You are not ruined, and your eye for a fine piece of merchandise simply blinded you to the fact the girl was too beautiful to not cause difficulty. You have a cousin, Rolf Fairplay—a Taubyl Trader, I believe. Am I correct?”
“Yes,” he said. He was listening intently. Gillian was an intelligent woman, and might have been a merchant herself had she not been of the female sex.
“Cut your losses now, Gaius,” she told him. “Give the girl to your cousin to sell in one of the provinces. You can make a small profit on her even with the percentage you must give your cousin. The provinces are not as sophisticated as the City, nor do they have our refined tastes. She will still be beautiful beyond compare, but that will just make her unique there, where here it will cause problems. The Coastal Province would probably be best, for there are so many there who are fair she will not stand out as much. What did you pay for her?”
“Ten thousand gold pieces,” he groaned. “I expected at least thirty for her.”
Gillian laughed. “And you might have gotten it had she not been so perfect, Gaius. But if I understand she only came into your possession a few days ago. You can hardly have expended a great deal on her but for that outrageous gown she wore to the tourney. I am certain you can get at least fifteen for her in the provinces. Your cousin will have heard of what has happened, so offer him not the usual fifteen percent of the girl’s sale, but a full quarter share of the profit. You will at least break even.”
“If she goes to the coast I can ask for a minimum of twenty thousand,” Gaius said almost to himself. “The Coastal Kings are wealthy men. They would pay that or more for Lara. At twenty thousand I should make a profit of at least five thousand. I had the gown made by one of my slave women, and the material was purchased several years ago. It was just lying there in my storerooms waiting. I have actually expended little in this endeavor.” He was beginning to feel better. It was a disappointment, of course, but all was not lost after all.
Gillian laughed. “Gaius, Gaius, trust you to find a bright side in a dark matter. Yes, I think you are right. Have Rolf Fairplay take her to the Coastal Province. It is the perfect place for her.” She drank down the remainder of her wine, and stood up. “You have not been to my house in some time now. You should come again. Your young wife cannot keep you all to herself.”
“I came only to see you, Gillian,” he told her.
“Then come again,” she purred at him smiling. “I have a new girl, Anora.”
“I thought you did not entertain any longer,” he responded, eying her breasts. Gillian had always had the finest bosom.
“I don’t, but for old friends,” Gillian murmured, touching his cheek with her elegant long fingers. “I am glad I was able to help you solve this little problem, Gaius.” She put her hand on the door handle. “My felicitations to the lady Vilia. Good evening.” And then opening the door she glided through it, smiling in amusement at the majordomo, who had had little time to vacate the spot where he had crouched, listening. He ran ahead of her now to open the front door, and she playfully waggled her finger at him as she passed through to her awaiting litter.
Gaius Prospero sat for several long minutes reliving his conversation with the Head Mistress. Silently he chided himself for not seeing the problem with Lara himself, but then he had always been a connoisseur of beautiful things. He simply could not help himself. He bought only the best, as his many clients knew, and Lara was the best. Alas, she was too perfect. He called out for his secretary whom he knew was nearby, for Jonah was always nearby.
“My lord?”
“You heard?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“All of it?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Go the Traders Guild and learn where Rolf Fairplay is. If he is out of the City, find out when he will return.”
“Yes, my lord,” Jonah said.
“Do you think she is too beautiful?” Gaius Prospero asked his secretary.
“What is too beautiful, my lord? I thought your instincts were perfect as always. It is not your fault that the minds of others are narrow and unseeing.”
“Do you always say the right thing, Jonah?” the merchant asked.
“I try, my lord, having you as my example,” came the clever reply.
Gaius Prospero laughed. “One of these days I shall have to free you,” he told Jonah, “but only if you agree to remain with me.”
“You will have to free me eventually if I am to realize my goal in life,” Jonah told his master. “And I have the gold to purchase my freedom now.”
“And what is your goal?” Gaius Prospero asked.
“To be Master of the Merchants, my lord,” was the startling answer.
Gaius Prospero laughed heartily, nodding. “Be patient, Jonah,” he counseled his secretary. “You have the right attitude. Now go and find my cousin.” He waved the man away, and hurried from his library to tell his wife of what had transpired.
Vilia was not pleased. “They are fools! Fools!” she cried. “Now I shall not get my new travel cart, and I had already decided upon the one I wanted.”
“You shall have it, my dear,” her husband promised.
“But I wanted it now,” Vilia said, and she began to sob.
“We shall go tomorrow and purchase it, my love,” he said.
“But can we afford it as you have expended so much coin on that worthless girl? I want the one with the soft leather seats, and the crystal lanterns, and flower vases, Gaius. It is very, very expensive. The wheels are hand-painted and gilded. And I wanted new horses to draw it as well. I saw the prettiest pair of black-and-white animals at the horse yards. But then there was also a golden pair with creamy manes. I just can’t make up my mind. They are very expensive, too.” She pouted prettily at him.
“You may have anything your little heart desires, Vilia,” he promised her. After all, Gaius Prospero thought to himself, he couldn’t have anyone thinking that this unfortunate incident with Lara had weakened him financially. Yes! It was absolutely the right thing to go out tomorrow and purchase Vilia her new travel cart, and a pair of lovely horses to draw it. Kissing his wife he told her to go to bed. “I will join you after I have spoken with Jonah, my love. You will want to thank me for my generosity, I am certain.”
“I do not have my new cart and horses yet, Gaius,” she told him. “Have you not taught me never to pay for what I do not possess?”
“We will consider it a down payment, then,” he chuckled, and left her.
He waited for close to two hours for Jonah, and was about to join his wife when the secretary returned with Gaius’ cousin in tow.
While Gaius Prospero was a round-faced man of medium height and comfortable girth whose very appearance exuded prosperity, Rolf Fairplay was tall and rangy with a long narrow face. But his gray eyes were intelligent and alert. Those eyes now looked directly at the Master of the Merchants Guild.
“How may I serve you, cousin?” Rolf asked.
“Jonah, get my cousin some wine, and then join us,” Gaius said.
“No wine,” Rolf replied, “but I appreciate your hospitality, cousin. I must depart in the morning with my caravan, and I need a clear head, you will understand. This is a long trek I have ahead of me. I’ll be going through the Forest and Desert provinces, crossing into a portion of the Outland, and then heading for the coast before I return to the City. I will be gone for almost a full year. You caught me just in time.”
Gaius nodded. His cousin was probably the best trader of them all. He might have even been their leader, but he had turned the opportunity away, preferring to travel with his caravans the length and breadth of the four provinces.