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Jans raised a finger to hush her. “No matter that,” he said. “My first point has been made. Id est, imprimis, you would have left these premises if you could.

FAIRY GOLD

19

“Secundus, the dowries for my daughters exhausted my savings, and nature has not outfitted my son for my own sort of career. You know Denn Orliand for a good lad, and good with his hands, who at present toils as a day laborer, for miserable wages, whenever he can find work. I could buy him a shop of some kind, as it might be this very one, were my small capital not trapped by that incubus of a second house.”

“We’re all trapped,” Lona whispered.

“Tertius,” the dry voice marched on, “I looked forward to your wedding, for I am fond of you and Arvel is by no means a bad fellow. I had a: book for a gift, a geography which migrants to the New Lands should find helpful or at least amusing, as the case may be, and which is in any event a sumptuous volume—”

“Jans.” She took his nearer hand in both of hers.

“Quartus,” he ended, “you might have had occasion to send me a wedding gift from oversea in your turn.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

He glanced away and cleared his throat. “Um-m … a lady in reduced circumstances, forced to work in a tavern—but a fine person. As a matter of fact, I met her when Arvel once took me to the, m-m, Drum and Trumpet.”

“Ynis!” Lona trilled. “Why, I’ve met her myself a time or two, but I never suspected—”

“Well, but of course I cannot think of assuming any fresh obligation before I have provided for the last child that my Iraine gave me, namely, Denn. The, m-hm, the lady in question agrees.”

20

The Unicom Trade

“Does Denn?” Scorn tinged her voice.

“Oh, he has no idea of all this,” Jans answered hastily. “Pray do keep silence about it. And bear in mind, too, that .. . Ynis … would be most unwise to give up her present position, distasteful though it often is to her, and marry an aging widower, unless her stepson is able to provide for her and her children if necessary. Denn is loyal, he would do so, but he must have a foundation for his own life before he can, must he not? We are being sensible, even as you

are.”

Lona swallowed again. “Yes.” She jumped down from the bench. “Come,” she said, around an uncertain smile, “let’s choose your things.”

Natan Sandana the jeweler was visiting Vardrai of Syr the courtesan. The occasion was not the usual one. The small gray man had always contented himself with his wife, rather than spend money on the favors of other women, especially when they were as expensive as Vardrai’s. His desire was for a different sort of

joining.

“I tell you, we cannot lose,” he urged, while he paced excitedly back and forth. The rug drank down every footfall. “My guild maintains a farflung web of communication—which stays healthy, sick though business has otherwise become. I had word of that Norrener ship soon after she had sailed from Owaio. Scarcely was she moored at the Longline this morning but I was aboard, to speak with her captain and look into his strongbox. The news was true. Besides

FAIRY GOLD

21

his cargo of spices and rare woods, he has, for himself, such a store of pearls as I never saw aforetime. White, rosy, black, all huge, all perfect, oh, I have today let Beauty’s embodied being trickle through these fingers!”

“How did he get them?” asked Vardrai from the couch whereon she had curled her magnificent body. She continued to stroke a comb through the mahogany sheen of her tresses.

Natan shrugged. “He did not say. But it’s known that while they were down among yon islands, the Norreners lent their aid—ship, cannon, pikes—in a war between two kinglets, for hire. I conjecture that the good Haako picked up some booty about which he did not inform his royal employer.”

“And he’d fain sell the lot?”

“What else? He can get a substantial price at home. However, he understands it will be but a fraction of the true value. If we, here, outbid it, we shall still have a fantastic bargain.”