Part 11 (1/2)

”To what do I owe this honor, Olivderval?” Jarrod asked, rising from his desk.

”Bribery and shameless arm twisting, of course,” she replied cheerfully. ”You going to offer an old woman a seat and a drink?” She turned back to the Duty Boy without waiting for an answer. ”Something long, cold and innocuous,” she declared, smiled, moved over to the fireplace and thumped down in an armchair.

”I'll have the same,” Jarrod said. He turned to the Oligarch. ”I take it that this is about the part.i.tion?” He crossed the floor and took the other chair.

”Of course it's about the part.i.tion. I love you dearly, 59.

but I only heave my bulk up four nights of stairs if profit or the national interest are at stake.”

Jarrod smiled at her directness. ”I still believe that the OutIanJ should be an international zone adminis- tered by the Discipline.”

”Of course you do, but we both know that you can't muster enough votes to carry that,” Ohvderval said comfortably. ”And part.i.tion's too important for you to waste your vote sitting on your dignity and abstaining.

Besides, I backed >our bid foi land and you owe me.

When it comes right down to it, you're no different from the rest of us ”

They broke off as the Duty Boy returned with the drinks Jarrod raised his gla.s.s to her and they sipped as the boy withdrew.

”I can't support your claim to the Umbrian sea- coast,” he said. ”Besides, Varodias would never cede it even if every other nation voted for it.”

”I'm well aware of that, but I had to say something to shake Estragoth out of his appalling superiority. And it worked, didn't it? I'll wager that Malum has been around to see you.”

”He has.”

She chuckled. ”What did you get? The armclock or the miniature steam engine?”

”The armclock,” Jarrod admitted.

The Oligarch shook her head. ”Umbrians are so stu- pid. Don't they realize that Magicians detest machines?

Mind you,” she added disconcertingly, ”I rather fancy young Malum. Why is it, d'you suppose, that large women like me have a weakness for small, slender men?” She looked up from her watered fruit Juice and smiled broadly at him.

”I don't think I'm qualified to answer that,” Jarrod replied cautiously.

”Really?” Olivderval said pleasantly. ”I would have

60 thought that anyone who had bought a brothel in Be- lengar would be something of an expert on the subject of women.”

Jarrod controlled himself with considerable effort.

He sat back in his chair and sipped his drink. After the defeat of the Outworlders he had gone on a tri- umphal tour of Strand with Ragnor, and when they were in Belengar he had visited the brothel where Sa- manthina had worked, hoping to find her. She had moved on, but, on impulse, he had provided dowries for all the other girls. He had done it anonymously, however.

”If you know that,” he said slowly, ”you undoubt- edly know that I did it to give the girls their freedom.”

”As you did when you bought all those birds in the Exotic Bird Mart ana released them.”

There was a long moment of silence.

”You are very well informed,” Jarrod said finally.

Olivderval smiled. ”Information is the lifeblood of a merchant, my dear,”