'I'll send a messenger.' If Hilaris was overruling me it was tactful – so far. 'What is his name?'

'Plancus.'

'Did Verovolcus act alone?'

'No. He had a crony. A site supervisor. We arrested him.'

'Present location?'

'Thank the gods I had been conscientious about tying up ends: Noviomagus. The King's responsibility.'

'Punishment?'

'That I don't know -' Now I felt like a schoolboy who had neglected his homework. Flavius Hilaris might be my wife's uncle but if I had bungled, I would be slated. 'Mandumerus had had only a secondary role and he was a local, so I let Togidubnus deal with him.'

'Mandumerus, you say.' Hilaris picked me up at once. 'I'll find out.'

I let him run with the line. In the long term, I could bunk off to Rome. Rome might give me a grilling, but I was up to it. Hilaris would live with the legacy of this tavern slaughter as long as he stayed in Britain. The royal connection was awkward enough. In addition, one of the Hilaris family's private homes stood in Noviomagus, just a mile from the King. Poor Uncle Gaius had been handed a personal 'bad neighbour' quarrel, if nothing else. 'Marcus, you don't think Togidubnus himself has punished Verovolcus in this way?'

'What a terrible thought!' I grinned. I liked Hilaris, but the devious minds of bureaucrats never cease to amaze me. 'The King was annoyed at the man's hot-headed action – but more annoyed with me for finding out.'

'Well, we are a step ahead of him so far.'

'I hope you are not suggesting a cover-up!' I offered satirically.

At that, Flavius Hilaris looked genuinely shocked. 'Dear gods, no. But we do have some grace to find out what happened – before the King starts slamming us with ballista bolts.' The use of a trooper's term from this quiet, cultured man reminded me there was more to nice, stylus-pushing Uncle Gaius than most people noticed.