‘What paperwork?’
‘Well, the paperwork I do to convince the minions how busy I am, so they don’t come running to me every damned moment.’
‘Yes, but what are you writing down, Rucket?’
‘I record snatches of overheard conversations-the acoustics down here are impressive if a tad wayward. One can achieve sheer poetry on occasion, with judicial use of juxtaposition.’
‘If it’s random then it ain’t poetry,’ Ormly said, still scowling.
‘Clearly you don’t keep up with modern movements, then.’
‘Just one, Rucket, and that’s what I’m nervous about. It’s Tehol Beddict, you see.’
‘A most extraordinary juxtaposition there,’ she replied, reaching for another hog’s ear. ‘Idiocy and genius. In particular, his genius for creating idiotic moments. Why, the last time we made love-’
‘Rucket, please! Don’t you see what’s going on out there? Oh, sorry, I guess you don’t. But listen to me, then. He’s too successful! It’s going too fast! The Patriotists are stirred up something awful, and you can be sure the Liberty Consign is backing them with every resource at its disposal. In the Low Markets they’re starting to barter because there’s no coin.’
‘Well, that was the plan-’
‘But we’re not ready!’
‘Ormly, Scale House collapsed, didn’t it?’
He glared at her suspiciously, then grunted and looked away. ‘All right, so we knew that was coming. We’ve been ready for that, yes. True enough. Even though we’re no closer to knowing what’ll happen when whatever it is happens, assuming we’ll even know it’s happening when it does. Anyway, you’re just trying to confuse me, because you’ve lost all objectivity when it comes to Tehol.’
‘Oh now really, do you take me for a fool?’
‘Yes. Love, lust, whatever, it’s affected your ability to think straight when it comes to that madman.’
‘You’re the one not thinking straight. Tehol’s not the mystery here. Tehol’s easy-no, not that kind of-oh, very well, that kind, too. Anyway, like I said. Easy. The true mystery before us, Ormly, is his damned manservant.’
‘Bugg?’
‘Bugg.’
‘But he’s just the front man-’
‘You sure it’s not the. other way round? What does he do with all that coin they’ve leveraged into their hands? Bury it in the back yard? They don’t even have a back yard. Ormly, we’re talking tons of coinage here.’ She waved a-hand about. ‘Could fill this crypt twenty times over. Now, sure, there’re other crypts under the city, but we know them all. I’ve sent runners to every one of them, but they’re empty, the dust underfoot not disturbed in years. We’ve sent rats into every fissure, every crevasse, every crack. Nothing.’ She snapped her fingers. ‘Gone. As if into thin air. And not just in this city, either.’
‘So maybe Tehol’s found a hiding place we ain’t looked at yet. Something both clever and idiotic, like you said.’
‘I thought of that, Ormly. Trust me when I tell you, it’s all gone.’
His scowl suddenly cleared and he reached for a refill of the wine. ‘I figured it out. It’s all dumped into the river. Simple. Easy.’
‘Except that Tehol insists it can be recovered-to flood the market, if the Consign financiers panic and start minting more than the usual quota. And even that quota is proving inflationary, since there’s no recycling of old coins taking place. There’s no return for recasting. I hear even the Imperial Treasury is hurting. Tehol says he can dump it all back onto the streets, at a moment’s notice.’
‘Maybe he’s lying.’
‘Maybe he isn’t.’
‘Maybe I’ll have that last hog ear.’
‘Forget it.’
‘Fine. We got another problem. Tensions are high between the Edur and the Patriotists-and the Chancellor and his army of thugs and spies. Blood was spilled.’
‘Not surprising,’ Rucket replied. ‘It was bound to happen. And don’t think the financial strain has nothing to do with it.’
‘If it does it’s only indirectly,’ Ormly said. ‘No, this clash was, I think, personal.’
‘Can we make use of it?’
‘Ah, finally we can discuss something and actually get somewhere.’
‘You’re just jealous of Tehol Beddict.’
‘So what if I am. Forget it. Let’s make plans.’