Chapter 24 book 3 is live
Good Management:
Rose spent less than a spoke at Callant, though it had taken nearly three weeks to get there. “Eet ees a borrring backwater!” she’d complain to anyone who would listen, almost as soon as she’d arrived at Wilk Castle. But to Bear she confessed, “I fear that being away from Varrido so long may lessen his love for me. But he would insist!”
“I like being this far from court,” said Bear as he arranged flowers from the palace hothouse. “I don’t trust the people at court.”
“Nor do I, my dear, which is why I want to get back there as soon as possible.”
Her meeting with the King’s Governor was brief. “I hwant you to get as much out of the prroperty as you can.”
“I always try to manage the lands as best I can, ma’am,” said the Governor, a jowly knight with the prosaic name of Sir Anten Antenson.
“I’m sure you do, Sirr Anten,” said Rose. “But I need more than your best. I hwant every copper turned to silver, every silver turned to gold, and every gold sent to me. Do you understand?”
Sir Anten nodded slowly. “Well, the rye harvest is promising this year, and the tenants tell me--”
“Speaking of the tenants,” interrupted Rose, “hwat do they currently pay in rrent?”
“Why, thirty-five percent of their harvest,” said Sir Anten.
“They weel pay seexty-five and keep thirty-five for themselves,” said Rose firmly.
“Sixty-five!” said Sir Anten. “That will barely leave them with enough to eat!”
“Let them grrow more cabbages in their garden plots, then,” said Rose dismissively.
Rose spent less than a spoke at Callant, though it had taken nearly three weeks to get there. “Eet ees a borrring backwater!” she’d complain to anyone who would listen, almost as soon as she’d arrived at Wilk Castle. But to Bear she confessed, “I fear that being away from Varrido so long may lessen his love for me. But he would insist!”
“I like being this far from court,” said Bear as he arranged flowers from the palace hothouse. “I don’t trust the people at court.”
“Nor do I, my dear, which is why I want to get back there as soon as possible.”
Her meeting with the King’s Governor was brief. “I hwant you to get as much out of the prroperty as you can.”
“I always try to manage the lands as best I can, ma’am,” said the Governor, a jowly knight with the prosaic name of Sir Anten Antenson.
“I’m sure you do, Sirr Anten,” said Rose. “But I need more than your best. I hwant every copper turned to silver, every silver turned to gold, and every gold sent to me. Do you understand?”
Sir Anten nodded slowly. “Well, the rye harvest is promising this year, and the tenants tell me--”
“Speaking of the tenants,” interrupted Rose, “hwat do they currently pay in rrent?”
“Why, thirty-five percent of their harvest,” said Sir Anten.
“They weel pay seexty-five and keep thirty-five for themselves,” said Rose firmly.
“Sixty-five!” said Sir Anten. “That will barely leave them with enough to eat!”
“Let them grrow more cabbages in their garden plots, then,” said Rose dismissively.
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