Man Eater

Outside, in what was now a Salvian-free zone, the place was buzzing. Theoretically, on public holidays you weren’t supposed to engage in trade or commercial activities, but try telling that to the people. Fortune-tellers predicted cures beyond the expectations of even the most optimistic of quacks and a group of lepers, fenced off from the healthy, clamoured to buy holy water for their wretched mutilations. Brown grasshoppers, as long as your little finger, bounded and chirruped and got crushed underfoot. From the pools there came squeals of delight, groans of relief, cries of encouragement as tetchy babies were coaxed into the shallows. Grown men squabbled over places in the pools, small boys held weeing contests under the waterfall.

Claudia clambered up steps hewn from the rock with the aid of a rope handrail, and inhaled. The smell of oceans and open spaces, of travel and adventure all rolled into one. Without warning the age-old feeling of restlessness welled up inside her. It was her craving for adventure that had got her into this mess and that self-same drive would probably bring about an early demise-but heaven knows it would be worth it. The thrill of the unknown! The excitement of each new, unfolding challenge!

I will always live life on the edge, she thought contentedly, gazing down on the saucers below. I cannot help it.

Here, at the top, the channel was narrow and surprisingly deep. Two portly gentlemen discussed oil prices as the blue-green waters gushed over their chests, and upstream Tulola’s Negroes laughed and joked and chased each other like elvers.

‘I’ve changed my mind about your henchman.’

‘Tulola! For gods’ sake, you nearly gave me heart failure.’

One carefully painted eyebrow rose provocatively. ‘Then I’d follow through with mouth-to-mouth.’

Dear Diana, was there no stopping this woman?

‘I’ve decided I want your delicious young Gaul after all.’

Even standard-issue shifts could not escape the Tulola treatment. She’d chosen a size too small to ensure her breasts and her hipbones stood out, leaving no one in any doubt that it wasn’t only her fingernails that had been hennaed. Her nipples looked like poppies through the thin, white cotton.

‘Despite his deficiencies?’

‘Because of them, sweetie.’ She brushed away a troublesome fly. ‘I rather like the idea of making him watch while I perform with a real man.’ A furrow appeared in her lovely brow. ‘Where is he, by the way?’

‘Around,’ Claudia replied airily, and counted to six before adding, ‘You recognized Fronto as the peeper, didn’t you?’

Tulola unleashed her throaty laugh. ‘My, my, you catch on quick, so I’ll let you into a secret.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I did recognize the face at my window but it wasn’t Fronto.’

‘Then who-’

‘Claudia! Claudia, for gods’ sake, is it true?’ Sergius came racing up the steps, wet hair plastered over his forehead. Salvian followed hot on his heels. Alis brought up the rear.

‘Is what true?’

Naked apart from a loincloth, Pictor’s physique was that of an athlete. Who could blame Alis for staying close? Far too many feminine eyelashes fluttered as he passed-and one or two masculine ones besides. Was that it? Was marriage to Alis a cover for his true orientation, good old Greek love?

‘This idiot says you’re under house arrest, he’s to watch you day and night.’

‘I have no idea what his instructions are, but I rather think following me into the changing rooms goes beyond the call of duty.’

The boy’s eyes bulged in alarm. ‘I didn’t kn-kn-know it was for w-women,’ he protested, his face once again matching his tunic. ‘Honestly Claudia.’

But when they looked round, she had vanished.

Launching herself into the cascade was one of the most exhilarating experiences of her life. The force of the torrent coupled with the utter helplessness was one of the most powerful feelings on earth. All too quickly it deposited her in a deep, warm pool that tasted faintly of mint and whose currents pummelled and massaged every inch of your skin. Breathless, she surged upwards out of the foaming waters and felt the spray dance on her face.

‘Good of you to drop in.’

On a rock at the edge of the waterfall, his legs swinging nonchalantly, sat the most infuriating policeman she had ever had the misfortune to meet. Dogged was not the word. In future she would need to trail aniseed.

‘You have the adhesive qualities of a leech, Orbilio, and only two-thirds of the charm.’

As fast as an otter she dived back down, but there was nowhere to go. As he well knew, because when she surfaced for air he hadn’t moved so much as one well-developed muscle.

‘Do you like children?’ he asked, his eyes fixed on a small boy, naked as nature intended, holding his sister’s head in an armlock as he tried to kick her legs from under her.

‘Too chewy,’ Claudia snapped.

‘How many should we have, do you think? Three? Four?’