The Margrave of Montora (The Chronicles of Montora Book 2)

by Ward Wagher

  “Did you give any consideration to what she told you?”

  “Hey, what’s with the twenty questions, Justin?”

  Voss cocked his head and raised an eyebrow as he looked at Franklin. “While we’re on the subject of honesty, I suppose I am compelled to tell you I am a believer. I think what happened to Signe and her parents is wonderful.”

  “Oh, for crying out…” Franklin paused. “All right, you got me. And I’ve made a flaming ass of myself in front of one of my friends. I guess I owe you an apology.”

  “I probably owe you the apology for sandbagging you like that,” Voss said. “I can understand what you’re going through.”

  “You can?”

  “Oh, yes. It feels like the whole planet is lining up to coerce you into this goofy religious thing.”

  Franklin chuckled. “That’s exactly what it feels like, Justin. And just the same, I really don’t need you starting in on me too. I apparently don’t have any pagan friends.”

  “I’ll tell you what, Franklin. I’ll promise not to nag you about it. But I want you to promise me you’ll come to me when you need to talk about it. There will come a time when it will happen and you’ll know when it happens.”

  Franklin chewed on the inside of a lip and considered this. “Okay. Deal. I suppose I’d better get back to the Prime Minister’s residence. I guess I don't need to tell you I’m a little nervous about all this.”

  Voss just nodded. Franklin turned and headed to the door. He opened it and then turned around. “Justin?”

  “Yes, Franklin.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome, Franklin.”

  After Franklin left, Voss walked back to his office. “I gotta get serious about praying for that boy,” he muttered to himself.

  # # #

  “Friend Foxworths shifted their orbits,” Louie said.

  “What?” Franklin looked up from the cards.

  “Foxworths moved into tight orbit.”

  “What are you talking about?” Martin Boodles asked.

  Modest Marple had been arrested in mid-deal. He was holding the deck in his left hand and had begun pulling the top card off with his right. “How many cards, Louie?”

  As the winter settled in, the four had been meeting regularly in the small, private dining room at the Cambridge Arms to play poker. All of them found it engaging in spite of, or perhaps because of, the unpredictability the Woogie threw into the game.

  “The Woogie pats stand,” Louie said.

  “Okay, the Woogie holds,” Marple said. “Dealer takes one.” He looked over at Franklin.

  “Five,” Franklin said, and tossed the coin into the pot.

  “Too rich for me,” Boodles said sarcastically. “I’ll raise you five.”

  “Fold up,” Louie said as he used a tentacle to slide his cards to the center.

  “Dealer calls,” Marple said as he tossed a centime coin into the pot.

  “The Woogie’s a wimp,” Franklin said as he turned over his cards. “Kings over sixes. Two pair.”

  “Three deuces,” Boodles said as he turned his cards over.

  Everyone looked at Marple. “Not much of a hand, Major,” He said. He flipped over a three, four, five and a six, one at a time. When he was sure he had everyone’s attention he flipped a King onto the table. “King high.”

  Boodles snorted. “True, it was not much of a hand, but it looks like it was good enough for me.”

  “Flooga not helping much tonight,” Louie said. The odd, five appendaged octopus-like creature was asleep atop Louie.

  “If I had a hat like that, I probably wouldn’t play very well either,” Franklin said.

  Everyone chuckled.

  “What’s with this orbit stuff, Louie?” Boodles asked.

  “Foxworths in orbit around the Redeemer. He is Kinsman.”

  Franklin groaned. “Come on, Louie. I don’t need this tonight. It's all I've been hearing from Signe for the past couple of months, since they got back.”

  “What is this, some kind of Woogie theology?” Boodles asked.

  “Don’t get him started, or we might as well just go home,” Franklin said.

  “This sounds interesting,” Marple said, with a grin.

  Franklin pointed at Marple, “And you can be replaced.”

  Marple folded his hands as he faced Franklin. “Oh, please, please, Master; don’t put me out into the snow. I need money to buy milk for the baby.”

  “Give me a break, Modest,” Franklin said. “The only baby you have works in the tavern here at the hotel. If you don’t behave, I’ll have Louie put her out in the snow.”

