Bounder Ch. 09

The way my household income had now suddenly decreased, I was going to need that nest egg to keep my small but well-paid crew employed in the months and years ahead.

One last sudden source of income also gave me a bit of trouble now as well. Edwina had told me where their family treasure was kept hidden, a fortune obtained by smuggling, highway robbery and murder, which had been buried under that copse of trees near the inn. Business with the Blackguards had been good, as had been the profits of their innumerable crimes. The strong box I dug up was quite worth the time and effort to claim. While this was more than enough wealth to compensate me for my time and considerable inconvenience, the chest of gold and silver felt black and dirty in my hands, it's very touch almost burned me and it seemed to possess a thoroughly evil aura. It was a fortune to pass up, quite nearly more hard coined wealth than my own deposited accounts and strongboxes could claim to possess, but after a long minute of running a thick stream of the coins through my fingers I decided that the blood curse across this wealth was far too potent for me to keep. I pulled up the buried chest out of the ground nevertheless and loaded it up upon a small wagon I had rented and ported it back home, into the city, but not before I placed a heavy fistful of this tainted silver into Tywusa's offering bowl by the bridge crossroads. I considered it a late repayment for the apple I had taken.

The rest of the cursed money went into various church ward offertories and other private charities. Divided into dozens of fat purses that were placed into offertory boxes late at night. Very anonymously and gradually over time. I hoped the money would go to do good works, cleansing the evil taint of those coins, but I never dared to enquire to find out. I was cursed enough already and didn't keep a single one of the coins for myself.

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With my improved reputation on the street growing, even Sir Adrian couldn't kept but politely wonder as to my very real and obvious change of leaf. The word was getting around that I was a man whose word was his bond and that I could help people in trouble, and take payment only in accordance with their means. My expenses would keep Mumford and company in clothes and drink, and I let them handle the old company business almost entirely on their now, without my direct input... but under rather limited terms. Still, they looked to the future and found my dismay at being cursed to live a life of enforced honesty, honor and respectability highly amusing.

"D'Bounderby," Sir Adrian muttered one intolerably hot mid-summer evening, as we took a short break in our card game to enjoy a pair of cool drinks that didn't quite relieve our sweltering misery, even outside the club on an upstairs terrace, where we could catch what little breeze there was to at least dry away our sweat.

This was frightening... the first time the Commissioner of the Vigiles had ever called me properly by my given name, instead of just 'Bounder'!

"I have a proposition for you," He continued, "and you'll decline it of course as beneath you, but the offer is genuine and sincere enough. I have an imperial charter, signed by the Governor himself granting you an appointment as an official Imperial Investigator. It conveys a considerable amount of civil authority with splendid potentials for abuses of power and fiduciary misconduct. Most Investigators find this position almost a license to coin money! I'm sure that thought will amuse you. Technically, the governor is your direct boss, but you'd work for me, reporting directly to me... and me only. Not even my Deputy Commanders of the Watch can order to you to do shit, if you're not inclined. The job comes with a decent salary, about that of a military captain, but you would not be required to give up your current employment and you can still work for yourself, as time permits. The position is also entitled to reasonable expenses and a small staff. I'm sure we'll have very different ideas about what reasonable is, though!" He laughed.

He was serious... and worse, I was even thinking about accepting the job! I couldn't soak my clients anymore, let alone steal from them, and becoming a paid government official with regular paycheck just screamed honesty and forthrightness! My old inner self was horrified... which is why my curse made it even the more attractive to me! I hated, and thus loved the idea at once!

Still, I wanted to play a little hard to get and not capitulate at once. There was only so much sickening honesty and loyalty that I could tolerate and retain something of my remaining self-respectability!

"I'm intrigued, but let me think on it. The position would have certain attractions to me, especially if I could be a little creative with my expense report, within acceptable agreed upon bounds, and if my boss didn't loom too heavily over my shoulders while I was doing my job. I'd be handling things too big or political for the vigiles to handle and too subtle to be trusted to the Blackguards, I assume. Stuff that annoys the big man in his castle treasury but not worth sending out the guards or the black-cloaks over?"

