Buried Too Deep: An Aurelia Marcella Mystery (Aurelia Marcella Roman Series)
Jane Finnis
Language: English
Pages: 356
ISBN: 159058399X
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
The spring of 98 AD is a time of optimism in the turbulent frontier province of Britannia. Business is brisk at the mansio (inn) that Aurelia Marcella runs with her twin brother Lucius on the road to York.
Then a wagon arrives bearing a local farmer with a grievous sword wound who is seeking treatment with the local Greek doctor. And Lucius appears at the mansio on a mission. When the farmer dies, the twins head for the coast to return the man to his family and to check out a shipwreck bearing valuable official cargo. A band of outlawed sea-raiders led by a Gaul are suspected of stealing it along with killing the farmer.
It all adds to the feuding that has erupted between the colonists and the natives. The natives claim the newcomers are stealing the best farmland, while the settlers accuse the locals of plotting rebellion against Rome. Both sides are using terrorist tactics: burning, kidnapping, and even murder. The trouble escalates and long-buried grudges are revived as counsellors, citizens, chiefs, and slaves mix in. But a subtle, personal agenda is at work as well—one or more of the combatants may have hired the Gauls to orchestrate the violence. The third novel in the Aurelia Marcella series.
The Case of the Orphaned Bassoonists (Cassandra Reilly, Book 4)
The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (Nancy Drew Mysteries, Book 25)
Revelation (Matthew Shardlake, Book 4)
What You See (Jesse Watson Mysteries, Book 1)
XXXI It was a long, long night. If we舗d had clear skies as we waited there by the shore, the moon and the planets would have reassured us that the hours were passing, however slowly. But our whole world was shrouded in fog. Quintus led men down the cliff to look for the Chief舗s body, but the tide was high, and they came back empty-handed. Divico approached him as he reached the top of the path, for once without his usual air of truculence. 舠I舗ve taken my blood price, which was my right. I舗m
means you舗d heard about Mother and me. From your father?舡 舠In a way.舡 Lucius took something out of his belt-pouch, something that flashed in the sunlight. 舠Do you recognise this ring?舡 舠Yes! It舗s like the one Father left for me.舡 舠It is the one. It舗s yours.舡 Rollus took the ring, and we three held out our left hands. All four identical rings glittered gold. 舠But how do you come to have it?舡 Rollus exclaimed. 舠You didn舗t舰I mean it can舗t have been any of you who stole it.舡 Lucius laughed. 舠No,
but easy riding on a Roman road. It ran through gently rolling fields, most of them pasture for sheep and goats, and a few cultivated, with green shoots of grain well up in the chalky soil. Every now and then there were small native farms with their mud-walled roundhouses. Occasionally we passed new foursquare brick or stone buildings, announcing a Roman settler. Every time I travelled this way, which I admit wasn舗t often, I was aware how the number of Roman properties was increasing. I smiled
watch over him through the night, but what with the baby and everything, well, it was too much for her. By morning he was worse, much worse, hot and feverish, talking nonsense, and his leg was still bleeding. So I asked one of the neighbours to take him down to your Greek doctor at Oak Bridges. I couldn舗t go myself, in case of more trouble here.舡 舠Where舗s the shepherd boy now?舡 Lucius asked Divico. 舠Could we talk to him?舡 舠With the sheep still. About a mile along the road, like I said.舡 舠He舗s
put his masters in danger, but he舗s not above making a silver piece or two for himself. I suppose he learnt that in the army. He舗s stashed away enough to set himself up in business, if he wants to, but Magnus would never hear of him leaving. And he enjoys the power he has here, so maybe he舗ll stay a while longer even with Magnus gone.舡 Something in her tone made me ask, 舠A special friend of yours, is he?舡 舠Let舗s just say he sometimes asks favours as well as granting them.舡 舠Favours?舡 舠I told