  “I think he means it, Marple,” Boodles said.

  “The Woogie would give her milk,” Louie said.

  “Um. I don’t think I want to go there,” Marple said.

  “Very wise, Mister Marple,” Franklin said. “Now, can we play poker?”

  “Not to talk about Foxworths?” Louie said. The vocoder seemed to have a plaintive note to it. “Redeemer healed them. Definitely higher power.”

  Franklin put a hand over his forehead and slowly leaned forward until his elbow rested on the table.

  “Maybe we should just play cards,” Boodles said. “Franklin, your deal.”

  Franklin shook his head as he shuffled the deck. “Okay, dealer’s call. Seven card draw. Deuces and one-eyed Jacks wild.”

  “Maybe you’re right after all, Franklin,” Boodles said. “Let’s go home.”

  “It’s just getting interesting, Martin,” Franklin replied. “I love this variant.”

  The game continued.

  “Hear anything from Commander Ciera, Franklin?” Boodles asked.

  “Nope. Dealer takes two.” Franklin threw down a couple of cards and drew two from the deck.

  “Doesn’t it concern you?”

  “Yes, it does. But there’s little I can do about it.”

  “You don’t suppose he ran into something he couldn’t handle? Bet?”

  “Those were my thoughts, Martin. I sent a note to Willard Krause through our friendly local Naval Legate. The admiral has more resources than I do. I'm in for five.”

  “You don’t suppose he got caught by Manfred Higgin-whatever?” Marple asked.

  “Two cards for the Major,” Boodles said.

  Franklin flashed a warning look at Marple as he flipped two cards to Boodles, but Louie had been observing the conversation carefully. “We should go rescue CommanderHaiCiera. Manfred Higgindoodle will be dead pirate. Be very sure!”

  Franklin held his hands up. “Okay, okay. Louie, I promised you we would do something about the pirate when the opportunity presented itself. Now, can we play poker?”

  “Friend Franklin, need to present opportunity soon. You stalling Louie? Inquiring Woogies want to know.”

  Marple snorted.

  Louie, I can’t do anything until Spring at the earliest. And we need to make sure Glenn Foxworth has everything under control. How many cards do you want?”

  “We will talk to Redeemer about CommanderHaiCiera. No delay, Friend Franklin. Be very sure.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud!” Franklin yelled. He jumped to his feet and threw the cards down. “The bus leaves for Montora Village in about thirty seconds.” He turned and strode from the room.

  Boodles looked at Marple. “If we don’t want to walk, we’d better skedaddle.”

  Marple looked over at Louie. “I’m sorry about that, Louie. I don’t know what’s gotten into the boss lately.”

  “The Woogie’s fault. So sorry. So very sorry. Friend Franklin does not know the Redeemer. The Redeemer wants him. You go now.”

  It was a very quiet ride back to Montora Village that night. Franklin set the aircar down at the Regimental camp to drop Boodles off, then in the village square for Marple. Modest stepped out without a word. Franklin then landed the aircar in front of the castle garage and sat behind the controls as the turbines spooled down.

  He then started poun
ding his hands on the dash. “Why. can’t. they. stop. talking about this Redeemer stuff? I’m going to end up going around the bend myself!”

  He stepped out of the car and walked through the keep to his apartment.

  chapter thirty-four

  Floog'etzal was back in his nest after having a good day. He had struck several good deals in buying cargo from the itinerant starships. He had also managed to place several tons of consignment merchandise with a freighter headed to Woogaea. Best of all, he had come from a meeting with a human having recovered a lovely crystalline paperweight from the human's desk.

  The Woogie removed his Vocoder, shuffled around the various treasures on his workbench and placed the paperweight in a position of honor befitting his latest acquisition. Gold was good, silver was fine, but he really loved crystal. Behind he heard a rumble that sounded just like the throat-rumble of a human.

  Floog'etzal spun around and the skin above his single blue eye wrinkled in surprise. How did a human get into my nest? How did I not hear him? The Woogie stared at the human for perhaps ten seconds, then he turned and pulled the Vocoder from the workbench.

