trying to break in, when they grabbed him and threw him into a prison carriage without another word.
“Where am I being taken?” he asked calmly. He was not overly worried, for he could not think of anything he could have done, and that didn’t change even when he was led up the steps to the barracks, because he knew that it was more than a prison house.
(“Did you think, at that time of night, that it was a social call?” Andrew asked.
“You asked that the last time,” William pointed out.
“You didn’t answer me then, either.”)
He was taken to a room and escorted to a chair. “It was expensively decorated, and I knew it belonged to someone important, or at least someone who considers himself to be so.” He waited, then, but the waiting did not worry him because he knew it was supposed to do exactly that, fluster him and make him recount every possible sin. Instead he considered whether he wanted to import hot pepper or not. Would pe o ple, used to the idea of chocolate being strictly sweet, be interested in the idea of hot pepper being added to it?
(“That’s what you think of when you’ve been kidnapped out of your home at 3:00 in the morning?” Andrew said. “And besides, that would be disgusting—a co m plete waste of your product.”
“I think the idea sounds quite interesting, and I shall order some as soon as I get back to the shop,” Tasmin said.
“May I continue the story, now?” William asked, giving her a small smile of thanks, and then, when both nodded for him to continue, did so.)
Anyway, after spending about an hour contemplating the future of the shop, a man came in, one William had known from his days at sea. He was Port Admiral Eric Lavoussier, and he was in charge of all martial concerns dealing with Azin shore. In his short time as Port Admiral, floggings and hangings alike had become much more commonplace.
“Are you prepared to explain to me what’s going on?” William finally asked.
The admiral fiddled with something on his desk and, not looking up, said, “Can you explain your whereabouts this evening past, Mister Almsley?”
“ I suppe d wit h m y famil y unti l seven-past , an d the n mad e m y wa y home . I di d som e cleanin g i n m y shop , checke d th e stoc k fo r tomorrow , an d the n wen t upstair s t o read . Soo n after , I retire d t o m y bed. ”
“ A strangel y larg e an d ornat e be d fo r a singl e man, ” h e said . “One migh t sa y e x travagant. ”
“ I propos e t o hav e m y wif e joi n m e ver y soon , an d I wishe d he r t o be please d wit h it. ”
“You r wif e i s fro m th e norther n tow n o f Caris ? ”
“Yes, ” h e answere d i n a “wha t th e devi l doe s tha t hav e t o d o wit h th e pric e o f te a i n Pandroth? ” sor t o f tone.
“ I wonde r you’v e no t sen t fo r her . I believ e sh e turne d eightee n years ago? ”
“I t seem s yo u ar e th e on e wit h al l th e information , sir. ” Willia m shifte d i n th e chai r an d yawned . Rudel y an d hugely.
“D o yo u kno w Bisho p Kingsley? ”
Willia m wante d t o sa y tha t sinc e Lavoussie r kne w al l th e detail s o f hi s life , mayb e h e shoul d answe r th e questio n himself , bu t instead , “Aye , I’v e me t wit h hi m o n severa l occasions . H e love s drie d fruit s fro m exoti c lands , an d I ofte n provide d hi m wit h th e fruit s o f m y travels. ”
“Ou t o f friendship? ”
“Nay , twa s a servic e h e pai d wel l for . I d o no t believ e h e woul d conside r m e a friend ; I a m no t fro m hi s circle.”
“Earlie r i n th e evening , a bo x o f chocolate s wa s delivere d t o th e Bishop’s home . Woul d yo u car e t o see? ” Th e admira l brough t ou t a bo x tha t could hav e bee n on e o f William’s , thi n woo d tha t h e ha d manufacture d and stampe d o n th e li d wit h th e shop’ s insigni a o f a locke t o n a chai n drape d aroun d a se a anchor . A gif t box , then , no t a casua l buy , whic h wa s
“Where am I being taken?” he asked calmly. He was not overly worried, for he could not think of anything he could have done, and that didn’t change even when he was led up the steps to the barracks, because he knew that it was more than a prison house.
(“Did you think, at that time of night, that it was a social call?” Andrew asked.
“You asked that the last time,” William pointed out.
“You didn’t answer me then, either.”)
He was taken to a room and escorted to a chair. “It was expensively decorated, and I knew it belonged to someone important, or at least someone who considers himself to be so.” He waited, then, but the waiting did not worry him because he knew it was supposed to do exactly that, fluster him and make him recount every possible sin. Instead he considered whether he wanted to import hot pepper or not. Would pe o ple, used to the idea of chocolate being strictly sweet, be interested in the idea of hot pepper being added to it?
(“That’s what you think of when you’ve been kidnapped out of your home at 3:00 in the morning?” Andrew said. “And besides, that would be disgusting—a co m plete waste of your product.”
“I think the idea sounds quite interesting, and I shall order some as soon as I get back to the shop,” Tasmin said.
“May I continue the story, now?” William asked, giving her a small smile of thanks, and then, when both nodded for him to continue, did so.)
Anyway, after spending about an hour contemplating the future of the shop, a man came in, one William had known from his days at sea. He was Port Admiral Eric Lavoussier, and he was in charge of all martial concerns dealing with Azin shore. In his short time as Port Admiral, floggings and hangings alike had become much more commonplace.
“Are you prepared to explain to me what’s going on?” William finally asked.
The admiral fiddled with something on his desk and, not looking up, said, “Can you explain your whereabouts this evening past, Mister Almsley?”
“ I suppe d wit h m y famil y unti l seven-past , an d the n mad e m y wa y home . I di d som e cleanin g i n m y shop , checke d th e stoc k fo r tomorrow , an d the n wen t upstair s t o read . Soo n after , I retire d t o m y bed. ”
“ A strangel y larg e an d ornat e be d fo r a singl e man, ” h e said . “One migh t sa y e x travagant. ”
“ I propos e t o hav e m y wif e joi n m e ver y soon , an d I wishe d he r t o be please d wit h it. ”
“You r wif e i s fro m th e norther n tow n o f Caris ? ”
“Yes, ” h e answere d i n a “wha t th e devi l doe s tha t hav e t o d o wit h th e pric e o f te a i n Pandroth? ” sor t o f tone.
“ I wonde r you’v e no t sen t fo r her . I believ e sh e turne d eightee n years ago? ”
“I t seem s yo u ar e th e on e wit h al l th e information , sir. ” Willia m shifte d i n th e chai r an d yawned . Rudel y an d hugely.
“D o yo u kno w Bisho p Kingsley? ”
Willia m wante d t o sa y tha t sinc e Lavoussie r kne w al l th e detail s o f hi s life , mayb e h e shoul d answe r th e questio n himself , bu t instead , “Aye , I’v e me t wit h hi m o n severa l occasions . H e love s drie d fruit s fro m exoti c lands , an d I ofte n provide d hi m wit h th e fruit s o f m y travels. ”
“Ou t o f friendship? ”
“Nay , twa s a servic e h e pai d wel l for . I d o no t believ e h e woul d conside r m e a friend ; I a m no t fro m hi s circle.”
“Earlie r i n th e evening , a bo x o f chocolate s wa s delivere d t o th e Bishop’s home . Woul d yo u car e t o see? ” Th e admira l brough t ou t a bo x tha t could hav e bee n on e o f William’s , thi n woo d tha t h e ha d manufacture d and stampe d o n th e li d wit h th e shop’ s insigni a o f a locke t o n a chai n drape d aroun d a se a anchor . A gif t box , then , no t a casua l buy , whic h wa s
Similar Books
