look any further.’
‘Maybe not, but—’
‘She’s a gold-digger, first to last. Not that that aspect of things concerns me, apart from rousing the natural anger that anyone would feel in those circumstances; as I said, I no longer have any interest in the family whatsoever. In fact, I was quite pleased when I heard that Lucius had more or less handed her the Old Villa as a gift, because our dear son will be absolutely livid.’ A twisting of the sour lips into what was almost a smile. ‘How dreadfully embarrassing for him. But although I had very little time for my husband, that does
not
mean that I can sympathize with his killer.’
‘She was his first? Mistress, I mean.’
‘As far as I’m aware, yes, although it’s much more likely than not. Lucius had many failings, but philandering was not one of them. In fact, I was quite surprised when he took up with the girl, and frankly I believe – despite the obvious untruth of the belief – that his interest in her was fatherly rather than sexual. He certainly talked of her more as a favourite daughter than a mistress.’
‘He talked to you about her, then?’
‘Oh, yes. Right from the start of their relationship, which was – as you probably know – just over a year ago. He was quite open about it.’
‘And you didn’t mind?’
‘Valerius Corvinus, my husband could have slept with half of Rome and I would not have minded one bit, so long as he did not advertise the fact and observed the proprieties. Knowing he did so with a nightclub slut far less than half his age meant nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. If we were still married after thirty-seven years it was by no doing of mine. Had he told me any time these thirty-odd years that he wanted a divorce, I would have agreed without a thought.’
‘But he didn’t. Not until a month ago.’ I hesitated. ‘Ah … forgive me for asking this, Cornelia Sullana, but why did he do it then? Not so he could marry Tarquitia, if that were possible, because he didn’t marry her when he could. And she didn’t claim that marriage in future was on the cards. So why the divorce?’
She was quiet so long that I didn’t think she would answer. Finally, though, she said: ‘Because I goaded him into it.’
‘Goaded?’
‘Made him angry. By telling him about my own affair.’
‘Uh …’ This I just didn’t believe: the lady, as I said, was well past fifty and looked like the back end of a cart into the bargain. Yet there she sat, like a dowager-matron who could’ve posed for the mother of the two Gracchi, confessing to screwing around behind her husband’s back. ‘Come again?’
She must’ve noticed my expression, because that sour smile was back, fleetingly. ‘Oh, not recently. It was twenty … no, twenty-five years ago. With a man called Cassius Longinus.’
That name rang a faint bell: I remembered Naevia Postuma mentioning it. ‘Surdinus’s colleague in the consulship?’
‘Yes. Although of course that was much later, and pure coincidence, when the affair was well and truly over. Longinus was everything that Lucius wasn’t, and still is. He’s governor of Asia at present, so I hear.’
‘Surdinus never knew?’
‘He never even suspected. We were very careful, and in any case I doubt if someone like Lucius would have noticed anyway.’
‘But he would’ve minded.’
‘Of course he would. And did, even twenty years after the event. That was the whole point of telling him.’ She stood up. ‘And now, Valerius Corvinus, that is about all I can tell
you
. I’ve answered your questions as frankly as I can.’ Jupiter, she’d done that right enough, latterly! ‘And I wish you every success. I may never have got on with Lucius – despised him, in fact, if the truth be told – but I bore and bear him no animosity, certainly not now he is dead. You can find your own way out, I think.’
I did.
EIGHT
S o. Onwards and upwards. Or in this case, downwards, both physically and socially,
‘Maybe not, but—’
‘She’s a gold-digger, first to last. Not that that aspect of things concerns me, apart from rousing the natural anger that anyone would feel in those circumstances; as I said, I no longer have any interest in the family whatsoever. In fact, I was quite pleased when I heard that Lucius had more or less handed her the Old Villa as a gift, because our dear son will be absolutely livid.’ A twisting of the sour lips into what was almost a smile. ‘How dreadfully embarrassing for him. But although I had very little time for my husband, that does
not
mean that I can sympathize with his killer.’
‘She was his first? Mistress, I mean.’
‘As far as I’m aware, yes, although it’s much more likely than not. Lucius had many failings, but philandering was not one of them. In fact, I was quite surprised when he took up with the girl, and frankly I believe – despite the obvious untruth of the belief – that his interest in her was fatherly rather than sexual. He certainly talked of her more as a favourite daughter than a mistress.’
‘He talked to you about her, then?’
‘Oh, yes. Right from the start of their relationship, which was – as you probably know – just over a year ago. He was quite open about it.’
‘And you didn’t mind?’
‘Valerius Corvinus, my husband could have slept with half of Rome and I would not have minded one bit, so long as he did not advertise the fact and observed the proprieties. Knowing he did so with a nightclub slut far less than half his age meant nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. If we were still married after thirty-seven years it was by no doing of mine. Had he told me any time these thirty-odd years that he wanted a divorce, I would have agreed without a thought.’
‘But he didn’t. Not until a month ago.’ I hesitated. ‘Ah … forgive me for asking this, Cornelia Sullana, but why did he do it then? Not so he could marry Tarquitia, if that were possible, because he didn’t marry her when he could. And she didn’t claim that marriage in future was on the cards. So why the divorce?’
She was quiet so long that I didn’t think she would answer. Finally, though, she said: ‘Because I goaded him into it.’
‘Goaded?’
‘Made him angry. By telling him about my own affair.’
‘Uh …’ This I just didn’t believe: the lady, as I said, was well past fifty and looked like the back end of a cart into the bargain. Yet there she sat, like a dowager-matron who could’ve posed for the mother of the two Gracchi, confessing to screwing around behind her husband’s back. ‘Come again?’
She must’ve noticed my expression, because that sour smile was back, fleetingly. ‘Oh, not recently. It was twenty … no, twenty-five years ago. With a man called Cassius Longinus.’
That name rang a faint bell: I remembered Naevia Postuma mentioning it. ‘Surdinus’s colleague in the consulship?’
‘Yes. Although of course that was much later, and pure coincidence, when the affair was well and truly over. Longinus was everything that Lucius wasn’t, and still is. He’s governor of Asia at present, so I hear.’
‘Surdinus never knew?’
‘He never even suspected. We were very careful, and in any case I doubt if someone like Lucius would have noticed anyway.’
‘But he would’ve minded.’
‘Of course he would. And did, even twenty years after the event. That was the whole point of telling him.’ She stood up. ‘And now, Valerius Corvinus, that is about all I can tell
you
. I’ve answered your questions as frankly as I can.’ Jupiter, she’d done that right enough, latterly! ‘And I wish you every success. I may never have got on with Lucius – despised him, in fact, if the truth be told – but I bore and bear him no animosity, certainly not now he is dead. You can find your own way out, I think.’
I did.
EIGHT
S o. Onwards and upwards. Or in this case, downwards, both physically and socially,
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