by A. R. Rend
Pursing her lips, the woman was clearly contemplating that statement.
“How large are we talking?” asked the woman, her brows moving down closer to her eyes.
“How many barrels do you have?” Lenore countered with a sweet smile.
Blinking, the woman eased herself forward in her chair slowly, getting back to a more normal sitting position.
“Name’s Sofie Bell,” said the woman in a short huff. “As to how many do we have… quite a few. Always quite a few. More than we ever actually need, that’s for certain.”
“What’s the current rate for a single barrel?” Phillip asked, wanting to get an idea of where the prices were standing at the moment.
Sofie looked at Phillip for a second, then looked back to Lenore.
“I can do three barrels at three Doubles,” Sofie said, addressing Lenore. As if Phillip hadn’t even said anything.
Typical.
Holding in a massive sigh, Phillip did his best to not react. This was something he’d seen enough of that it wasn’t that surprising anymore.
There were quite a few women who simply would treat him as if he were more of side note than actually being there.
I’m right here. You don’t have to talk to Lenore like I’m a piece of furniture, thanks.
Whatever. Three barrels at a silver piece means that it’s roughly ten coppers a barrel.
This is a pre-war price I imagine. Doesn’t seem like that many people are aware of what’s going on yet, at least I don’t think so.
“What’s your bulk rate then? I’m looking to make a large purchase,” Lenore clarified. “How many would I have to buy to get you to six barrels for three doubles?”
Sofie snorted at that and leaned forward now over her desk. Lifting a hand, she pointed it at Lenore.
“You serious, little Rias girl? Cause I got a number in my head that you probably won’t like,” Sofie asked in a growl.
“Of course, I wouldn’t have asked otherwise,” Lenore said with the same polite smile.
Staring at the younger woman, Sofie held her tongue for several seconds.
“Ten thousand barrels,” Sofie said firmly.
“I see. And how many barrels do you actually have?” Phillip countered. He wasn’t entirely sure the guild even had that many barrels.
Blinking, Sofie looked away from Lenore to meet Phillip’s eyes.
“A little less than that, actually,” Sofie admitted, actually looking at Phillip this time. “But I can get those numbers shored up in a week or two. More than enough time providing you don’t need the delivery immediately.”
This would be the entire city’s stock then. There’d be nothing left.
Anything they made after this would skyrocket in price.
We’re not anywhere near the front line which means we’re likely to become a supply point, and ship everything elsewhere.
I can’t discount other cities selling their barrels cheaper, so we might end up holding onto these in a warehouse for a while.
This wasn’t going to be a short-term investment that provided results. This would be a long-term gamble that wouldn’t get paid off for at least a month.
Perhaps even far longer than that. Upwards to possibly a full year.
Doing a quick math check, Phillip realized it’d be thirty thousand silvers, or Doubles as Sofie called them by their street name.
That’d be three thousand thin golds, or three hundred thick golds.
Three hundred thick golds is a lot of coin to spend though.
That’d wipe me out and dip straight into my dowry. And that’s supposed to help with any children we have and if I become a widower, rather than an investment.
Standing there, Phillip thought on the situation. He knew that Lenore only had about fifty thick-gold coins, or Nobles as they were called. Mildred had maybe five and that was her entire life savings.
A life spent at war, and then guard duty, amounting to only that much.
That left him with the bulk of the purchase to make, and responsible for both women’s future.
It wouldn’t just dip into my dowry, it’d wipe it out.
I’d have enough left over to go home and beg my parents to take me back in.
“Fine,” Phillip said suddenly. He had a gut feeling that this would work out if he was patient enough. If he could wait.
Hold out through the rough weather that he also felt would come his way.
“You handle the transportation though. I’ll have the money brought over today,” Phillip said.
“You can pay for the transportation,” Sofie said with a chuckle.
“No, you can, since you don’t have the full order ready. That means you’ll need to have it sent over in waves until you’re finished,” countered Lenore quickly. “And I’ll have someone on hand to count them as they enter my warehouse. I’ll have a contract brought over today along with the coin.”
Sofie chewed at her lower lip, her brows slowly pressing down and together.
“Fine. Deal. Pleasure doing business with you,” Sofie said, holding her hand out to Lenore.
Shaking the other woman’s hand, the deal was concluded.
Sofie didn’t offer to shake Phillip’s hand.
Five
Sitting in the family living room, Phillip didn’t quite know what to do with himself.
It’d been several days now since he’d officially joined the household, and by and large, everyone treated him more like a visitor.
Or a piece of furniture.
At least they’re treating me like a nice piece of furniture.
No one’s said a bad word to me, or about me, as far as I know.
Just… not quite like a person either.
Sighing, Phillip leaned back in the rather comfortable chair and slowly let his eyes move around the room.
