The other man was thin, almost frail, wearing a loose gown of white and a yellow vest the color of his skin. A long mustache drooped sadly beside his mouth; he wore a scimitar at his waist. Ostensibly a pair of sinister ruffians, thought Reith. "Yes, sir, what do you wish?" asked the burly man.
"Transportation to Cath in as much comfort as possible," said Reith.
"Little enough to ask." The man heaved himself to his feet. "I will show you what is available."
Reith eventually paid a deposit on two small cabins for Anacho and Ylin-Ylan, a larger stateroom which he would share with Traz. The quarters were neither airy, spacious nor over-clean, but Reith thought that they might have been worse.
"When do you sail?" he asked the burly man.
"Tomorrow noon on the flood. By preference, be aboard by midmorning; I run a punctual ship."
The three returned through the crooked streets of Coad to the hotel. Neither the Flower nor Dordolio were on the premises. Late in the afternoon they returned in a palanquin, followed by three porters laden with bundles. Dordolio alighted, helped Ylin-Ylan forth; they entered the hotel followed by the porters and the chief bearer of the palanquin.
Ylin-Ylan wore a graceful gown of dark green silk, with a dark blue bodice. A
charming little cap of crystal-frosted net constrained her hair. Seeing Reith she hesitated, turned to Dordolio and spoke a few words. Dordolio pulled at his extraordinary gold mustache, sauntered to where Reith sat with Anacho and Traz.
"All is well," said Dordolio. "I have taken passage for all aboard the Yazilissa, a ship of excellent reputation."
"I fear you have incurred an unnecessary expense," said Reith politely. "I have made other arrangements."
Dordolio stood back, nonplussed. "But you should have consulted me!"
"I can't imagine why," said Reith.
"On what ship do you sail?" demanded Dordolio.
"The cog Vargaz."
"The Vargaz? Bah! A floating pigpen. I would not wish to sail on the Vargaz."
"You do not need to do so, if you are sailing on the Yazilissa."
Dordolio tugged at his mustache. "The Blue Jade Princess likewise prefers to travel aboard the Yazilissa, the best accommodation available."
"You are a bountiful man," said Reith, "to take luxurious passage for so large a group."
"In point of fact, I did only what I could," admitted Dordolio. "Since you are in charge of the group's funds the supercargo will render an account to you."
"By no means," said Reith. "I remind you that I have already taken passage aboard the Vargaz."
Dordolio hissed petulantly through his teeth. "This is an insufferable situation."
The porters and the palanquin carrier drew near, and bowed before Reith. "Permit us to tender our accounts."
Reith raised his eyebrows. Was there no limit to Dordolio's insouciance? "Of course, why should you not? Naturally to those who commanded your services." He rose to his feet. He went to Ylin-Ylan's room, knocked on the rattan door. There was the sound of movement within; she looked forth through a peep lens. The upper panel of the door slid back a trifle.
Reith asked, "May I come in?"
"But I'm dressing."
"This has made no difference before."
The door opened; Ylin-Ylan stood somewhat sullenly aside. Reith entered. Bundles were everywhere, some opened to reveal garments and leathers, gauze slippers, embroidered bodices, filigree headwear. Reith looked around in astonishment.
"Your friend is extravagantly generous."
The Flower started to speak, then bit her lips. "These few things are necessities for the voyage home. I do not care to arrive at Vervodei like a scullery maid." She spoke with a haughtiness Reith had never before heard. "They are to be reckoned as traveling expenses. Please keep an account and my father will settle affairs to your satisfaction."
"You put me in a hard position," said Reith, "where inevitably I lose my dignity. If I pay, I'm a lout and a fool; if I don't, I'm a heartless pinchpenny. It seems that you might have handled the situation more tactfully."
"The question of tact did not arise," said the Flower. "I desired the articles.
I ordered them to be brought here."
Reith grimaced. "I won't argue the subject. I came to tell you this: I have engaged passage to Cath aboard the cog Vargaz, which leaves tomorrow. It is a plain simple ship; you will need plain simple garments."
The Flower stared at him in puzzlement. "But the Noble Gold and Carnelian took passage aboard the Yazilissa!"
"If he chooses to travel aboard the Yazilissa, he of course may do so, if he can settle for his passage. I have just notified him that I will pay neither for his palanquin rides, nor his passage to Cath, nor "-Reith gestured toward the parcels-"for the finery which he evidently urged you to select."
Ylin-Ylan flushed angrily. "I had never expected to find you niggardly."
"The alternative is worse. Dordolio-"
"That is his friend name," said Ylin-Ylan in an undertone. "Best that you use his field name, or the formal address: Noble Gold and Carnelian."
"Whatever the situation, the cog Vargaz sails tomorrow. You may be aboard or remain in Coad as you choose."
Reith returned to the foyer. The porters and palanquin carrier had departed.
Dordolio stood on the front veranda. The jeweled ornaments which had buckled his breeches at the knees were no longer to be seen.
CHAPTER THREE
THE COG VARGAZ, broad of beam, with high narrow prow, a cutaway midships, a lofty stern-castle, wallowed comfortably at its mooring against the dock. Like all else of Tschai, the cog's aspects were exaggerated, with every quality dramatized. The curve of the hull was florid, the bowsprit prodded at the sky, the sails were raffishly patched.
The Flower of Cath silently accompanied Reith, Traz and Anacho the Dirdirman aboard the Vargaz, with a porter bringing her luggage on a hand-truck.
Half an hour later Dordolio appeared on the dock. He appraised the Vargaz a moment or two, then strolled up the gangplank. He spoke briefly with the captain, tossed a purse upon the table. The captain frowned up sidewise from under bushy black eyebrows, thinking his own thoughts. He opened the purse, counted the sequins and found an insufficiency, which he pointed out. Dordolio wearily reached into his pouch, found the required sum, and the captain jerked his thumb toward the sterncastle.
Dordolio pulled at his mustache, raised his eyes toward the sky. He went to the gangplank, signaled a pair of porters who conveyed aboard his luggage. Then, with a formal bow toward the Flower of Cath, he went to stand at the far rail, looking moodily off across the Dwan Zher.
Five other passengers came aboard: a small fat merchant in a somber gray caftan and tall cylindrical hat; a man of the Isle of Cloud, with his spouse and two daughters: fresh fragile girls with pale skins and orange hair.
An hour before noon the Vargaz hoisted sails, cast off lines, and sheered away from the dock. The roofs of Coad became dark brown prisms laid along the hillside. The crew trimmed sails, coiled down lines, then unshipped a clumsy blast-cannon, which they dragged up to the foredeck.
Reith asked Anacho, "Who do they fear? Pirates?"
"A precaution. So long as a cannon is seen, pirates keep their distance. We have nothing to fear; they are seldom seen on the Draschade. A greater hazard is the victualing. The captain appears a man accustomed to good living, an optimistic sign."
The cog moved easily through the hazy afternoon. The Dawn Zher was calm and showed a pearly luster. The coastline faded away to the north; there were no ships to be seen. Sunset came: a wan display of dove-brown and umber, and with it a cool breeze which sent the water chuckling around the bluff bow.