Aulus pledges to build a Roman road from Chelmsford to London but the proposed route goes straight through a brothel that is being run by Badvoc and his men and being frequented by Functio. Blagg makes a career change from Shepherd to Masseur.

A great heatwave hits Chelmsford, giving the Romans an opportunity for to top up their tans and Britons to die of thirst. It gets so bad that Badvoc has to cancel his annual bath.

Things are quiet in Chelmsford. Too quiet. Aulus hasn't heard anything of Badvoc for weeks, which can only mean one of two things; either Aulus has gone deaf or Badvoc is up to something.