The creed of the Original People. Could this man be one of them? The Orres itself be a part of the sect? The name itself held significance; the Original Residents-the Original People. Given their known love of secrecy such a change would be logical.
Did the coordinates of Earth lie in those moldering pages?
"No!" The old man snatched the book away from the reaching hand. "You are after my secrets!"
"You offered to show me the book."
"You tricked me." The suspicious eyes became cunning. "You are trying to steal my knowledge. Who sent you here? The Maximus? Helm? Ashen? Chargel? Enemies all of them. I am surrounded by enemies. They would ruin my House. Steal my fortune. Help! Help!"
He backed, the book clutched tight in mottled hands, pressed hard against the hollowed chest. A man terrified by the ghosts of his own distorted imagination. He spun as servants ran into the room, a tall, well-built man at their head. "Melvin! Be warned! The man is an enemy!"
The wine was sweet, touched with honey and roses, holding a golden warmth which added brightness to the musty chamber and helped to dispel a little of the external gloom.
Lifting his glass, Melvin Bulem said, "I am in your debt, Earl. I drink to your health." A sip. "To your fortune." Another sip. "To your success."
Dumarest followed the ritual as he studied the other man. He was younger than his brother, hard instead of soft, direct instead of devious, the eyes shrewd but free of the suspicious cunning. Even so he betrayed the signs of anxiety which had marked Fiona's face with premature lines, his own now a mask of studied courtesy.
He said, "I must apologize, Earl. Need I explain that my brother is not wholly as other men? His illusions, at times, threaten to overwhelm him. The talk of all men having lived on a single planet, for example. An apparent absurdity; how could such divergent types rise on a single world? A common environment must lead to a common race. And the talk of a cosmic egg and the babble he repeats about the need for men to expiate sin. Did you examine the book? No? A pity, if you had you would have seen it composed of rubbish. Even his talk varies at times; today it will be an expedition to Bonanza to restore our fortunes, tomorrow Avalon, the day after he will have wrested a secret from an old parchment and boast of immortality."
"When young did he travel?"
"Marc? No. Why do you ask?"
"His ideas. He could have learned them on other planets."
"He has never left Sacaweena. His notions are due to lies told by visiting captains and traders who beguiled him when young. A poison which produced wild blooms when, later, he had to manage our affairs." Bulem took a sip of his wine. "But enough of my unfortunate brother. In your travels you must have seen many like him."
"He could be helped."
"Helped," mused Bulem. "An odd word for you to have used. Most would have said 'cured.' Well, we shall see, perhaps the monks could aid him with their skill." He took another sip of wine, a gesture which terminated the subject. "I am pleased to see you, Earl, but may I ask the reason you came?"
"You mentioned it. A matter of debt."
"I see."
"You acknowledge it?"
"I, my Family, and most certainly Ivor are grateful to you for having saved our honor. The boy is young in heart if not in body and, it could be, he takes after Marc in certain ways. That is not important. If you wish me to reassure you of what we owe then consider it done."
"I do," said Dumarest. "But I was thinking of repayment."
"Of course." A veil dropped over Bulem's eyes, adding to his earlier detachment. "I had thought that-well, we are often mistaken. It's a matter of payment, then. The cost of a High passage? Travelers, I understand, are used to such calculations. Would you be satisfied with that?"
"No."
"Double then? Double-I refuse to bargain."
"I want your aid not your money."
"What?"
"I have money," said Dumarest. "With your help I can get more. An arrangement which will benefit us both. Have you a map of the northern sectors?" He waited as the other fetched it. "There!" His finger marked a point, moved on to others. "And here and here!"
Bulem said, "You spoke of an arrangement?"
"These are Kalova's holdings? And these?"
"Those also."
"And here?" Dumarest nodded at the answer. "Do they come with the title or does the Maximus have to earn them?" Facts he knew but wanted Bulem to elaborate. "He has to earn them. Good. That means he can lose them. Can he be forced to sell?"
"The rules apply to all; if two or more holders offer at least twice the recorded value it has to be offered to all. A forced auction. But there are penalties against those forcing the sale of any holding if the price they offered is not reached." Balance and counterbalance; details designed to prevent stagnation. Bulem added, "A forced attack can lead to vicious repercussions."
The weight of the Maximus used to frighten off potential nuisances. Insidious threats to maintain hard-won power.
Dumarest said, "I'm offering you a chance to get rich. With my help you can increase your assets, but I want my fair share. If you aren't interested just say so and I'll leave. If you are I'll show you proof of what I mean."
Bulem poured them both more wine. "Show me."
He sucked in his breath as Dumarest opened the lid of a box he took from his tunic to reveal the massed glow of golden pearls. Their sheen dulled the glow of the wine, seeming brighter because of the clouded sky, the misted air.
"Ardeel," said Dumarest. "I don't have to tell you what these are worth but this is only a sample. Imagine you had a hundred times this amount. A thousand. Such assets would restore your House to its former position." He tilted the box, letting the glow shift as sunlight shifted on the naked steel of a blade. Eye-brightness to catch and hold the attention. "I know just where they are to be found."
"The north?"
"On Kalova's holdings." The lid snapped shut, hiding the lure. "I've traced the breeding path of the vreks and know where and when they deposit their eggs. Kalova thinks he has a monopoly but it can be broken if you-or someone-obtains certain holdings. I'll tell you which if you agree to yield me my share."
Bulem said slowly, "If you have money why ask for more?"
"I'm human." Dumarest thrust the box back into his pocket and rose to his feet. "Such a stupid question means you aren't interested. There's no point in either of us wasting any more time."
"You are too hasty," said Bulem. "Sit, have some more wine, remember we are friends. And let us talk about the size of your share."
It was late when Dumarest returned to Fiona's house to find Vardoon long asleep, the woman herself dressed for bed. She watched with eyes narrowed with jealousy as he bathed and rubbed himself dry.
"You look tired, Earl. Busy?"
"Yes."
"With whom? Lynne? Myra? Some other woman you met at the pool?" Her anger increased as he made no answer. "Are you going to tell me you haven't been seeing them? Talking to them? Drinking with them? Making love to them-you bastard!"
He said flatly, "I did what had to be done. Now do I stay or do I leave?"
To arms more than willing to embrace him; Fiona could guess where they could be found. Guess too at the sniggers which would follow her once he had left her alone. A woman unable to hold even a dependent lover-how the bitches would gloat!
She said, demanding reassurance, "It was just business, Earl? For me?"