The Claudia Seferius Mysteries, Bundle #2 by Marilyn Todd

Author:Marilyn Todd [Todd, Marilyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Published: 2015-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

XVII

What a sight to behold in Claudia’s banqueting hall! The pickle merchant’s gold plate shining for all it was worth (and it was worth plenty). The ex-consul’s ivories. The senator’s bronze Venus. Tomorrow they’d have to go back, of course, but for tonight the room looked magnificent. A private flower meadow carpeted the floor, lush garlands hung on the walls and the porphry merchant’s lampstands lit the place like midsummer sunshine. But it was the sight of three hefty trunks sitting in the vestibule which made Claudia practically cartwheel into the room.

‘Claudia! We were just saying, weren’t we, Fannia, what a wonderful concert this afternoon. Such a pity you missed the finale.’

‘And the Bull Dance was breathtaking, such mastery of horseflesh.’

‘So generous of you, Cousin, to lay on not only a banquet for us later, but to treat us to apperitifs of rose wine now, before we get changed.’

The Dragon From Hell sidled up. ‘I must say, daughter-in-law, you have done us proud.’

That was the plan. ‘Thank you, Larentia.’

‘I speak for us all, when I say we’ve enjoyed every minute.’

Oh, me too. ‘I’m so pleased.’

‘You’ve spared no expense—’

Tell me about it!

‘—and I want you to know we appreciate the effort you’ve put in on our behalf, don’t we, ladies?’

Was there no end to deafening choruses?

‘Also.’ She tapped one claw against her jewelled goblet. ‘I fear I owe you an apology.’

Damn right. ‘Water under the Milvian Bridge, Larentia.’

‘No, no, credit where it’s due,’ the old woman said, and Claudia winced. That was the trouble. By noon tomorrow, credit would not be where it was due, and the moneylender seemed very preoccupied with kneecaps of late.

‘I refer, of course, to the urchin.’

‘Jovi?’ Claudia passed round a plate of raisin bread.

‘I was talking to him—’ Interrogating, more like. ‘—and I may have jumped to conclusions.’ Old Leatherchops began to pick plump yellow raisins from her chunk of bread. ‘What I mistook for a speech impediment appears to be the nasal twang of the slums.’

I know. Claudia nibbled at the sticky, warm dough. Mine took years to eradicate.

‘He told me what happened, and how you brought him back here—’

Oh, Jovi. Please don’t have mentioned the man in the frock.

‘—fed him honeyed apricots and pies, and I understand you’ve even posted a reward for his mother to come forward.’

None too successfully, either. Two women had turned up, neither of them the little chap’s ma. Claudia had doubled the reward to lure the money-grabbing bitch out of her hole. ‘Charity is my middle name.’

Since her bread now resembled a colander, Larentia began to plug the gaps with the raisins on her plate. ‘Moreover, you have managed my son’s business most admirably…from what you tell me, of course.’ At least the old fossil had the grace to blush. ‘I mean, it’s obvious the firm’s prospering.’ A crabbed hand swept through the air towards the bronze goddess in the corner and encompassed the lavish spread which the servants were still laying out.

It worked. The old harpy was finally won over.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.