"Unmarried girls and young brides," I specified. "High potential for public revulsion."

"Officially, our position is that we wish senatonals would stay in Italy."

"Well, they won't do it, Laeta. So are respectable families to be unprotected, while travelling in a Roman province"

"Your high-mmdedness stinks, Falco!"

To get rid of me, Laeta agreed to fund one week at Olympia investigating, plus travel to Corinth so I could report to the governor (the worst aspect of the job, since he would hate having a palace intermediary poking about his province unasked)

I had no intention of using Seven Sights. I assembled my own travel group. First, while most people were wondering who I would take with me, I made sure I left the right ones behind. I did not tell my father I was going, even though he had business contacts in Greece They were dubious. The Greek art trade is notorious Leaving him behind saved more trouble than anything.

With more regret, I also declined Helena"s younger brother, Qumtus. I liked him as a travelling companion; he was organised, easygoing, and spoke very good Greek But his young Baetican wife, who had just given him a son, was vexed with him, blatant pressure from the rest of the Camillus family persuaded me – and Quintus – that his domestic ties came first (In the event, this was to rebound badly For once, the problem would not be my fault.)