"To what do I owe this honor, Olivderval?" Jarrod asked, rising from his desk.

"Bribery and shameless arm twisting, of course," she replied cheerfully. "You going to offer an old woman a seat and a drink?" She turned back to the Duty Boy without waiting for an answer. "Something long, cold and innocuous," she declared, smiled, moved over to the fireplace and thumped down in an armchair.

"I'll have the same," Jarrod said. He turned to the Oligarch. "I take it that this is about the part.i.tion?" He crossed the floor and took the other chair.

"Of course it's about the part.i.tion. I love you dearly, 59.

but I only heave my bulk up four nights of stairs if profit or the national interest are at stake."

Jarrod smiled at her directness. "I still believe that the OutIanJ should be an international zone adminis- tered by the Discipline."

"Of course you do, but we both know that you can't muster enough votes to carry that," Ohvderval said comfortably. "And part.i.tion's too important for you to waste your vote sitting on your dignity and abstaining.

Besides, I backed >our bid foi land and you owe me.

When it comes right down to it, you're no different from the rest of us "

They broke off as the Duty Boy returned with the drinks Jarrod raised his gla.s.s to her and they sipped as the boy withdrew.

"I can't support your claim to the Umbrian sea- coast," he said. "Besides, Varodias would never cede it even if every other nation voted for it."

"I'm well aware of that, but I had to say something to shake Estragoth out of his appalling superiority. And it worked, didn't it? I'll wager that Malum has been around to see you."

"He has."

She chuckled. "What did you get? The armclock or the miniature steam engine?"

"The armclock," Jarrod admitted.

The Oligarch shook her head. "Umbrians are so stu- pid. Don't they realize that Magicians detest machines?

Mind you," she added disconcertingly, "I rather fancy young Malum. Why is it, d'you suppose, that large women like me have a weakness for small, slender men?" She looked up from her watered fruit Juice and smiled broadly at him.

"I don't think I'm qualified to answer that," Jarrod replied cautiously.

"Really?" Olivderval said pleasantly. "I would have

60 thought that anyone who had bought a brothel in Be- lengar would be something of an expert on the subject of women."

Jarrod controlled himself with considerable effort.

He sat back in his chair and sipped his drink. After the defeat of the Outworlders he had gone on a tri- umphal tour of Strand with Ragnor, and when they were in Belengar he had visited the brothel where Sa- manthina had worked, hoping to find her. She had moved on, but, on impulse, he had provided dowries for all the other girls. He had done it anonymously, however.

"If you know that," he said slowly, "you undoubt- edly know that I did it to give the girls their freedom."

"As you did when you bought all those birds in the Exotic Bird Mart ana released them."

There was a long moment of silence.

"You are very well informed," Jarrod said finally.

Olivderval smiled. "Information is the lifeblood of a merchant, my dear,"

"I thought that I'd been clever," he said sadly. "I did everything through third parties and I paid them well to keep their mouths shut."

"Oh, you did very well for an outsider. The truth cost me far more than I was originally prepared to pay. It wasn't so much your money that did it as fear that if you found out, you'd cast some terrible spell."

"Youthful follies," Jarrod said with a shake of the head and a small smile. "Mind you, I don't regret it and I could well afford it." What he did regret was that he hadn't been able to find Samanthina. At least Olivderval didn't know that.

"No doubt." Olivderval's tone was smooth. "But it wouldn't look too good if it got out now."

"Ah, the arm twisting." Jarrod was back in control of himself again. He knew where she was heading. "A 61.

gamble on your part, of course. Disclosure can always work more than one way. Now, what about the brib- ery?" He raised his eyebrows.

"You're a cool customer, Jarrod. I somewhat under- estimated you, though I still think that, if it came down to it, you would protect your reputation. The public doesn't like its heroes buying brothels."

"Oh, I don't know," he countered with a purse of the lips, "it might humanize me, don't you think?" It was his turn to smile.

"You're really very good." Olivderval allowed her eyelids to droop, producing a calculating look. "Nev- ertheless, you're a sensible man and I know that you see the merits of our position."

"I might if I knew what your position really was."

"Internationally guaranteed access through Son- guard and the new Songean territory." Her lips tight- ened. "Administration and communication will still be enormous problems, but we're rather better at func- tioning a long way from home than is the rest of the world. The Umbrians will have to abandon Bandor, that goes without saying. That'll bring the Songeans to our side.

"On the other hand, Songuard isn't exactly a ia^v- abiding place. It wouldn't take the mountain tribes long to figure out that there is more profit to be made by raiding Isphardi caravans than by herding their rono- ronti. That means that we shall have to provide military escorts and that would mean building fortified guard- posts on Songean soil. That in turn would mean friction with the government-if they get themselves a proper government by then."

"And how do you propose to finesse that?" Jarrod was beginning to enjoy himself, but he remained wary.

"The valleys would have to be patrolled by a force composed of Paladinians, Arundelians and Talismanis.

62 t JOHN LEE

The Songeans will have to provide us with a base at or near Bandor." Olivderval paused and shot him a mea- suring look. "The cost to be borne by the Umbrians and ourselves."

"And you think that the Umbrians will agree to give up Fort Bandor and pay for your security." He allowed himself to sound skeptical.

"I don't see why they shouldn't," Olivderval replied offhandedly. "After all, we have been paying for their garrison at Bandor for a very long time."

"I see." Jarrod was noncommittal. "And what does the Discipline gain by supporting this plan?"

Olivderval shrugged. "The Discipline has no interest in major territory and this arrangement wouldn't cut into your t.i.thes."

Jarrod shifted in his chair and sipped his drink. "Not nearly good enough," he p.r.o.nounced. "Had it not been for the Discipline, there would be no new territory. Peo- ple have forgotten how close the Outlanders were to victory, but I am sure that your fellow Oligarchs are not unmindful of the effects of peace upon commerce."

"It has fostered compet.i.tion is what it's done," she rejoined. "You did us no favors by obliterating the en- emy. Most of the best and brightest men were engaged in the war; now they are bored and they have turned their skills to making money. Your friend Marianna of Gwyndryth is a case in point. She has invested in ships and is doing a thriving business exporting the produce of her region. She has factors at Seaport and at Belen- gar."

"She's never said anything about that and neither has her father."

"Of course not. They're an old aristocratic family and commerce is supposed to be beneath them. However,"

and an admiring note crept into OlivdervaPs voice, "that young woman has access to a very large amount of cap-