"In a word, yes. Exactly! Usually problems involving too much missing tax money or anything to do with imperial politics. Also lots of young sons of the noblility enjoying too many privileges, but there's also plenty of the nastier sort of work involved too. Problems with people like the Weirs, or worse, friends and rivals of your acquaintance Thumbs. Problems best solved quietly in the night, with little or no questions raised afterwards. Nasty problems, stuff you probably won't like doing, but usually involving real justice, for other people just like Danelle and her sister Rochelle. Just like the way that you eventually handled Edwina. Very appropriately done and neat justice simply executed. Which reminds me, you must tell me how you arranged for Sir John to be relieved of his duties, albeit rather permanently. I've had a friend watching you, and you marched right into the Ormscraig that night as bold as a knight and come out again a few hours later looking like the cat that has just eaten the canary! A draught of madness perhaps that you'd doctored their wine with? Something like what you'd used to drug Edwina with before her unfortunate swim in the swamp? Very effective."

I shrugged and he mercifully let the matter mostly drop, but he kept looking at me with an appraising eye until I felt some minor urge to confess.

"Something like that," I admitted, "it was tricky and honestly extremely accidental the way it all worked out, but I'm glad that you agree that it was much for the best. Sir John did appear to have some rather unfortunate business interests that matched his unsavory more private amusements and I'm glad that his replacement appears to have less interest in vigiles affairs, and interfering with the activities of those assisting them. I suppose that is exactly the sort of assignments I can look forward to from now on?"

"Exactly. In fact, if you had not already tended to our rather wicked Major-Captain, he might have been assigned as your very next assignment. You were very correct in your evaluation of that man and the dangers his interest posed to civic order in the city, and you reacted quickly and very appropriately. Another reason why I feel that you would make a most excellent Imperial Inspector! His replacement, the new Deputy Commander of the Blackguards appears to be a somewhat more honest and morally upright officer, and I'm anticipating few, if any difficulties in the future dealing with him. Overt ones anyway. He'll want revenge as well for our vigiles trouncing his black-cloak boys, eventually, but not before he's drilled them all half to death with exhaustion for another season or two first. Sir Helmut is just the sort of man that cannot abide failure... but I hope he learns to moderate his disappointments."

"Glad to hear that. Can you promise me that this is a job that needs to be done and that if I'm the man to do it that people will sleep happier and more soundly. That I'll be serving justice? I won't be your assassin!"

"No, that's a different sort of trump Major card altogether in my playing hand, and not the job for you. Nor my Spymaster even, I already have one of those... a rather excessively sneaky sort of individual who admitted to me that you were perhaps the hardest person to follow that they'd ever before encountered. You can take that as a compliment. That individual has much more important things to do at present than follow up on your activities any further, so once you accept my job offer your privacy will again be assured. As for you, I'd say that you're closer to being my The Foole, both the weakest and yet the strongest of the major trumps, when played carefully at the right time and place. A card to be saved for necessity, hidden and private, but best used when the need is the greatest."

"A man of two distinct characters, both wise and foolish that can walk blithely along the razors edge of the cliff, skirting destruction but bringing hope. There are worse things."

"There are. Since I've soothed all of your concerns and worries, I take it that you'll now be accepting my offer?"

"Do I really have any other choice in the matter?"

"Of course you do. You may say, 'No', loudly and firmly and I'll reluctantly chose someone else for the position. I have no hold over you or your loyalties; you owe me no debts of obligation. Your past secrets remain mine to preserve, but they are in no way held over you. Our account is entirely balanced and leveled even. I ask this as a favor, to a comrade in duty... and perhaps now also friendship. Also, I must admit that the job does have several obvious imperial perks, such as your membership here would certainly be approved, should you apply. The better doors of society would also begin to open for you, which would undoubtedly improve your private consulting business. Also, a proper title of knighthood could easily be obtainable for you in the future, upon successful performance of your duties. Perhaps even eventually a minor title and lands of your very own, at the Emperor's pleasure. The job will be hard, make not mistake about that, but I'm certain that you will be up to the challenges, and as I've mentioned, the compensation would appear to be at least adequate. Will you accept?"

