After this performance I cleaned my bowl slowly while Helena was finishing hers. She had turned up her hair the way I liked, parted in the centre then twisted back above her ears.
'Falco, what are you staring at?' I gave her a look that confessed I was wondering if I dared nuzzle her nearest ear lobe-so she shot one back which said I had better not try.
An uncontrollable grin took possession of my face. Helena's expression informed me that being flirted at by a love-them-and-leave-them gigolo was not her idea of a holiday treat.
I lifted my cup, gently saluting her; she sipped hers. She had taken more water than wine when I first served her, and had drunk very little when Petro refilled her cup. 'Had your ration up at the villa rustica?' She looked surprised. 'Is your father-in-law a heavy drinker?'
'A glass or two at mealtimes to help him digest. Why?'
'That day I came, the flask he collected would have done duty at a gladiators' victory thrash.'
Helena considered it. 'Perhaps he likes to leave some on the table for the slaves who wait on him?'
'Perhaps!' Neither of us believed it, as both of us knew.
Time to talk business, since flirting had been ruled out. 'If you've already been to Nola and back, you've had a busy day. So what's so urgent?'
She flashed a tired, rueful smile. 'Falco, I owe you an apology.'
'I expect I can bear it. What have you done?'
'I told you Aufidius Crispus had never been to the villa-then the infuriating man arrived as soon as you left.'
I gloomily used my thumbnail as a toothpick. 'In a litter with a fancy gold prong on top, and slaves in saffron livery?'
'You passed him!'
'Not your fault.' She ought to have known by now that if I was ever annoyed she had only to expose me to that grave, apologetic look. I was not annoyed but she did know, judging by her expression, which was having a tricky effect on me. 'Tell me about it?'
'It appeared to be a sympathy call. I was told he had come to talk to Marcellus about his son.'
'Prior arrangement?'
'Looked like it. I think my father-in-law rushed his lunch with me so the men would be able to talk in private when Crispus arrived.' Modest women expect to be excluded from male get-togethers; Helena was openly annoyed. 'They took the flagon,' she acknowledged. 'You never miss much!'
I grinned, enjoying the flattery. I also enjoyed her secret glint as I let her manipulate me-then her swift, sweet, honest laugh when she noticed I knew. 'Don't suppose old Marcellus told you what they discussed?'
'No. I tried to hide my interest. He passed the visit off with a comment about Crispus making himself agreeable… Ask me why I went to Nola with Marcellus?'
I leant closer with my chin on my hands and requested obediently, 'Helena Justina, why did you go to Nola?'
'To buy you a bucket, Falco-and you've never even looked at it!'