CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The house of Tertius Julius was a small summer home tucked away just two miles outside the city high on a hill which overlooked the sea. Surrounded on three sides by tall, imperial looking Cyprus trees, while running down the back slope of the villa were rows upon rows of stunted, twisted olive trees.
The villa itself looked old and slightly derelict. A low wall surrounded the house. One could see stones were missing and, like the house, in need of repair.
Gnaeus, leaning forward on his horse, grunted and eyed Decimus as he signed with his hands. Decimus nodded and gazed at the house again.
"Yes, a beautiful setting anyone should be proud to own. But our friend Tertius is too rich and too important to be concerned with trivial worries such as maintaining a house. But
