Duncan said, “What makes it so dear, besides the Imperial exclusive, I mean?”
Grindle shrugged. “It is rumored to come from giant worms or spiders or some other fantastic creatures, rather than from the usual silkworms. I have no idea if any of that is true, but there is this one thing: it’ll wear for years without losing its luster or shape. No other silk I know of can claim that.”
Again silence fell on the room, then Grindle said, “You still haven’t said what you wish of me.”
“You’ve already been a great help,” said Roo. “Truth to tell, I have a wagon but no horses and I was thinking of selling this. I thought perhaps you might suggest a likely buyer and a fair price.”
A calculating looked crossed the merchant’s face. “I might.” He then nodded once and added, “Yes, I just might”
Duncan covered the silk again, and Grindle called out, “Karli!” The girl appeared a moment later and Helmut GrindIe said, “Daughter, bring me a bottle of that vintage from Oversbruk, what year was it?”
“I know the one, Father.”
Looking from father to daughter, Roo forced a smile. He had two reasons not to smile. The first was the girl wasn’t the maid but the daughter. He sighed inwardly, and turned to smile in her direction. The other reason was the choice of wine. He knew exactly what Grindle was proposing to do: drink one of the very sweet Advarian-style wines that flourished in the cold climates of Grindle’s ancestors. Roo personally had had limited experience with sweet wines, and had only drank such on one occasion, a bottle he had stolen from his father’s wagon the last time the rare hand-picked berry wine had been transported into Ravensburg. He had suffered the worst hangover of his young life from drinking ton much, but he knew that right now he wanted nothing more in life than Helmut Grindle’s approval, and he would drink the entire bottle if asked. Then, glancing at the plump and plain girl, he knew he also wanted the girl’s approval as well.
His steady gaze caused the girl to blush as she left the room, and Grindle said, “None of that, you young rogue.”
Roo forced a grin. “Well, it’s hard to ignore a pretty girl.” Grindle erupted in laughter. “I told you once before, Avery, that your biggest fault was in thinking other people were not half as clever as you.”
Roo had the good grace to blush, and when the girl returned with the sweet white wine, he said nothing. When they had hoisted a toast, Duncan offering up some meaningless pledge of good faith and hope for good fortune, Roo said, “Then I guess we’re going to do some business?”
Helmut Grindle’s expression turned from an affable smile to stony coldness as he said, “Perhaps.” He leaned forward. “I can read you like a parchment nailed to the side of a tavern, Roo Avery, so let me set you straight on some things.
“I spent enough time with you and your friend Erik on the road to have a good sense of you. You’re smart, and you’re clever, and those aren’t the same thing; you have a cunning nature but I think you’re willing to learn.” He lowered his voice. “I’m an old man with a homely daughter and no one pays court to her who doesn’t have his eye on my purse.” He halted, and when Roo said nothing in protest, he nodded once and continued. “But I won’t be around forever and when I’m dead I want grandchildren at my bedside shedding tears. If the price of such vanity is finding my son-in-law among those who have an eye on my purse before my daughter, so be it But I’ll pick the best of them. I want a man who will take care of my grandchildren and their mother.” He spoke even softer. “I need someone to take over my trade and to care for my girl. I don’t know if you’re the lad, but you might be.”
Roo looked back into the old man’s eyes and saw in them a will as hard and unyielding as any he had encountered, including Bobby de Loungville’s. He only said, “If I can be.”
“Well then,” answered Grindle, “the cards are on the table, as the gamblers say.”
Duncan looked as if he wasn’t quite sure what he was hearing, but he continued to smile as if this had been but another friendly chat over wine.
“What should I do with the silk?” Grindle asked.
Roo considered, then answered: “I need a start. Take the silk, and give me horses, refit my wagon, and give me a cargo and a place to take it. Let me prove myself to you.”
Grindle rubbed his chin. “That silk is decent collateral, no doubt” He waved his hand in the air, as if calculating figures in his mind. Then he said, “One more thing before I say yes or no. Who will be looking to find you for loss of that silk?”
Roo glanced at Duncan, who shrugged. Roo had told him of the run-in with Jacoby, and Duncan didn’t seem to think it worth holding back.