Free The Exiled by Posie Graeme-evans

bemused amazement.
    ‘Meinheer, I have something urgent that needs doing and I have extraordinary news. If we move very fast, I will be able to take advantage of it.’
    Quickly she told him of the wedding that would soon be announced; now was the time to gamble whether she was an accredited merchant or not. Mathew Cuttifer would approve, she was sure of it.
    ‘We must send to the Medici in Florence and arrange for credit letters to be honoured. The first will be for one thousand florins; the second for three thousand florins — to be cashed in Venice. I intend to mortgage all I possess — my income from England and my mother’s lands there — so that I can back the credit. I shall give you letters before Vespers tonight with orders for the goods which must be bought. And then I want what I have ordered to arrive before the Feast of Saint Michael and Saint George. I will take advice on whether we should have them sent by sea or by land.’
    The careful Dutchman did not allow his expression to change, but he was stunned by this boldness — and the risk. This girl was not an accredited merchant; if she deliberately brought trade goods into this city expecting to sell, the guilds would shut her down. And also, one, let alone two, precious cargos on the sea well before the end of spring was a doubly enormous gamble. Instantly he calculated the odds. Perhaps the land route might be slightly safer, though, of course, the mountain passes at this time of the year were also very dangerous. If the snow did not close them, roaming companies of ‘wolves-heads’ — brigands, soldiers, the murderous dross of late wars — who lurked on the trade routes must be repelled.
    ‘Meinheer, please do as I ask. An opportunity like this is rare. And send Henry to Sluis for me also. He is to wait there until the
Lady Margaret
is docked so that we can give your master the news as soon as possible.’
    Meinheer Boter mildly asked if she had any more orders for him.
    ‘None, my friend. But I should like your prayers. Such sober prayers on this hazardous undertaking would stand us well.’ She grinned at him and he smiled.
    Hans Boter hardly ever smiled — perhaps it had something to do with the absurdity of his name. Boter meant Butter and he’d been much mocked for that as a child, especially as he was always afflicted with fatness. Now, on a day such as today, when this girl had risked all of what little money she had, it seemed strange he did not despair at her folly.
    ‘If my poor prayers can do some good for you, I shall be proud. As I will be when your cargoes land safely. You are right to be bold at such a time, and if there is much risk, the reward will be greater.’ It was the longest speech Anne had ever heard from him, and both he and she were amazed he’d uttered it.
    Anne smiled. ‘Thank you, Meinheer. You shall have the commissioning letters as soon as I can write them — and one for your master.’
    Energised, she tried not to run back to the parlour where Maxim and Deborah were waiting as she’d requested.
    She took one, two, deep breaths as she sat in the chair that was proferred. It was hard, but she had to find strength and composure if she was to be effective now.
    ‘Maxim, I have something very important to tell you — and you, Deborah.’ For the second time today she passed on William Caxton’s remarkable information, and how she proposed to bargain with fate. If this gamble came off, she would be able to buy a home of her own, begin to build a truly independent life.
    Maxim, like his colleague Anders Boter, was stunned by the boldness and risk of her plans. If the gamble failed she would be ruined and that worried him deeply, for he liked her. Also, even
if
she landed her goods, the Guild would surely stop her trading them.
    ‘I know what you’re thinking, Maxim, it’s on your face, but the Guild will
not
stop me — and yes, I could ruin myself, but I have the right to risk my own money. It will be Sir