The whole scene was sordid. From the drunks lolling against closed, shops offering horrible overtures to scared passers-by, to the squashed melon pieces in the gutter, their innards as red as bright fresh blood. From the sneak thieves skulking off home looking pleased with themselves to the smell of urine in the alleys, where antisocial deadbeats couldn't wait. It was growing worse. The few lamps that were now hung outside open lock-ups or in overhead apartment windows only made the spaces between them even darker and more dangerous. A couple of chairs lurched by, their horn lanterns swinging on hooks. Someone was singing an obscene song that I remembered from the legions.

Two men clung together on the back of one donkey, both so drunk they hardly knew where they were; their greycoated mount was trotting off down the Via Piscinae Publicae with them, choosing the route for himself. Perhaps he knew of a jolly winebar under the Servian Walls, down by the Raudusculana Gate. I was in two minds to follow him.

There were so many people who looked up to no good it was difficult to choose which to watch. In every direction women were being brazenly foolish while sinister men eyed them hopefully. I hated having to stand here looking like part of all this. My nerves were so wound up I almost felt anyone who put themselves amidst this ghastly scene deserved all they got.

The exodus continued for a couple of hours. In the end my mind was so benumbed it started wandering. I suddenly came to; I realised that for the past ten minutes I had been staring fixedly in front of me, perfecting my plan to hire a hall and give a public recital of my poetry.(This was a dream I had been nurturing for some time now; so far I had been gently dissuaded by the good advice of my close friends, especially those who had read my odes and eclogues.) I returned to real life with a guilty start.'

Outside the nearby gate of the Circus a young girl was standing all by herself. She was dressed in white, with a glint of gold embroidery on the hem of her stole. Her skin was delicate, her hair neatly dressed. Jewellery that only an heiress could afford was innocently on display, She was gazing around as if she was part of an untouchable procession of Vestals in broad daylight. She had been brought up to believe she would always be treated with respect – yet some idiot had dumped her here. Even if you didn't know her she looked glaringly out of place. And I did know her.

She Was Claudia Rufina, the shy young creature Helena and I had brought from Spain. As she stood there alone, all kinds of bad characters were poised to move in on her.

THIRTY SEVEN

`Claudia Rufina!' I managed to appear at her side before any of the would-be muggers, rapists, or kidnappers. Various seedy types edged back a bit, though they hustled still within earshot, hoping I myself was a chancer Claudia would reject, leaving the booty for them.

`How nice to see you,, Marcus Didius!'

Claudia was docile and well-meaning. I tried to moderate my voice. `May I ask what are you doing alone in a rough street at this time of night?'.

`Oh, I don't mind,' the silly girl assured me sweetly. 'I'm waiting for Aelianus and Justinus to come back with our litter. Their mother insists we have it sent to collect me, but in the crush it's so very hard to find.'

`This is not the place to hang about, lady.'

`No, it's not nice, but this exit is nearest to the Capena Gate. We could walk home from here, but Julia Justa won't hear of it.'

Walking home as a brisk threesome would be a damned sight safer than having the lads bunk off searching for the family chair while Claudia was positioned here like live bait.

Justinus turned up while I was fuming. `Oh, Claudia, I warned you not to talk to any strange men.'

I lost my temper. `Don't ever do this again! Don't you realise this is the area where the last known victim of the aqueduct killer disappeared? I am standing here watching for some stupid female to get herself followed by a maniac – and I really would rather it isn't someone I myself introduced to Rome, one who is my future sister-in-law!'

He had not known about the location. But he had a fine sense of danger once the character of the district had been pointed out. `We've been, fools. I apologise.'

`Think nothing of it,' I returned harshly. `So long as you and your brother are prepared to he the ones who explain your stupidity to Helena! Not to mention your noble mother, your illustrious father, and Claudia's loving grandparents.

Claudia turned solemn eyes on Justinus. He was one of the few people tall enough to meet her gaze directly despite her habit of leaning back and looking at the world down her large nose. 'Oh, Quintus,' she murmured. `I do believe Marcus Didius is a little bit cross with you!'

`Oh, goodness!' Am I in trouble, Falco?' It was the first time I had seen Claudia teasing anyone. That rascal Quintus seemed suspiciously used to it. `Don't worry; if anything is said at home, we'll just blame Aelianus!' This seemed to be some old shared joke; amid a clatter of bracelets Claudia, hid a smile in her beringed hand.

Aelianus himself arrived just then from a different direction, bringing the litter for his betrothed. As well as the bearers, three lads with staves acted as bodyguard; but they were puny and vague-looking. I instructed the two Camilli to clear off fast. `Stick together, keep your eyes, open, and get yourselves home as quick as possible.'

The Capena Gate was very close or I would have felt obliged to go with them.

Aelianus looked as if he wanted to argue on principle, but his brother had grasped the point. When Claudia tried to soothe me with a goodbye kiss on the cheek, Justinus shooed her into the litter. I noticed he now parked himself at the open- half door, shielding the girl from onlookers, and keeping himself between her and trouble. He muttered a few words in an undertone to his brother, who glanced about as if confirming that we were surrounded by misfits. Aelianus then had the grace to close ranks with Justinus, marching close to the chair as it moved off.

Justinus bade me farewell with a crisp military salute; it was a reminder of our time in Germany, and meant to let me know he was now taking care. Aelianus must have been in the army too, though I had no idea which province he had served in.

Knowing him, some place where the hunting was good and the locals had forgotten, how to revolt. If his younger brother seemed more mature and responsible in a tricky situation, that was because Justinus had been taught how to survive in barbarian territory -and taught by me. I would have passed on techniques for handling women too, but at the time he had not seemed to need it. I was not sure he needed any teaching nowadays.

Grimly, I returned to my post at the Temple of Sol and Luna. I felt, shaken. There were enough young people out looking for trouble without ones I knew worrying me.

The next woman I saw being ridiculous was another one I recognised: Pia, the dead Asinia's friend. The hussy in turquoise who had assured Petro and me she would not go anywhere near the Circus again after what had happened to Asinia. It was no surprise that this trembling blossom had emerged from the stadium tonight, having clearly attended the Games just the same as usual. What was more she had a man in tow.

I strode up to her. She was annoyed at seeing me. I was annoyed too, that she had lied to us and that she so blatantly lacked any loyalty to her, murdered friend. But it did give me a faint hope of exposing her lies.

The fellow with sickly taste who was crawling over Pia was a greasy tyke with patches on his clothing and a yellowing black eye. He was playing the part of an old friend,