`Flaw,' I chipped in. 'Metellus did not himself tell them his intentions. Then they did not see him actually swallow any pills.'

`Quite. How can they say he did it willingly?' Justinus agreed.

`Still, well done; at least we know what song these warblers want us to listen to.'

`How did you get on, Falco?' Aelianus then asked, hoping my record with the witnesses was as bad as his. I had spoken to all three of my targets. Experience tells. Aelianus replied that it also causes pomposity.

`All my subjects told the same story,' I reported. `One did concede it was bad form that they had not been addressed by Metellus beforehand. That's the ideal procedure in a council of friends. But they trust his wife, apparently – or they are scared of her – and I was assured that availing himself of the suicide ploy was entirely in character. Metellus hated to lose. He would enjoy thwarting his accusers.

`He won't enjoy much from the Underworld,' Aelianus muttered.

`Right, I think we'll end up telling Silius it stinks. Before we do, we'll go one stage further.'

`You'll try to see the strangely calm widow!' Justinus thought he was ahead of me.

I grinned. `Helena hates me seeing widows.'

`I know -' Helena herself had it right: `He is sending me. And if I am successful in gaining entry, Falco will arrive halfway through, as if innocently collecting me to walk me home.' I had not thought of that. `Don't do it,' she said immediately. `Keep out of my way, Falco. Calpurnia and I may become great friends.'

`Of course. You'll go back there to swap bangles and gossip every afternoon.'

`No, darling. I just want to ask her advice on procedure, in case I ever decide things are so bad, you should poison yourself.'