"Dibbling and dabbling." I had been trying to expand my business, using Helena's two younger brothers. Neither possessed any informing talent. I intended to use them to lend tone, with a view to wooing more sophisticated (richer) clients: every businessman's hopeless dream. It was best not to mention to Vespasian that these two lads who ought to be donning white robes as candidates for the Curia were instead lowering themselves to work with me. "I am enjoying my new rank," I said, beaming, which was as close as I would let myself come to thanking him for promoting me.

"I hear you make a good poultry keeper." Elevation to the equestrian stratum had brought tiresome responsibilities. I was Procurator of the Sacred Geese of the Temple of juno with additional oversight of the augurs' chickens.

"Country background." He looked surprised. I was stretching it, but Ma's family came from the Campagna. "The prophetic fowl get pesty if you don't watch them, but Juno's geese are in fine fettle."

Helena and I had plenty of down-stuffed cushions in our new home too. I had grasped equestrianism rapidly.

"How is that girl you kidnapped?" Had the disapproving old devil read my thoughts?

"Devoted to the domestic duties of a modest Roman matron- well, I can't get her to weave wool traditionally, though she did commandeer the house keys and she is nursing children. Helena Justina has just done me the honour of becoming mother to my second child." I knew better than to expect a silver birth-gift from this skinflint.

"Boy or girl?" Helena would have liked the even-handed way he offered both possibilities.

"Another daughter, sir. Sosia Favonia." Would it strike Vespasian that she was partly named after a relative of Helena's? A dear bright young girl called Sosia, who had been murdered as a consequence of the first mission I undertook for him murdered by his son Domitian, though of course we never mentioned that.