“Your wife hasn’t invited another gladiator to see her today, has she?” I asked as though offhandedly interested. “One called Regulus?”
Vestalis moved his gaze past me as he thought. “I haven’t heard that name. But then, I don’t know every man she drags in here. None have been to visit today, as far as I know.”
“Do any other ladies of the neighborhood … invite in gladiators?”
Vestalis snorted. “Possibly. So many are scandalous these days. My own dear wife—my first wife, I mean—was quiet and serene. A joy to have her enter a room. All praised her—she was beautiful, intelligent, modest, kind, and funny too. She could make me laugh. And my daughter—as beautiful as a goddess …”
His eyes grew moist as he trailed off. He stared at nothing for a moment, as though he’d forgotten my presence, then he buried his head in his hands. “Forgive me,” he said brokenly.
I rose and stepped out of the room, waving for the doorman, who scurried to us. When he saw his master weeping, the young man took on an expression of great sympathy.
“I’ll look after him,” he said. “He misses his lady and his daughter something terrible,” he confided in a whisper.
Losing them must have been a grievous blow, and I could see that Vestalis hadn’t recovered from it, probably never would. His loss was much more on his mind than the indecorous behavior of his frivolous second wife.
I again thanked Vestalis, who did not respond, and followed the doorman out.
* * *
I still hadn’t foundRegulus, and my idea that Severina’s bodyguard had ordered the gladiator equipment and hauled Rufus’s body into the insula was wrong.
I needed to think, and for that, I needed Cassia.
I trudged home through a Rome settling down for the evening. More family processions wended their way along the streets. Groups walked together, some carrying small shrines, honoring the deceased members of their families. I paused to buy a small bag of nuts from a vendor to lay on our own shrine.
Cassia had returned to the apartment as she’d promised, but I found a throng inside.
I recognized Helvius, and Martolia and Gaius, but not the others. By their garb, they were slaves or freed servants.
Cassia spoke animatedly with a woman I didn’t recognize while Helvius watched Cassia with admiration. Gaius sat on the floor and beat one of the stools like a drum, and Martolia swayed idly to the rhythm on the balcony.
I stood in the doorway for a long moment before anyone noticed me. Then Helvius caught sight of me and gasped, and attention turned my way.
“Leonidas.” Cassia turned in eager welcome. “What have you learned?”
I gazed across the sea of faces, some trepidatious, others fascinated. Oil gleamed on limbs, and some of the group had damp hair. They’d taken their turn at the baths, I guessed, and then stopped by to see Cassia before continuing to their master’s homes.
“Regulus was not there,” I said. “I saw no sign of the man Albus describes.”
“Ah.” Cassia’s disappointment was short-lived. “No matter. My friends will inquire about him as they go about their duties. As well as search for Regulus.”
“Too dangerous,” I said quickly. Slaves poking about where they had no business faced dire consequences with no recourse.
“No one notices servants,” Cassia said with assurance. “My friends know how to discover things unobtrusively. Evening is coming,” she announced to them. “Time to return home. We will meet again tomorrow, and you will tell me what you find.”
Gaius gave the stool—mine—a final thump as the crowd began to disperse and heaved himself from the floor. “Martolia is dancing on the Caelian tonight. We’ll ask if any servants there know which senator’s wife is hosting a gladiator.”
Before I could argue, he was following Martolia out, his voice raised in song as he clattered down the stairs.
It took some time for all to leave, but finally, I shut the door on the last straggler.
“How did you summon them all here?” I asked Cassia as I restored the stools to the table.
“I sent the boy who works for the wine merchant to Helvius, and he spread word to the others.” Cassia seated herself in front of her open tablets and neatly lined-up scrolls. “Between them, they’ll find Regulus, I am certain.”
“Or be killed,” I pointed out.
“I believe the servants will be safe. You and Regulus and others at the ludus are the ones in danger.” Cassia’s confidence did not bolster mine. “Now, what happened on the Caelian?”
