Was it a gift from Aldonai? Perhaps. Some people are born poets, others are born with the ability to see through timbers to the heart of a ship.
Nothing happened at the boatyard without August knowing about it. His control of the business was even more surprising given that he suffered from terrible seasickness, even on the river. That didn’t matter to his customers. In his twenty years running the boatyard, not a single poorly made ship had come out of August’s slips. His work was expensive, but merchants trusted his ships to carry them through rough seas.
It was said that only the Virmans had better ships than those August Broklend made. People tended to suspect that Maldonaya was behind the skill of the Virman shipbuilders. In truth, the Virmans simply took great care with their ships because their lives and the lives of their families depended on men coming home safely. Leif, for example, knew every timber in his ship because he had selected them himself. In return, Virman ships repaid their owners with reliable service, even with love.
The door opened and a man came in. “Honorable August Broklend?”
August looked up in surprise. There was an Eveer standing in the doorway of his office.
“What can I do for you?” August did business with Eveers. He felt that they were good partners as long as you kept your eyes open. They were heathens, for sure, but that didn’t worry August, who knew that gold was gold, as long as the pastor didn’t get involved.
“I have a package for you from Lady Lilian Earton.”
“What?”
August was more than surprised. He was shocked. His daughter had always been so pious (he had wondered on occasion if she was a bit too devout). What had caused her to send an Eveer on this errand for her?
The Eveer gave a tight smile. “Honorable August, my name is Tores Gerein. My uncle is a master jeweler.”
“Halke…”
“Helke Leitz. He will be pleased to hear that you remember him.”
“Your uncle is known to be an excellent jeweler. Where is he now?”
“In Altver.”
“That’s not much of a town.”
“It is better for a humble master jeweler to stay far away from the strong and powerful of this world.”
August grinned.
That makes sense. Especially if you’re an Eveer and you don’t want to give away your work for next to nothing. Helke would have a hard time in the capital.
“What does your uncle have to do with my daughter?”
“My lord, your daughter came to Altver for the fair, where she met my uncle. He was struck by her unusual intelligence and talents. They have become business partners.”
“Lilian?”
“Her ladyship, the Countess of Earton.”
August stared. He had worked out his daughter’s engagement to the earl’s son right after the death of his second wife. After the old earl died, they waited out the mourning period before holding the wedding. August knew he had found a good match for his daughter, but…
He loved Lilian. He simply adored her, and would have plucked any of the stars from the sky at her request. When she screamed and cried and threw fits, he told himself that it was because she had lost her mother at such a young age. But…
He expected his daughter to think about her home, her family and Aldonai. That was it. What talents could she possibly have? Embroidery? Prayer? The Lilian he knew would never have spoken to an Eveer on religious grounds.
And what was she doing at the fair in Altver? She was pregnant!
“I can’t believe my daughter would take such a long trip in her delicate condition.”
“If your lordship will forgive me…”
August made an impatient gesture. Letters travelled slowly and he was prepared to accept news of his daughter from all comers.
The Eveer bowed. “I believe her ladyship lost the baby, and the loss has affected her greatly.” He fell silent to give August time to process the news.
My poor little girl. She was so glad when her prayers for a child were finally answered.
“Is she in good health?”
“My lady was in good health at the fair, but she told my uncle that she had done a great deal of thinking lately. She felt that if she had not been so indifferent to the needs of the people living in Earton’s villages, then Aldonai would not have punished her so severely.
August’s face relaxed. That was the daughter he knew. Tores was not lying. This was the explanation Lily had given for her sudden interest in trade while she was in Altver. She was trying to improve the estate in hopes that Aldonai would bless her with another child. Those were not the exact words she used, but her message was along those lines.
“My poor daughter. Tell me about the project she and your uncle are engaged in.”
The guest correctly surmised that it was time to talk business. He handed August a small package.
“This is what they have devised. Please, open it.”
August raised his eyebrows and pulled at the thin leather band bearing the seal of the Countess of Earton. He knew the swan well.
She must have sent me a gift from Altver.
“Did she have a letter for me?”
“Just a message. She said she would pray for your wellbeing.”
Was she afraid to write on parchment? How strange…
There were two boxes in the package – one smaller and one larger.
“What is this?” He picked up the smaller box and opened it. Inside lay a pair of earrings on a red velvet cushion. On closer inspection, he saw that they were small sapphires ringed with tiny diamonds. It was beautiful, skillful work, like everything Helke did. August turned over the box to find Helke’s mark and found two marks. One was the Eveer’s – he knew it well – and the other was a plain cross. Then he took one of the earrings, turned it over in his hand and saw the clasp. He prodded it with a finger, opening and closing it several times.
“Is this so that they will not fall out of a young lady’s ears at a dance?”
“Yes, my lord. And not only at a dance.”
August saw the sense of the invention. People would line up for earrings like this.
“I hope you have sufficient inventory.”