  “Unorthodox entry, human,” the device said.

  “My apologies. It was suggested I seek you out.”

  “Identity?”

  “I am Hai Ciera. Louie told me you could give me information.”

  “Flayern'ratal – you call him Louie – now cleared my debt. This Woogie Floog'etzal. You call me Clyde.”

  “Very well, Clyde. Thank you for talking to me.”

  “No more Manfred.”

  “Why?”

  “Too dangerous. Louie and humans recover booty. Manfred tilted. Too dangerous.”

  “You're right, Clyde. Manfred expected to get a lot of money to release the humans.”

  Clyde stared at him.

  “Did you hear what Manfred's people did to the humans?” Ciera asked.

  “Lock in room.”

  “Worse than that, Clyde. The pirates beat and raped the humans. Even the human child.”

  “What is this rape?”

  Ciera told him.

  “Cannot overlook.” Clyde said. “Seriously bent. Be very sure.”

  # # #

  "Spring came a bit early this year, Sir," Modest Marple said.

  Franklin Nyman leaned back in the small wooden chair across the desk from Modest Marple. The small hotel office behind the front desk was cramped and not nearly as large as the Margrave's office in the keep.

  "It could not come soon enough for me. About 6 inches of snow each winter is plenty as far as I'm concerned."

  "But remember, Margrave," Marple said. "Lots of snow means lots of revenue, particularly where Christmas in Montora is concerned."

  "Based upon what you are showing me today, we did end up having a decent year. Nothing like we really needed, however, your efforts are certainly appreciated."

  "How far short are we?"

  "Don't even ask. But, as they say, no good deed goes unpunished." Franklin reached into his pocket and fished something out. He flipped it through the air to the hotel manager, forcing him to quickly lean forward to catch it.

  "What is this?" Marple turned the gold coin over in his hand. "Is this what I think it is?"

  "I had Goldsmith the jeweler strike a series of gold coins under the Montoran imprint. I wish I could give you a regular bonus this year, but I thought this might do."

  Marple stared at the gold coin as he continued to look at it. "This… is beautiful. I don't know what to say."

  "How about saying thanks?"

  "Thanks. Seriously, thanks. You are far better to me than I deserve. I am just trying to do my job. This…" and he held up the coin. "This is really a high honor. It's better than any bonus I have received."

  "Don't let it go to your head. And, you are welcome. You are doing well as the hotel manager. I'm glad Dad hired you."

  "Speaking of business, Sir, I have the summer advertising ready to go. Do you want me to let Ms. Locke look at it?"

  "Does she usually look at them?"

  "I sent out the Christmas and Spring circulars on my own."

  Franklin shrugged. "I would say you are doing fine, then. Just continue. If Daphne squawks about it, I'll deal with it. Once she hears about my next little project, she won't be paying any attention to your advertising. So, therefore, don't worry about it."

  Marple looked carefully at Franklin for a few moments. "And am I permitted to ask…"

  "No. But, you will probably figure it out on your own soon enough."

  Marple looked down at the large gold piece in his hand, and then looked back at Franklin again. Then he nodded.

  Franklin smiled. "I sorta thought you were able to put two and two together. I would appreciate it if you did not talk about it."

  "Of course, Margrave."

  # # #

  "Daphne!" Franklin walked into the office in the keep. "Where are you, Daff?" He bellowed.

  "I am here, oh Lord and Master of the Keep," Daphne said as she walked into the office. "Were you asking for me, or was someone slaughtering a bull in here?"

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I need to talk to you. Siddown."

  "What's going on, Skipper?"

  "Can you and Simmons cover for me on Canopus for a while? I have to go off planet for a bit."

  "That's a bit extreme, isn't it, to get away from Signe's proselytizing?"

  "Come on, Daphne, you know better than that."

  "Not from the way you come storming in here after every dinner you have with her," Daphne said with a smirk.

  "And I repeat; that's not why I'm leaving."

  "So, just why are you leaving?"

  "I'm going out to Addison's planet to talk to Colonel Putin."

