`Make an appointment?' I grinned, but my tone was bitter. `Send a prior written list of queries to some pompous toga who charges me five hundred just to tell me you cannot comment? Expect a writ for slander if I mention this discussion in public? Find myself barred from the Basilica Julia on some frivolous charge? Discover no one in the Forum wants to talk to me? Lose my clothes every time I go to the bath, find my mother's rent has been put up threefold, receive a summons from the army board of deserters, have mule dung shovelled into my doorway?'

`You've done this before,' smiled Flaccida. She was quite blatant.

`Oh I know how intimidation by the powerful works.'

`Lucky for you, you didn't tell me what your name is!'

`The name's Falco.' I could have used an alias. I refused to be dragged down to the level of fear these operators used. If they wanted to humiliate me, they would have to find me first. My normal clients were sadder and seedier; I was not well known amongst major criminals.

`And who's your friend?' This Flaccida was nasty work. It was a threat against Helena – and not a subtle one.

`No one you should tangle with,' I answered coolly. `Unusual to see an official with a female scribe!' `She's an unusual scribe.'

`I assume you sleep with her?'

`So long as it doesn't affect her handwriting…' I rose. `I'm not intending to bother you further. I don't like wasting effort.'

`I don't like you,' Flaccida told me frankly. `Don't harass me again!'

I said to Helena, `Make a note that the wife of Balbinus Pius refused to answer routine questions, then described polite enquiry by a civil investigator as "harassment".'

`Get out!' sneered the more-or-less blonde.

In some circles the women are more fearsome than the men.

XXXIV

OH YOU REALLY made a mess of that!' Helena Justina was furious with me. `Is that how you normally conduct interviews?'

`Well, yes. With slight variations.'

`For instance, sometimes people throw you out right at the start?'

`Sometimes they never even let me in,' I admitted. `But it can be easier than that was.'

`Oh? Sometimes the women are all over you?'

`Naturally a handsome lad like me gets used to asking questions while fending off attention.'

`Don't fool yourself. She slaughtered you!' growled Helena.

`Oh I wouldn't say that. But what a hard-faced hag! At least she gave us the full flavour of life among the big-time crooks: lies, threats, and legal bullying.'

We were standing in the street outside Flaccida's house, having a warm set-to. I didn't mind. Arguing with Helena always cheered me up. So long as she thought I was worth fighting, life still held some hope.

`You leaned nothing from her, but you told her all the lines of enquiry you're pursuing – plus the fact you can't prove any of them! This is no good at all,' Helena continued crossly. `We'll have to go and see the daughter. We'll have to go fast, before the mother sends to warn her, and when we get there, leave the talking to me this time!'

Investigating with Helena as my partner was wonderful fun. I gave way gracefully and we marched off to see the girl.

Milvia and her gambling husband, Florius, lived pretty close to her parents' house. Perhaps that was how Balbinus had come to notice the young equestrian on whom he had foisted his daughter. At any event, this house was even larger and more elaborate than the one where Flaccida had seen us off. That probably meant we should expect an even more rapid dispatch here.

The husband was out. The girl saw us. She was about twenty, dark, sharp-faced, very pretty. Nothing at all like either of her parents. She was dressed in an extremely expensive gown of deep purple silk weave, with panels of silver-thread embroidery. None too practical for eating pears in a sloppy honey sauce, which was what she was doing. Somehow I doubted whether young Milvia had ever worried about a laundry bill. Her jeweller was more tasteful than her mother's; she was decked out in a complete set of antique Greek gold, including a neat little stephane on her crisply curled hair.

She saw us without any chaperone, so I could not check whether the maids who wielded the curling tongs in this mansion had to endure being thrashed if they misplaced a ringlet. Milvia had a bright, intelligent expression that suggested she could manage staff by guile. Or bribe them, anyway.

Taking charge firmly, Helena proffered a smile that would polish sideboards. `I do apologise for bothering you you must have lots to do. This is Didius Falco, who is conducting enquiries on behalf of an important committee. He'll be sitting here quietly while we have our chat, but you don't need to worry about him. It was thought that you might prefer to be interviewed by a woman, so that's why I'm here.'

`Anything I can do to help!' promised the bright-eyed, innocent daughter of gangsters, as if she was agreeing to assist in raising a subscription for a new shrine to Juno Matrona.

`Well, perhaps I can just make sure that I'm clear on one or two details… You're Balbina Milvia, daughter of Balbinus Pius and Cornella Flaccida, now married to Gaius Florius Oppicus?'

`Ooh that's me!' Apparently it was a great delight for little wide-eyes to find herself so well documented.

`Of course,' said Helena kindly, `your recent family difficulties are known. It must have been a shock to discover the serious charges against your father?'

The pretty face clouded; the sweet mouth pouted slightly. `I don't believe it,' Milvia protested. `It's all lies made up by wicked enemies.'

Helena spoke in a low, stern voice. `I wonder how you think your father made such enemies, though?' The girl shuddered. 'We cannot help our relations,' Helena sympathised. `And sometimes it's hardest for those who are closest to see the truth. I know this from personal experience.' Helena had had an uncle who dabbled in treason, not to mention the husband she divorced, who had been a maniacal social menace. `I understand that your father did ensure you had a perfect upbringing. I'm sure your husband thinks so too.'

`Florius and I are very close.'

`That's wonderful.' As this conversation proceeded I was more and more glad it was not me being obliged to maintain a sickly expression in the face of so much mush. I reckoned the girl was a complete sham. So long as she kept up the act consistently, it would be difficult to prove, however. `My dear, you're clearly a credit to Rome, and I'm sure,' smiled Helena serenely, `I can rely on you to help our enquiries…'

`Oh I'd love to be of use,' lilted the creditable citizen, stroking the lovely skirts that had been acquired for her with the proceeds of theft and extortion. `Unfortunately, I know nothing at all about anything.'

`You may know more than you think!' Helena informed her decisively. 'Let me just ask a few questions, and we'll see.'

`Oh whatever you want.'

I personally wanted to upend the innocent protester over a knobbly log and thrash a conscience into her. Helena restrained herself. `Let's think about your father's associates, Milvia. I'm sure you won't know this, but Nonnius Albius, who used to be your father's chief assistant, has just been found dead in rather ugly circumstances.'

`Oh goodness!'

`Have you seen Nonnius, or heard anything about him, since your father's trial?'

`Oh no!' burbled the dainty one.

`But you did know him?'

`He was a kind of uncle to me when I was small. I still can't believe the terrible things he's supposed to have done. And I can't believe he meant to go into court and make up those stories about Papa. His illness must have affected him. As soon as he did it, I knew neither Mama nor I could ever meet him again. Mama hates him.'