The Governor's Man by Jacquie Rogers (best beach reads TXT) 📕

He welcomed them, sending his attendants out to give them privacy. Once they had all sat down—Tiro slowly and with a grimace — Rufinus began by asking Quintus about the mission, right from the initial briefing by the Castra Commander in Rome. He was interested in why Quintus had been chosen for the mission, given his career background in the East.

‘I’ve thought about this, sir, and speaking bluntly, I was selected to fail.’ Quintus worked to keep a steady face. Maybe Tiro would guess how much this admission was costing him.  ‘Gaius knew I was badly injured in Caledonia. I believe he also knew how shocked I was by the death of my younger brother during the same campaign. I’ve struggled to overcome that loss, knowing myself to have been responsible for Flavius. Frankly, I lost all ambition from that point. I took this assignment at face value, trusting my former comrade-in-arms. I didn’t even question his choice of Tiro here as replacement for my injured stator.’ He saw Tiro reddening, and carried on quickly. ‘If he only knew how critical that mistake was to his own interests. Appearances can be very deceptive. In the event, Tiro was probably the best man to have by my side, and it is in no small part due to him that we succeeded.’ Rufinus looked at Tiro, holding his eyes for longer than Tiro found comfortable.

Tiro looked down, missing the understanding expression on the new Governor’s face when he said gently, ‘Gaius made many mistakes, not least of which was his equally deluded choice of Imperial Investigator. He could not have undermined his own plans more when he requested you to carry out the investigation, Quintus Valerius. But tell me, what was it that gave him away to you?’

‘White wax, sir.’

‘White wax?’

‘Yes, sir. On my very first day in Britannia, when I went to collect Tiro from…’ Tiro flinched here, but Quintus pretended not to see ’…from his previous post, I noticed that the letter from Gaius Trebonius authorising Tiro’s transfer was written on a white wax tablet. I had never seen that colour wax before. My — er, Lady Julia Aureliana of the Durotriges, who has also been of great assistance in this case, told me how rare white wax documents are. Later at Vebriacum, the mines manager Tertius showed me another white wax letter, an incriminating message sent to Claudius Bulbo.’

Governor Rufinus nodded, as though this confirmed an idea he already had. Quintus saw his opening.

‘May I ask a question of my own, sir?’

‘Go ahead.’

‘How did you know to summon the Valeria Victrix in such good time? And to undertake what must have been a difficult journey to get here in the nick of time yourself, with only the Londinium garrison? It seems so risky, sir.’

‘Do you really not know, Frumentarius?’ The pale man looked intently at Quintus. His hazel eyes were so light they almost merged with the pallor of his countenance. All the same, Quintus had the impression of strength in his mild face.

Quintus sighed, overcome with sadness at the waste. ‘I have thought a lot about this, sir. I knew from the start that someone was sending information about events at Vebriacum. I later discovered these messages were being brought to Londinium by a young Durotriges boy, Catus, until he was murdered. A death designed to throw me off the scent by falsely suggesting a Druid revolt. It was the mines manager Tertius who had been keeping the Governor informed. Trebonius told me so himself. And his suggestion that you, sir, were not to be trusted blinded me to the obvious.’

‘Which was, Frumentarius?’

’That Tertius, one of the bravest men I have ever met, was your agent.’

Rufinus stood, bracing his hands against the arms of his wooden chair, and took a few clumsy paces around the tent. He returned, seating himself carefully, and stretched his legs out. The odd bundle of his foot was on full display.

‘You’re correct, Quintus Valerius. Tertius was my agent. Had been since his days in Syria. It was my doing that he was freed from slavery. I promoted his appointment at Vebriacum. Gaius Trebonius used his martial reputation and his network of comrades in the British army to establish a power base to underpin his coup. Both reputation and army friendships are potent tools and have served rebelling Governors and Emperors well in the past.  I have no such resources. I rely on the loyalty of different men. Such men are often unperceived for their skills, with hidden bravery and initiative. I have been very fortunate in my career to come across some of these rare men, and women, too. Tertius was one such. He is a huge loss.’

‘Indeed, sir.’ Suddenly Quintus knew the time was right to ask the big question, the one troubling him since he had first realised the Druid connection was a cover. ‘Sir, why didn’t you tell me what was in your mind when I came to your Southwark palace?’

A sad look crossed the pale face. ‘After Trebonius’s insinuations about my own ambitions, Quintus Valerius, would you have believed me? Would you have trusted me above your old friend?’

Quintus was silent, troubled. The sad look melted into a slight smile. ‘I thought not. But now I hope and believe, matters between us are different.’

Quintus gave a heartfelt nod, and Rufinus smiled at him before dismissing them both. As they were being ushered out of the command tent Rufinus called, ‘Frumentarius, when your injured arm has healed, I would be pleased if you would come to Londinium for further talks with me. I have some ideas to discuss with you. Could you be ready to travel in, say, a couple of weeks?’

‘By all means, sir.’

Outside the command tent, Quintus turned to Tiro. ‘Well, my excellent stator, how say you we find Marcellus and Antonius and visit the Corinium baths