The Trouble with Peace (The Age of Madness #2) - Joe Abercrombie Page 0,116

really should have a queen beside you,” observed his mother.

He grinned sideways at her. “I do.”

“I mean a wife, as you well know. Help me, High Justice.”

“Her Majesty. As always. Makes a fine point.” Bruckel leaned past Orso’s mother to jab out a few phrases. “See what marriage has done. For the Lord Governor of Angland.” Orso winced. He would rather have been squirted with poison than with more news of Leo dan Brock’s happy union. “The government there was paralysed. Antiquated. Incompetent. Since his wedding? Turned. Around.”

“Lady Savine is an immensely talented woman, though!” Kort leaned in from the other side to unwittingly make matters even worse. “I must confess, I was reluctant to embrace her as a partner but, well, I couldn’t have completed my canal without her. Stupendously talented.” Kort shook his head, chin vanishing into the roll of fat beneath. “Not many like her around, Your Majesty.”

“That settles it, then,” said Orso. “Lady Savine will simply have to marry me and her husband.” The real tragedy was that he would likely have clutched at that arrangement with both hands.

His mother was less taken with it. “Don’t be facetious, Orso, it’s beneath your majesty.”

“I’m starting to think there’s nothing beneath my majesty.”

“Your sisters both did their dynastic duty. Do you suppose Cathil wanted to move to Starikland?”

How often had they gone over this same conversation? “She’s an inspiration.”

“Do you think Carlot wanted to marry the Chancellor of Sipani?”

“She always seems rather pleased about it—”

“You cannot delay any longer. You are not only damaging yourself, but the whole Union.”

She detested the Union but believed hypocrisy was a thing that only happened to other people. Orso gritted his teeth. “I’ll look at the latest list again. But I want to organise this grand tour first. Get out into the country and introduce myself to the people!”

“Far better to tour with a wife, then you could introduce her to the people and get started on producing an heir at the same time.”

“What? Actually simultaneously?”

She glanced at him down her nose. “At least they would see you were finally taking your responsibilities seriously.”

“Now who’s being facetious?”

“My master would be delighted if you were to wed.”

Orso recoiled at the voice in his ear. Bayaz’s stooge, Yoru Sulfur, had leaned grinning forward from the chairs behind. He was one of those people with an ugly habit of popping up at the worst moments.

“Oh really?” snapped Orso. “Keen to buy a new dress, is he?”

Sulfur’s sharp smile showed no sign of slipping. “Anything that bears on the stability of the realm is of interest to Lord Bayaz.”

“How fortunate we are to have such a guardian. But what brings a magus to a scientific demonstration? Haven’t you got…” Orso waved a hand. “Something magical to be about?”

“There is not so wide a gulf between science and magic as some suppose.” Sulfur nodded towards the city, where the House of the Maker was still the tallest spike on the horizon. “Was not Kanedias himself the first and greatest of engineers? And did not Juvens say that knowledge is the root of power? Lord Bayaz delights in nothing more than ideas, innovations, new ways of thinking.” He turned his bright eyes towards Curnsbick’s steam-wreathed engine. “Imagine a network of these track-roads. Iron bands binding the Union ever more tightly together, carrying a never-ceasing flood of goods and people. A wonder to rank alongside the great achievements of the Old Time!”

“It sounds a marvellous project, Master Sulfur, but… an expensive one.” Orso began to turn away. “I fear my treasury is not up to the challenge.”

“The Banking House of Valint and Balk has already offered to advance the capital.”

Orso frowned. It was largely due to the crippling interest on Valint and Balk’s loans that the treasury was in such a lamentable state. “That is… uncharacteristically generous of them.”

“The bank would take the necessary land in trust and own the tracks, charging a trifling stipend for their use. I was hoping you would consent to my making the arrangements with the lord chancellor.”

“That sounds rather like the first step in selling you my kingdom piece by piece.”

Sufur smiled wider yet. “Hardly the first step.”

“Your Majesties!” Curnsbick hurried up to the royal box, whisking off his hat and dabbing his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. “I hope we haven’t kept you waiting.”

“Not at all,” said Orso. “Converting expansive force to rotational is… no easy business… I suppose—”

The Queen Dowager issued a thunderous snort of contempt, but Curnsbick was already facing