As soon as I could I went to see Gordianus. He had little to add to what I already knew about events on the Quirinal yesterday-but I had news for him.
'Sir, a Transtiberina barmaid will be bringing you a document later this evening. It has to have an alteration made to it first.'
'What is it?'
'A marriage contract. Coming to you from the bridegroom. He thinks his bride has asked to inspect it, prior to the formalities. Tomorrow you and I have an appointment with Atius Pertinax.'
'How's that, Falco?'
'We are arranging his wedding,' I said.
The day we married Atius Pertinax was refreshingly clear, after rattling rainshowers in the night.
My first task was to nip down to the Cattle Market Forum to buy a sheep. The cheapest I could get which would be acceptable to the five gods of matrimony was a little mottled fellow, who looked perfect enough for the purposes of religion, though a puny sort of lamb if we had wanted a pot roast in red wine sauce. However, we would not be needing the gods to remember our sacrifice gratefully for long.
Next a rancid garlandseller at the Temple of Castor shucked off some tired wreaths onto me. My sister Maia loaned us her wedding veil. Maia had worked the looms at a cloakmaker's before she married; the weaver had had a soft spot for our Maia so her saffron veil was a distinctly superior length of cloth. Maia lent it out to poor girls on the Aventine; it had done duty at many an unstable coupling before it adorned the Pertinax bash. My mother would have baked us a must cake, but I left my mother out of this.
When I met up with Gordianus, leading my woolly contribution, he joked, 'I hope you see today as a rehearsal for a wedding of your own!'
The sheep, who was on my side, let out a sickly bleat.