'You were going to come and see me, Falco.'
'I know when I'm not wanted.'
A tired expression crossed her face. 'Were you surprised to find me here?'
'Nothing women do surprises me!'
'Oh don't be so conventional!'
'Excuse me!' I grinned. 'Princess, if I had had the slightest inkling you featured on today's job list, I would have spruced up my togs before I came barging in. I do prefer to look like a man whose departure a woman might regret!'
'Yes, I realized you wanted to leave me,' Helena stated suddenly.
The ladybird flew off, but she soon found some other six-legged friend to study on the back of her hand. She was sitting extremely still, not to disturb the bug.
I thought of all the things I ought to say; none of them came out. I managed to ask, 'What do you think?'
'Oh… it does seem best.'
I stretched my chin and studied the space ahead of my nose. Somehow the fact she was making no difficulties only created more. 'People were going to get hurt,' I insisted. 'Two of them were people I particularly cared about: me and you.'
'Don't worry about it, Falco… just a passing fling.'
'A special one,' I told her gallantly, having problems with my throat.
'Was it?' she queried, in that thin, light voice.
'I thought so… Are we still friends?'
'Of course.'
I smiled miserably. 'Ah that's what I like about senators' daughters-always so civilized!'
Helena Justina rapidly shook the wildlife off her hand.
There was a scuffle behind us and my nephew tumbled into the grove.
'Sorry, Uncle Marcus!' His diffidence was pointless since there was nothing going on. 'I think that pest with the sunshade is coming down!'
I rocked to my feet fast. 'Your new bodyguard seems a persistent type!' I offered my hand as Helena scrambled up too but she ignored it.
'He's not mine,' she said shortly. I felt an uneasy twinge, as if a drunk in a bar had lurched to his feet, staring straight at me.
We all headed back to the track. At the ox cart, Helena urged us, 'Drive under the trees and stay out of sight-'
I nodded to Larius to drive under cover. Still no sign of her minder. Abruptly I grasped her shoulders, confronting her. 'Listen lady, when I was your bodyguard, there were no conflicts of interest. I took my orders from you-and when you wanted your privacy I stepped back!'
A splash of colour moved among the cypresses above. I shot a warning glance then dropped my fists as I let her go. Her left hand brushed through mine-but made no attempt to answer my pressure as she slipped free.
Something had been bothering me; I realized what.
On the finger where people display their wedding rings a twist of metal had run beneath my thumb like an old friend. It was a ring made of British silver which I had given to Helena myself.
She must have forgotten it. I said nothing, in case she became embarrassed and felt obliged to take it off now our affair was supposed to be at an end.