“I have several samples with me, and my uncle can always send more. It was her ladyship who came up with the idea for the clasp.”
August scratched his head. “What else?”
The guest pointed to the second, larger box. “Open that.”
“That” turned out to be a strangely shaped silver bottle sitting on a silver base.
“What is this?”
The Eveer demonstrated how the non-spill inkwell worked by pouring some water into it, setting it on August’s desk and trying to knock it over. August was duly impressed. He was forever spilling ink everywhere if he bumped his inkwell with his sleeve or a scroll.
“And this?”
He was enchanted by the fountain pen. It was much better than any quill pen he had ever used. And it was beautifully made.
“This was also designed by her ladyship.”
“And your uncle made it.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“It’s a work of art.”
“My uncle is capable of making several different types. For the nobility, he can make gold and silver pen and inkwell sets with engraving and precious stones. And he makes much simpler sets out of copper or bronze for the general market.
August nodded. “I was planning to pay a visit to the palace soon. Can Helke make something worthy of the king?”
“He promised to try. He will have a shipment of these fountain pens ready soon.”
“Fountain pens?”
“That is what he is calling them. Fountain pens and unspillable inkwells.”
“Funny name.”
“He holds a patent for five years. Many artisans have offered to buy the patent from him, but he is refusing them. He would like you to decide what to do with them.”
August nodded again. He needed to show t
hese to Edward. The king was only a week away if he went by sea.
Is it worth the effort? I believe it is.
“And my daughter is Helke’s partner in this?”
“I do not know the terms of their agreement, my lord.”
“But this should be quite profitable for her.”
The guest’s smile grew even thinner.
“I must take these to show the king in person. If only I were younger…”
“My lord, no one would ever guess your age. You look like a young man.”
“If only I felt that way…”
August was a practical man in everything he did. Lily had lost her baby, but she was alive and well and even showing a likeness to her father, which made him proud. Both inventions were simple, but no one had come up with them yet. And most people wouldn’t have known how to get them manufactured profitably.
She takes after me!
August saw no reason for excessive concern. He had sent Taris Brok with gifts and an order to report back on his daughter’s condition. He would know more when Brok returned. For now, it was enough to know that she was alive and following in her father’s footsteps. Aldonai willing, she could always have children later.
“How many samples did you bring with you? The Duke of Lorms is here. It would be nice to give him a small present.” August knew nothing of branding, promotions, advertising, marketing and the like. But he knew one thing well: if you want to make money selling something, you have to get high society interested in it. Once the nobles are wearing or using something, the merchants and the rest of the public will follow.
This pen and inkwell set is really handy. Nobles, merchants, and even priests will all want one. Good for you, Lily! You’re my smart girl!
Just then, his smart girl Lily was talking to her pastor. Pastor Vopler bowed, inquired after her health and handed her a parchment scroll.
“My lady, this is a copy of the man’s confession. It is signed by myself, your father’s man Brok and Leis Antrel. I believe we should be sufficient as witnesses.”
Lily smiled in gratitude. She would hold onto the would-be murderer for now.
I’ll keep him in my pocket just in case. It will always be easier to kill him later than to bring him back from the dead if I need him.
“Did you see a copy, Pastor Vopler?”
“Yes, my lady. Taris Brok has one copy and I have the other. To avoid loss of accuracy, if you will.” His brown eyes twinkled. Lily reflected that the pastor was nobody’s fool. He was just living within the framework of his time and place.
My point of view is different from his, and that may be dangerous.
She unrolled the scroll and began to read. Thomas Dort recounted how, in a state of drunkenness, he came to the Red Rat tavern, where he drank some more and decided to play cards. He played against a man (“Description attached, although the same description could refer to half the country: blond hair, doesn’t remember the eyes, thinks he was tall”) and he didn’t remember how the game ended. The next day, however, the tavern owner presented him with a heap of promissory notes signed with his name and hinted that he should pay up if he didn’t want to have health problems. From that point on, his creditor didn’t show his face.
If only I’d been there, I would have untangled the web. Now I have to count on my father to handle it. I wonder if he’s more of a Sherlock Holmes or an Inspector Lestrade?
Thomas was told to pay his debt or risk an untimely accident, something in the line of “he was cleaning his sabre and fell on it sixteen times (with his neck).” The young man had no desire to die, but he also had no money, so he was told he could work off the debt and maybe even earn a little something. Lily knew the rest of the story.
She wrinkled her nose. Was there anything more she could glean from the confession?
“Pastor, I’d like to know your opinion about the person who hired him. Wouldn’t it seem like he has no experience with this type of thing? Or that he may even live far away in the capital?”
“Why do you say that, my lady?”
“Because if someone really wanted me dead, he could have sent one of his own men instead of a soldier who’s never tried to kill anyone quietly before.”