How could I say no? I had to admit that being properly called Sir D'Bounderby would be a decent reward for my efforts, in partial replacement of other previously enjoyed amusements now lost to me. If I had to remain honorable and even respectable, I might as well have the other noble trappings that go along with it!

"Done. Assuming that I can select my own staff. I presume that I can have an old retired sergeant to shuffle the papers on my desk and perhaps another assistant or two?"

"Certainly. In fact I can recommend to you at once the services of a retired Watch-Sergeant who has expressed an interest in continuing to assist us with some limited duties? He's now become rather bored with the notion of tending bar for the remainder of his years, not to mention the pains of digging lead shot from out of the walls, and he remembers a certain evening of mutual adversity with amusement, and perhaps even a bit of fondness."

"Ah, Sergeant Malcom. There's a scowl to strike terror with petty messengers and patrollers still! Are his wounds healed and is his health up to the challenge?"

"He's much on the mend and quite hearty enough for limited desk duty, certainly for the present. I'll give him a promotion to Command-Sergeant and that will increase his retirement stipend nicely as well. You're allowed a small office with a desk at the Vigiles HQ, and I'll post him there to coordinate between us. I'll assume, for continued secrecy, that you'll keep your chambers on Silver?"

"That would seem best. If you'd rather not have me paint 'Imperial Investigator' signs on both my office door and my forehead. I assume that my duties should require significant confidentiality. Who can you suggest for an aide? I assume that would require some sort of military officer, or perhaps at least a Watch-Lieutenant? Someone with sufficient rank to command respect if I send him anywhere officially, to ask overt questions."

"Yes, your official duties should remain as invisible from the public as possible. As for your assistant, I do know of just the right sort of officer that would be right for the position. A fairly young vigiles officer that has earned my complete trust and the title would actually be a Watch-Inspector, rather than Watch-Lieutenant. Same pay grade, but entirely different duties under imperial writ, and not merely civic. This will indeed give you some more actual imperial authority, rather than a senior plodder with just a mundane vigiles title. It's odd how many people don't like or respect the vigiles!" He laughed.

I agreed, I used to be one of those people!

"An officer then. Any chance I could also have a Constable-Patroller for the duty as well? I really don't require an officer to fluff my pillow and kiss my ass." I wanted Flerrie once again by my side, but wasn't sure how I could manage to obtain her once more.

"A Constable-Patroller? No, that wouldn't at all do. You'll need your sergeant and an officer, even a fairly raw and very junior one, and for anything else you can borrow temporarily a patroller. Besides, while I understand that Miss la'Clerkes is rather keen on again enjoying your companionship, I rather directly implied to her a few months ago, after the end of the Weir affair, that you've still been rather busy still upon my behalf and that your time, and personal inclinations, were rather presently not entirely your own. I do think, that if you are willing, there might be some sort of personal association worth pursuing there. That is, if pursued, and promptly I might add, that young lady might be rather willing to be caught! Anyway, look over my officer choice first before you fuss, and if it doesn't work out I'll find someone else that suits you better. Agreed?" The old general even had the gall to wink at me!

I agreed. We clasped hands together in the comrade's oath, and this time also in friendship.

"Now," he added as we refreshed our drinks and started to shuffle up the cards for another game, "if you would before we start another round, would you kindly explain to your new boss just why you risked everything to exact justice for Miss Danelle in the first place? She wasn't your client... and you're a very different man in every regards since she was killed outside your very door."

"Honestly, I can't say." And this was very much the truth, not that my curse would allow me to ever lie anymore in any case. "Her murder angered me and I was filled with rancor at her killer in a way that I had never felt before. Her killing became personal to me... if for no other reason at all but to salvage my overweening pride, or at least parts of it! I had refused a client only to have her killer thumb her nose at me and then attempt to murder me as well! My pride could allow no alternative outcome. I had to find her killer and avenge her... and her sister, and the others as well."

