The Trouble with Peace (The Age of Madness #2) - Joe Abercrombie Page 0,92

roads that carry that ore to the sea, nor the docks on which that ore is loaded for transport to Midderland. Those belong to my husband.” Savine opened her eyes very wide, as though the realisation had but that moment dawned. “Why—I suppose that means they belong to me?”

Zuri fluttered her lashes, all innocence. “So much to take care of.”

Arinhorm was looking more and more uncomfortable. “We pay towards their upkeep.”

“Token amounts, as we both know,” said Savine. “We have gone over the books, Master Arinhorm. I get the feeling that the worthy old gentlemen who have been in charge of Angland’s government do not fully understand the books. But we do. And we see all kinds of ways to make things more… equitable. Ways for the industries of the province to contribute to the common good.”

“And if I refuse?”

Savine shrugged. “I suppose you can always fly your ore across the Circle Sea.”

Arinhorm was moving from discomfort to anger. Savine rather enjoyed seeing it. “We will simply cut off supply! In no time, the foundries of Midderland will be clamouring at you to turn the tap back on.”

“By all means let your ore rot in your warehouses, but then of course the price of ore will rocket, and I imagine my failing mines will not be failing very much longer.” Savine spread her arms comfortably across the back of the chaise. “So you see, whichever door you open, Savine’s in first. In business, Master Arinhorm, you must be realistic.”

Zuri pressed one hand to her breast. “You have to be realistic.”

“Here is our suggestion. You will pay duties for every ton of ore moved over every mile of my husband’s province. You will also sign over to him a one-tenth interest in all your concerns.”

“But… you acknowledged they’re our mines!”

“Of course.” Zuri nodded earnestly. “And, by my calculations, nine-tenths of them still will be.”

“This is robbery!” he spluttered at her.

“I said we are not pirates. Robbery is a much broader category. But the heading in my book is for…” She ran her finger down the page and tapped neatly at an entry. “Patriotic contributions.”

“There,” said Savine. “Doesn’t that sound better? Something we can all take pride in. You will also fit your pumps to my mines at your own expense. Then we can allow you to operate.”

“Allow…?” Arinhorm stared at her, open-mouthed.

“Allow, Your Grace,” corrected Zuri, with impeccable timing. Savine had heard it said that it is best to beat opponents fairly, but she much preferred beating them with the deck stacked wildly in her favour.

“It has been a great regret,” she said, “that I let your scheme slip through my fingers simply because I find you personally detestable. I am so pleased we got the opportunity to do business together in the end.”

“I will go to your husband!” snarled Arinhorm.

“You will go to the Young Lion… to complain about his wife?” Savine gave Zuri a pitying look.

Zuri gave one back. “I imagine a man would be lucky to come away from that interview with his teeth.”

“I have friends on the Open Council!” snapped Arinhorm.

“I have dozens of them,” said Savine with a sigh. “That’s how I know how little good they do.”

“I will go to the Closed—”

“Let me spare you the wasted effort. The Closed Council want revenue, and they have asked my husband to find it, so he has asked me to find it. I am doing so, with the enthusiastic endorsement of everyone who counts. Speak to your investors, by all means, but my honest advice is to pay up before you make me squeeze harder. You’d be amazed at how powerful my grip has become since I married the Lord Governor. I would hate to accidently crush someone completely but…”

“It could happen,” murmured Zuri.

Arinhorm wobbled to his feet, but he had nothing to say. Savine had made sure of that. All he could do was turn on his heel and stalk from the room.

“Oh, and Arinhorm?”

He looked back in the doorway, fists, teeth and no doubt arsehole clenched. “Your Grace?” he managed to hiss.

“When you see her, do pass on my regards to Selest dan Heugen.”

The door clicked shut and Savine settled comfortably back again. She realised she had not thought about Valbeck all day.

“Is it wrong of me to have enjoyed that one?” asked Zuri, checking the watch then marking another tick down in her ledger.

“We must take our pleasures where we can. Who’s next?”

A Little Public Hanging

“I hate bloody hangings,” grunted Orso.

“Distasteful but necessary.” His