temper cooled, then made him go calmly through what had occurred.
First Pertinax himself had conned admission. He started walking round quietly, just like a prospective purchaser, so since there was nothing to steal the porter left him to it. Then Helena arrived. She asked after me, but came in without waiting.
At that point she and Pertinax seemed like a couple-probably, the porter deduced, virtual strangers whose marriage their relations had recently arranged. They walked upstairs, where the porter heard them arguing-nothing out of the ordinary when two people view a house: one always loves the outlook while the other hates the amenities. My man kept his head down, until he heard voices more sharply raised. He found Helena Justina in the atrium, looking badly shaken, while Pertinax was bellowing at her from the landing above. She ran out straight past the porter. Pertinax rushed after her, but at the street door he changed his mind.
'Did he see something?'
'The lady was talking to a senator outside. The senator could see she was upset; he helped her into her chair, urging the bearers to hurry-'
'Did he go with her?'
'Yes. Pertinax hung in the doorway, muttering, until he saw them leave together, then he made off too-'
My first thought was that the senator must have been Helena's father, but I learned differently almost at once. Violent knocks announced Milo, the dog-taming steward.
'Falco-at last!' Milo gasped, out of breath despite his fitness. 'I've been looking for you everywhere-Gordianus wants you at our house urgently-'
We wheeled out of the Pertinax house. Gordianus also had a mansion on the Quirinal; on the way Milo told me that the Chief Priest had brought himself to Rome, still out for vengeance from his brother's murderer. Since the Quirinal was such a respectable district, after last night's sticky heat Gordianus had risked an unattended morning stroll. He had spotted Pertinax; followed him; watched Helena arrive; then saw her rush out. All Milo could tell me was that immediately afterwards Gordianus himself took her home.
'You mean to his house?'
'No. To hers-'
I stopped dead.
'When his own, with all his servants, was only three blocks away? He, a senator, walked all across the city to the Capena Gate? Why the urgency? Why was the lady so distressed? Was she ill? Was she hurt?' Milo had not been told. We were within sight of the street where he said Gordianus lived, but I exclaimed, 'No, this is bad news, Milo! Tell your master I shall come and see him later-'
'Falco! Where are you rushing off to?'
'The Capena Gate!'