By and large, the vast majority of the Rias family were hard workers. Those who remained at home during the day only did so because they had no business to attend to, or meetings to be in. They were mercantile professionals who were always said to trade above board and fairly.
Phillip had the impression that might not be entirely true, but the laws they were likely breaking, or if not they were certainly bending, harmed very few people.
Except perhaps the Queen not getting her fair share.
And if that were the only failing of the Rias household than Phillip would consider himself blessed and lucky.
There were a multitude of families that could never even be mentioned without someone following it up with “had someone arrested recently”.
And if the family goes down, I’d go down.
Just like Kathryn.
Mm. I should write her. I’m sure if I sent it to her old family address it’d find its way there.
Leaning his head to one side, he contemplated all the letters he’d been sending out.
He’d already posted off two to his mother and one to Jamie.
Nodding his head, Phillip decided to get up and post off another letter.
Then he heard the tell-tale sound of armor tinkling.
Phillip turned his head to the door that Mildred was likely to come through.
There was a clack, the doorknob turned, and Mildred entered, taking several steps into the room.
“My lord, as you requested to know, the lady has returned home. Her carriage is pulling up as of this minute,” said Mildred.
“So soon?” Phillip asked, getting up out of his chair. He lightly brushed his hands against his pants and then pulled lightly at his tunic, straightening it. “Milly, do I look alright?”
Phillip moved over to Mildred quickly and held his hands up to his sides.
“I… yes… my lord. You look fine,” Mildred said with a small nod of her head.
“Great, thanks, Milly,” Phillip said and then slipped past her and into the hallways.
Moving past two guards he faintly heard one chuckling.
“Milly?” whispered the other. Phillip only ba
rely heard it.
It wasn’t the first time he’d heard things he wasn’t supposed to. He was starting to believe he had better than average hearing.
Or at least able to hear whispered voices or soft-spoken tones better.
“Shut it,” hissed the second guard even as she chuckled as the two of them, and Mildred, followed Phillip.
Moving quickly, Phillip got to the front of the manse just as the door opened.
Alice walked in wearing a lovely dress, blouse, and jacket. Under one arm was a leather-bound purse that looked as if it doubled as her satchel. Wide enough to carry a great deal of paperwork and other things she might need.
“Oh, hello Phillip,” Alice said as she closed the door behind herself. “Were you just leaving?”
“Ah, no. I was waiting for you,” Phillip said with a pleasant smile. “How was your day?”
Blinking, Alice tilted her head to one side, then laughed softly.
“My day was much like any other. Made money, lost money, did business,” Alice said with a shake of her head.
Walking by Phillip, Alice belatedly paused to kiss Phillip on the cheek before moving on.
“It couldn’t have been that mundane,” Phillip said, following after his wife.
“Oh but it was,” Alice replied in an offhanded way. Marching straight toward the side of the home that had the apartments, she seemed determined to not linger.
“Truly? I can’t imagine it,” Phillip admitted. He’d been in on a number of deals himself already. Quite a number as a viewer with his mother and sisters and a couple of his own.
Each one had actually been rather memorable so far.
“Alas, but it’s true,” Alice said, opening the door to her personal room and stepping inside.
Not waiting for an invitation, Phillip simply entered behind her, following her inside. It was a part of their shared apartment he hadn’t actually seen as of yet.
Alice had only visited him the one night and hadn’t been back to him since.
Nor had she technically invited him inside.
Closing the door behind himself, Phillip followed Alice as she walked to the center of her receiving room.
Stopping when she reached the door to her bedroom she paused with her hand on the doorknob. At that moment she apparently realized Phillip hadn’t simply been shut out at the door.
Staring at him for several seconds, she looked to be contemplating something.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” she said, then opened the door to her bedroom, stepped into it, and closed the door behind herself.
Closing his eyes, Phillip turned his head to the side. Slowly, his chin dipped down to his shoulder.
“Yes, dinner,” he murmured, at once feeling defeated and rather shamed.
I’ll… try again tomorrow. And the next day.
Determination. Courage. Bravery.
Hold to the tactic until it is unfavorable to me or we have results. Then re-evaluate and adjust.
Just… just like Mother would tell her aides.
Yes.
Sucking in a steadying breath, Phillip lifted his head high and nodded his head, opening his eyes.
Opening the door behind him he stepped back out into the hall and closed it.
His guards were around him, staring at him.
With so many eyes on him Phillip could only feel shame growing in his heart. That he’d somehow failed in his duty as a husband.
Alice had brushed him off as neatly as one would a fly off a table cloth.
Letter. We’ll… write that letter now.
Yes.
“I’m returning to my study,” Phillip said with as much dignity as he could manage. “I find that I have a letter to write suddenly.”