Lily couldn’t explain why, but the whole setup seemed like a farce. Her unseen enemy didn’t want to give up the potential inheritance, but he also didn’t want to risk any of his own people. The soldier was a compromise: if he succeeded, all the better; but if he didn’t, the evil hand would just try again. She couldn’t tell the pastor all of these thoughts without revealing things that a countess wasn’t supposed to understand, so she batted her eyelashes and pretended to be scared and blonde.
The pastor shook his head. “Murder is a terrible, deadly sin that burns the soul…”
Lily nodded and interrupted him before he could get too worked up. “Of course. I will pray for Aldonai to forgive this poor man.”
“What will happen to him, my lady?”
“I don’t know. My husband is supposed to dispense justice, but the dear man is not at home.”
“True, but there are the king’s envoys. You could write for one to come to the castle and handle this for you.”
Lily immediately agreed to that.
An envoy of the king – that sounds good. I want as many people as possible to know that someone put a hit on me.
“With your permission, my lady, I would write to Altver.”
“Do you mean to the Honorable Torius?” she clarified.
“Yes. He can send an envoy.”
“And then?”
“And then you send the man back with him.”
Lily shrugged. “It’s worth a try. I will write to the baron. Thomas Dort can sit in the dungeon for the time being. Either the envoy will come to deal with him or my husband will return home.”
She batted her thick lashes above her green eyes. The pastor mumbled something about her mercy and kindness and returned to the library.
As Lily put her papers back in their chest, she thought about inventing locks and proper door handles.
I want my doors to close tightly, so that even the sharpest servant can’t eavesdrop. Why didn’t I major in engineering?
Full of plans and still angry after reading Thomas Dort’s confession, she decided to go see Shirvey.
I’ll get that letter from him and then I’ll skin him alive!
Getting dressed was less of an ordeal now that her dressmakers had sewn her some clothes that she could put on without the help of a lady’s maid. She put on one of her new wrap skirts, a blouse and a long vest. The dressmakers had already gotten the hang of the designs and were making similar items for themselves using simple, undyed linen. Lily didn’t mind. She wouldn’t even object if the same designs turned up on other females around the castle. After all, buttons were much more convenient than pulling everything over your head.
“Ilona!”
The servant girl appeared almost instantly, as if she had been sitting outside the door.
“Who is guarding my room right now?”
“Ivar and Olaf.”
“Call them in.”
The Virmans came in and immediately expressed disapproval. “My lady, you should stay in bed at least two more days.”
“I will. But first I want you to take me to Shirvey Lindt,” the countess replied with a sneer.
I know what my husband wrote to me, but I need to know what he wrote to the manager.
She grabbed the scroll and then – holding onto Olaf’s arm – left her room.
Shirvey was in a bad way. Jaimie had obviously done a good job “healing” him. Jess’ agent was suspiciously green and hollow-cheeked. Lily had little sympathy for him, since she was almost as bad off as he was. She was still dizzy and nauseous and wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed.
When she spoke, she kept her voice soft. “Good day. How is your health?”
Shirvey didn’t even attempt to rise from his bed. “My lady, I expect
to meet my end in this house. I am in such terrible pain!”
Lily stopped him before he could tell her the details. “Shirvey, have you heard that someone attempted to murder me the other night?”
His face turned several shades greener. He knew.
“My lady…”
“It was one of the soldiers who arrived with you. He has confessed. Would you like to know what he has confessed to?”
Shirvey sat up in bed and shook his head. “My lady! I would never…”
“What would you never?” Lily asked quietly. “You would never hire a murderer? But you might be willing to bring him here. Thanks to you, I’m laid up in bed with a serious wound. It’s a miracle he didn’t kill Miranda Catherine Earton by accident.”
Shirvey crawled as far as he could get from Lily, as if that would help. He understood what her accusation meant for him. If he was an accomplice, she had the power to mete out justice when her husband wasn’t home. One word from her and his head would roll. Shirvey wanted to live.
Lily watched him for a few minutes before deciding he was ready.
“I’m sending you away from here as soon as I can. You’ll write a letter to my husband telling him all about the murderer – who he is and how he got here. I’ll read the letter before you send it.”
“But my lady! He will kill me with his own hand!”
Lily smirked. It was not a friendly look. “I don’t feel very sorry for you. It’s your fault that I’m wounded. And it’s Etor’s fault the estate is in such a mess. Etor fired all the guards. If they’d been here, I would never have been in danger.”
“M-my l-lady!”
Lily sighed. “In the same letter, you will tell my husband that Etor was stealing from him, and that I let him go and hired another manager. You will tell him that you gave his letter to the new manager. Ivar!”
The Virman stepped forward. All of Shirvey’s doubts resolved themselves instantly when he looked at the giant bear of a man. Lily imagined the dialogue:
“Are you the new manager?”
“Of course. Can’t you see?”
“I’d like to see your recommendations.”
“My axe, dagger and spear are my recommendations.”
The Clearing (Medieval Tale Book 2) Page 13