That too was entirely the truth, something before my curse that I could have never admitted to anyone, especially Sir Adrian.

"I think we now completely understand each other." The stern former general announced, and he once again grasped my forehand one more time in the greeting of comrades, but this time much more as friendly partners. And if the smile on his face and the hint of his surface thoughts was to be believed, there was even a measure (small but distinct) of genuine amity there as well.

This would not stop me of course from beating him at our next game! With the growth of experience, we were now too equally matched now at the card table, but I had the very real growing certainly that I would find him to be a demanding, but not unpleasant taskmaster to work for.

Having a regular paycheck might be nice indeed, but it was the terribly appalling and unconscionable idea of a rogue like me now fighting for justice as a honest salaried government employee that sent shivers down my spine in actual anticipation!

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Mumford had stayed up late at the house waiting for, smirking as well with some hidden secret that delighted him, undoubtedly at my expense.

"You have a guest Sir, a young imperial officer wanting to make their immediate introduction to you, without any delay. I offered the use of the downstairs library, but there was some slight instance that the upstairs study might be a more suitable waiting location. Sir Adrian had stated that your arrival home this evening might be a late one."

Now that was usual. I didn't entertain many guests and I'd never allowed any of them upstairs, and certainly never left alone there! The upstairs study was fairly small but it was comfortable and located directly attached to my bedchamber, and this was where I tended to spend my quiet evenings at home. Enjoying a good decanter of wine and choice of good books.

I quite dashed up the stairs and even held my hand steady upon at the fold to my jacket, ready to draw and fire a pistol at the first hint of an ambush. I wasn't expecting trouble, certainly not from an officer that had arrived at Sir Adrian's very request, but I'd been anxious and confused enough lately to allow my nerves to quickly become overly excited.

The pistols in my nervous hands turned out to be quite entirely unnecessary as I hurried through my study door and found no threats awaiting me. Instead a rather colorful pair of women's light cotton hose was decoratively draped over the side of my usual reading chair. A fresh glass of wine was nearly full and waiting on a silver tray on a side table for me. A similar trail of other women's clothing articles led through the open doorway towards my bedchamber, where I found a naked and fairly sleepy, but extremely attractive young woman waiting eagerly for my arrival.

"An imperial officer, I was told, was here awaiting me. I supposed you have rather exhausted that poor gentleman and since he was unable to sate your appetites he has instead crept home in disgrace? Or perhaps should I examine your new writ-card, that once more we might avoid any unfortunate misunderstandings."

Flerrie giggled with amusement and arose from under the sheets in her full naked glory and secured her new identify card for my eager inspection. Walking over to my side with a rather exaggerated swing to her hips and with a lovely slight bounce to her small but utterly perfect breasts.

"Sir, I'm sure you find this document to be entirely in order, but imperial officers bear official commission charters and not writs!" She giggled, now pressing her breasts and hips against my body as her lips reached forward to gently meet mine.

The charter was indeed entirely in order. Sir Adrian had promoted Flerrie to the rank of Watch-Inspector earlier this afternoon, certain that I would accept his job proposal. Then the old clever fiend had toyed with me, knowing of my interest in the former young patrolwoman. Knowing that I needed an aide, a young officer that I could trust implicitly, he had cleverly selected Flerrie, while hinting overly directly that a rather more personal relationship with her was also entirely possible. A guardian that could indeed protect me again in the future, both day and night.

"I used to hate the vigiles, and everything that they stood for." I casually remarked as we held each other and kissed with greater intensity, as Flerrie's long slender fingers unfastened my clothing as hastily as was practical. "But now, I've rather seen things quite differently lately, and there are certain things... and certain individuals, that I rather love instead. Isn't that quite odd! A terrible curse to befall a scoundrel and a rather formerly dishonest rogue who has only recently seen the error of his wicked ways. I used to rather enjoy making sport of the guards, but now I'd entirely rather make some different sort of sport entirely now with you!"