The Jade Lioness by Christina Courtenay

Author:Christina Courtenay [Courtenay, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-78189-238-1
Published: 2015-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

‘There’s silver missing from my pouch. Do you know anything about that?’

Haag had been summoned to Noordholt’s private room and was now on the receiving end of a terrifying glare. If he’d been less sure that he’d done the right thing in using Noordholt’s coins for bribery he would have been cowering behind the nearest door. As it was, he stood his ground and tried his best to feign surprise.

‘No. Why would I? You didn’t ask me to keep watch on your possessions.’

He was sent another shrivelling glare and wondered if that had sounded too insolent, but it was the truth.

‘I didn’t think there was any need. You’re the only man here who knows how much I brought as we left the Deputy Factor back in Dejima.’

‘I may know how much there was to begin with, but I have no idea where you’ve been keeping it or how much has been spent,’ Haag protested, although part of that sentence was a lie. He’d spied on the Chief Factor through a hole in the paper partitions and found out that the silver was hidden under a loose stone just outside Noordholt’s room in a tiny private garden. It had been child’s play to liberate some of it when the man went to the privy.

Noordholt didn’t look convinced, however. ‘Well, if I find that you’re not telling the truth you’ll regret it, I promise you. And from now on, I’ll keep the damned silver on my person at all times. Whoever is stealing it will have to kill me first.’

‘Good idea,’ Haag murmured, but inside he was seething. He’d hoped the thefts wouldn’t be discovered quite so quickly. Now he regretted not taking more while he had the chance. Somehow he’d have to make the amount he had left last. It would be the very devil of a task. He could only hope they’d be leaving Edo soon.

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