“You mean he dared to ignore Father’s letter?”
“Most likely he was going to pretend that it was not received before you were safely dispatched to the East. And he might have gotten away with it, if a second letter from Constantius hadn’t arrived last night demanding in words that even Galerius can’t wriggle out of that you be sent to Gaul at once.”
“How did you learn so soon about the second letter, I mean?” Constantine felt a surge of excitement rising within him at the thought that at long last he might be joining his father.
Noncommissioned officers
“You can thank Dacius for that; the noncommissioned officers of the Roman army have a spy system of their own. Most of them worship your father and dislike Galerius and Daia intensely, so almost before Galerius finished reading the letter, Dacius knew about it. When you get back to Nicomedia tomorrow, you will be greeted with news that you are going to Gaul carrying dispatches for Constantius.”
“But that is exactly what I want!” Constantine cried. Then a thought struck him. “Why did father write a second time so soon after his first letter?”
“According to Dacius’ information, he pleaded illness.”
“Of what nature?” Constantine asked quickly.
“Constantius gave no details, but I hope for a letter in a few days with more information.”
“Could it be a device to get Emperor Galerius to release me?” “I doubt it. Your father is so honest that he rarely dissembles, even in a matter as important as this. My guess is that he really is ill and wants you with him on the expedition to Britain.”
“I didn’t know of any such campaign,” Constantine admitted. “Your father mentioned another campaign in his last letter,” Helena said from the doorway where she stood with Crispus, looking like a small blond bear in a nubby towel draped about him like a toga, the ceremonial garment that was rarely seen in the East and was worn in Rome now only upon state occasions. “He doesn’t trust Maximian and Maxentius, so he has concluded treaties of peace with two Germanic kings I think their names are Ascaricus and Regaisus. As soon as he can put down a minor uprising of the Piets in Britain, he hopes to move his capital to Milan.” She turned to Marios. “Did I hear you say that Constantius is ill?”
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