  Daphne jumped out of her chair. "Oh, no you're not! You are not going to dig up this valley. Your Dad will kill you. What can you possibly be thinking?"

  "I'm thinking I will have to do something about the debt. When Dad finds out about it, he's going to be pretty unhappy about the way I financed the missile loadout."

  "He, and everyone else," she said.

  "Yeah, well, I think we can take care of it."

  "And, we won't have a valley left. I was beginning to think maybe you were smarter than that. It just shows what I know."

  "Exactly! We've been over this again and again. If we can extract ore without digging up everything, we are home free. Besides, as long as Charlie Steelmaker is holding the paper on those missiles, he has leverage over us. You are right; I did learn something from this. I approached the fund-raising all wrong. We needed to treat this as sovereign debt. It then makes it easier for the courts to recognize Montora as an independent nation."

  "You are crazy!" Daphne replied. "A margraviate is not an independent nation. You are in liege to the Duke of Hepplewhite."

  "Hey, wake up and smell the coffee! I'm not going to throw Glenn out into the mud. There are a bunch of ambiguities in the way the duchy and the margraviate are set up. Regardless of who I have to salute. I am sovereign in this state. I think we need to get this recognized in some way."

  "And what if Manfred Higginbotham returns while you're gone?"

  "It's been eight months, Daphne. I don't think he's coming back. If he was, he would've been here by now."

  "But Hai Ciera has not returned either."

  "Commander Ciera," Franklin said, "tends to move about in some odd ways. But he's like a bad centime. He'll turn up sooner or later.”

  "So, you are going, just like that?"

  "Daphne, I have bills to pay."

  "By raping the valley just to get some gold?"

  "Daff, will you stop it? You know I have to do this."

  "No I do not know that," she shouted. "All I know is that ever since you saw the bullion Aaron Goldsmith was pulling out of the river, you have wanted to go after it in a big way. If I don't stop you, no one else will. So you can just put it out of your mind right now! Full stop! Period! End of discussion!"

&
nbsp; "You're right. It is the end of discussion. We talked about it. You raised your concerns. I made the decision."

  Daphne stared at him for a few moments, then whirled around and stormed out of the room. She was clearly audible as she moved down the hall and into the courtyard.

  The door opened again and Alex leaned in to the room. "I think Daphne was upset."

  "No! What drives you to that conclusion, Alex?"

  "Well, I've never heard her swear like that. All the way down the hall."

  "The thing to keep in mind, Alex, after you marry her: she eventually gets over it."

  The guard captain grinned at Franklin. "Hope is a marvelous thing, Sir."

  “Speaking of which, when are you going to propose?”

  Alex turned red. “I'm thinking about it, Sir.”

  “She might not wait for you.”

  “We've talked. I think she will. I don't believe in quick courtships.”

  “Apparently not. But you might want to accelerate the process a bit before one of you dies of old age.”

  “Not to worry, Sir. Things are going well.”

  "Right. Now on to other things: I'm going off-planet. Can you select one of your guards to travel with me?"

  "I've seen you work out, Sir. If someone came after you, you wouldn't need any help."

  "And I don't feel like I need any help, Alex. But, having a second body along tends to discourage people from trying."

  Alex nodded. "Right you are, Sir. Perhaps Major Boodles would have some ideas."

  Franklin scratched his head. "I didn't think of that. Thanks, Alex. That's a good idea. I figure three weeks out to Addison's planet; a week there to put a deal together; and then I think I want to head over and see Dad before I come home. Call it eleven or twelve weeks."

  # # #

  "Eleven or twelve weeks?" Glenn Foxworth said. "Is that wise, Franklin?"

  "I need to do this, Glenn."

  "And if that pirate vermin shows up again?"

  "I don't think he is going to show up again, Glenn. It's been the better part of a year. Besides, the ship's company is trained about as well as we can get them. Any pirate who sticks his nose in the system is going to get it bloodied."

  Foxworth sighed. "Why do I feel that the Foxworths are doing their part to run you off? I mean, Signe has been leaning on you pretty hard lately."