“Of course, my lord,” said Mildred in a warm tone.
The guards on every side all nodded their heads quickly.
Grinning, he didn’t miss their concern for him.
It was in the way they held themselves. How they were obviously annoyed and frustrated for him on his behalf.
“Let’s… go have tea as well,” Phillip added. “We can sit and have a talk. If we’re going to be around each other, we should learn more about one another.”
Once more, all his guards nodded their heads.
***
After recovering his nerve, and having written a rather polite and formal letter to Kathryn, Phillip ventured once more into the main family room.
Alice wasn’t in attendance, of course.
From what he could tell, she spent the majority of her day working, or preparing for the next day of work. There was little in her life that didn’t consist of business, or related to business, in one way or another.
There were a number of the younger Rias children around though.
From ages eight to fifteen they were all going about various pursuits in the room.
A number of them were gathered around playing around some type of board-game.
Smiling at memories of his own home, and many a war-game played in such a style, Phillip wandered over to a seat in the corner.
Quite a few of the Rias family turned and watched him as he entered then moved to the other side of the room.
Most immediately dismissed him after realizing it was only him. That he wasn’t a threat or a concern in any way.
Which was quite true since this was one of the few rooms his guards weren’t allowed in. As well as the adjacent kitchen and library. These were family-only portions of the estate that even servants couldn’t enter.
Sitting down, Phillip put his ankle over his knee. Then he put his elbow down on the arm rest and propped up his chin.
Watching quietly, he couldn’t help but feel a sort of amazement in a way.
His family was more like a barracks full of squabbling, yelling, children. Where things were quite likely to end up broken as someone got flipped over a couch and into a wall.
Or through it.
The Rias family were all quite reserved and quiet. Going about their personal pursuits in near relative silence, unless whatever they were doing included talking.
So far from home, and so very different.
I don’t even know what to think of this.
Especially since this is what my children would be raised in.
This environment.
Glancing to the walls, Phillip saw no patch marks of newer daub and paint. The likelihood of someone putting an elbow, knee, or head, into a wall seemed unlikely here.
To the point that he couldn’t imagine anyone rough-housing in the slightest here.
“Phillip!”
Looking to the left at the excited voice, he found Lenore heading his way.
She was dressed in what looked very similar to what Alice had been wearing.
Must be part of the accepted business clothes around these parts.
Phillip grinned and started to get up out of his chair.
“No, no, stay seated,” Lenore said, waving a hand at him. All around her, sisters and cousins from the various bits and pieces of her extended family were all looking at her curiously.
Apparently not one of them had considered actually approaching Phillip and were now curious about the fact that Lenore would.
Remaining seated as he’d been asked, Phillip instead partly turned toward the chair next to him. He assumed Lenore would either stand over him, especially if she was looking to put some type of power play on him, or would sit next to him.
He was hopping for the latter, but he’d definitely experienced the former in his life.
Dropping down in the seat next to him, Lenore leaned toward him and laughed.
“Oh my heavens, you would not believe the day I’ve had,” she said, grinning at him from ear to ear. “I was helping Mother around the office today and we had some of the silliest deals walk in our door today.”
Unable to help himself, Phillip grinned and nodded his head.
“Do tell,” he said, turning his whole body toward her now.
“I imagine not. Water, seed, and food, mostly. Bad weather and all,” Phillip said with a wry chuckle.
“That’s right. I forgot about that,” Lenore said looking rather thoughtful all of a sudden.
“Don’t invest, it’s already played out. Almost everyone down there sold their futures pretty poorly for this upcoming harvest,” Phillip explained with a sad smile. “The people who sell it next are going to do it at very inflated prices. Likely right back to the same people who sold it to them to begin with. It’s going to be an ugly cycle.”
“I-yes, you’re right. Not to get involved in that, that is. I can’t imagine it going very well. Especially if it gets real bad. That’s how food revolts start. Then everyone loses,” Lenore said, slowly nodding her head.
“It is indeed. Especially when it comes to food. If it’s all there, just sitting in warehouses, but not being sold because prices have skyrocketed… well… doesn’t take a strategic genius to figure out what’ll happen next.”
“I dunno, Phil. There’s a lot of people out there who aren’t that bright,” Lenore said with a smirk. “Like a man trying to sell me bags of hammers. Bags upon bags upon bags.”
Snickering, Phillip shook his head and rolled his eyes.
“And how many hammers did you buy then?” asked Phillip, feeling much lighter already.
“All of them, of course. After what you told me about the barrels, my next thought was, ‘well, what would a soldier use to do what Phil said?’
“The obvious answer is their weapons. But that’s not quite the case if I’m willing to sell hammers to the same people who would buy barrels. I bet they’ll go at relatively the same speed.”
Really?
Hammers?