She was silent, studying his face. As seconds passed, she looked deep into his eyes, then at last took his hand in hers and said, “Come with me.”
She led him up the stairs to her room and inside. Then she closed the door behind her. She put her hand upon his chest and pushed him to the foot of her bed, until he sat down upon it. Quickly she undid the fastenings of her gown and let it fall to the floor. Then she undid the shoulder ties of her short chemise and, with a single shake, caused it to fall atop the dress. Nude, she stood before him in the light of the single candle on the nightstand.
Karli’s breasts were young and firm, but her waist was thick, as were her hips and thighs. Her face still lacked any quality that any man would call pretty, save her eyes, which were shining in the light.
“This is what I am,” she said, her voice full of emotion. “I’m plain. And fat. And I don’t have a rich father anymore. Can you love this?”
Roo found his own eyes filling as he rose and took her into his arms. Swallowing hard, he willed his voice to calmness as he said, “No one has accused me of being any lady’s fancy.” A single tear fell down his cheek as he said, “I used to be called ‘rat face’ and worse. Looks aren’t everything.”
She put her head on his chest and said, “Stay.”
Later, Roo lay staring upward in the dark while Karl slept in his arms. They had made love, awkwardly and with a frantic edge that was more a demand for acceptance than anything freely given. Karli had shown no skills, and Roo had forced himself to be more attentive than he had wished.
At some point he had promised to marry her, and he was vaguely aware that he was now engaged to be married after the mourning period was over. But in the darkness his mind turned once more to his anger and the plans he, Duncan, and Luis had made. For the one thing he had not told Karli was what her father had whispered to him before he died.
It had been a name. “Jacoby.”
10
Plans
Roo held up his hand.
“There are there things I need to discuss with you,” he said.
Karli had given him permission to use her dining room to hold a meeting with Luis and Duncan. She even managed not to look disappointed when he asked her to leave them alone.
Luis glanced at Duncan, who shrugged, indicating he had no idea what was coming.
“We’re here instead of at the warehouse because I wanted to be certain there was no chance of anyone overhearing us.”
“You suspect one of our workmen of something?” asked Luis.
Roo shook his head. “No, but the fewer of us who know what we plan, the less risk we have of our enemies finding out.”
“Enemies?” said Duncan. “Who are we at war with now?”
Roo lowered his voice to just more than a whisper. “There’s a piece of walking scum named Tim Jacoby who had Helmut killed.”
Luis said, “Jacoby?”
Duncan nodded. “Son of a trader named Frederick Jacoby. Jacoby and Sons.”
Luis shook his head. “I’ve not heard of them.”
Roo said, “Spend a few more months working in Krondor in the freight-hauling trade and you will. They are not our biggest rivals, but they are important” Roo leaned back and obvious frustration showed on his face. “Helmut told me it was the Jacobys who robbed his wagon.”
“Can we go to the City Watch?” said Luis.
“With what?” said Duncan. “We have no proof.”
“We have a dying man’s declaration,” said Luis.
Duncan shook his head. “That might do if Roo here was a noble or some such, but without someone important having heard it, a priest or city watchman at the least, it’s Roo’s word against this Jacoby.”
“And his father is very well connected,” said Roo. “They’re working with some of the bigger trading concerns in the Western Realm, and if I said anything to anyone they’d claim it false and say I was just trying to hurt their business.”
Luis shrugged. “It is always this way with the powerful; they can do what the rest of us cannot”
Roo said, “I’ve half a mind to go pay Tim Jacoby a visit this night.”
Luis shrugged. “You can always do that, young Roo.” He leaned forward, his deformed hand lying on the table before him, as he pointed with his left forefinger at Roo. “But ask yourself: what good would it do save to get you back to the gallows?”
“I’ve got to do something.”
Luis nodded. “Time will bring an opportunity for revenge.” He considered. “You said Jacoby and Sons, Duncan. Is there a brother?”
Duncan said, “Yes. Tim’s the elder. Randolph, the other, is a decent enough man, from what people say, but he’s fiercely loyal to his family.”
Luis said, “In Rodez, when a man wrongs another man, we fight a duel. But when a family wrongs another family, we wage war. It may be a quiet war, one that lasts for generations, but ultimately one family is destroyed.”