Danger in the Wind Read Online Free PDF Page B

authorities will expect me to have gone through the motions. Could you find him , Relia, and ask him to do what he can? I’ll give him a day to see what he can find, and tomorrow I’ll report Terentius’ death to army headquarters at Eburacum. I’ll send his body there, with a note explaining the circumstances. I don’t think I need to go there myself. I doubt they’ll want me to do anything more.”
    “We’ll put his body in one of the outbuildings for now,” I said. “We need to clean this room up. I suppose that means yet another donation to the temple priests in Oak Bridges to persuade them to come and purify the room.”
    Margarita nodded. “I’ve already sent one of the boys off with a message asking if a couple of them can come over straight away and perform the cleansing. They’re usually very obliging.”
    “So they should be, given the fat purse of silver they always receive for their services.” But there was no alternative. We had to get all the ritual purifying done today, before any more guests arrived and the room was needed.
    “Vitellia has been asking for you, Lucius,” Margarita said. “What shall I tell her? She’s wondering when you’re going to set off for your drive.”
    “ Merda! ” He put his mug hastily back on the tray. “I’d forgotten Vitellia. Well, not forgotten of course, but I mean…Does she know what’s happened here? I don’t want her to be scared.”
    “She knows, yes. She was with me in the barroom when Baca came and told me about finding Terentius. She was quite shocked, and wanted you to come to her. When I told her you and Aurelia were investigating how Terentius died, she asked why you had to be involved. Of course, she understood why when I explained that you had no choice but to look into everything. But I get the impression she’s a bit disappointed that you can’t take her out driving.”
    “But I can, and I will. I’ve promised to spend the day with her, and I can still do that. I think we’ve more or less finished here, haven’t we, Aurelia?”
    “Well, there’s still…”
    “Oh, I’m sure you can deal with anything else that needs doing. I must go to her and comfort her. She’s quite shy, poor girl, and having someone killed here will worry her dreadfully. If we go out for our drive, it’ll take her mind off the unpleasantness of it all.”
    “But what about…”
    “So can I leave the rest to you, Sis? See to the cleansing, get in touch with Hawk. You can handle all that, can’t you?”
    “If I must. But you don’t think that having someone killed here might worry me dreadfully too?”
    His look of surprise gave me my answer. “I agree it’s not very pleasant, but you’re used to dealing with trouble. You can cope, I know you can.”
    I let it go. I suppose it was a compliment in its way. “You’ll have to write the report for the army at Eburacum, but I can do everything else.”
    “The report can wait till tonight. After we—you—have spoken with Hawk.”
    “All right.”
    “Thanks, Sis. I’ll just get us some food and wine from the kitchen, then we’ll be off. I’ll see you later.” He strode out.
    Margarita asked, “Are you all right, Aurelia? This is a shock for us all. And you’ve been ill.”
    “I wish everyone would stop reminding me that I’ve been ill. As if I’m likely to forget! I’m fine, absolutely fine. And if Lucius is too besotted with that precious girl to do his job, you and I will manage perfectly well without him.”
    “Of course we will.”
    “Oh, sorry, Margarita. It’s just…”
    “I know. Don’t worry. Lucius is in love, that’s all. Come back to the kitchen with me and relax for a while. The customers will start arriving soon.”
    “There’s one more thing I have to do first. Terentius left a package with me for safekeeping. I ought to open it and see what’s in it. It’s in the safe.”
    “You think that’s why somebody tore the room apart like this?”
    “I suppose it must