about what was happening down in the Buskin and across the valley in Duretile。
I prayed Elmo could keep his fingers on all the strings。
Chapter Twenty…Eight： JUNIPER： LISA
Shed spent an entire day lying in his room； staring at the ceiling； hating himself。 He had sunk as low as a man could。 There was no deed too foul for him anymore； and nothing more he could do to blacken his soul。 A million…leva passage fee could not buy him aboard on Passage Day。 His name had to be written in the Black Book with those of the greatest villains。
〃Mr。 Shed？〃 Lisa said from the doorway next morning； as he was contemplating another day of ceiling study and self…pity。 〃Mr。 Shed？〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃Bo and Lana are here。〃
Bo and Lana； with a daughter； were his mother's servants。 〃What do they want？〃
〃Their accounts settled for the month； I expect。〃
〃Oh。〃 He got up。
Lisa stopped him at the head of the stair。 〃I was right about Sue； wasn't I？〃
〃You were。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I wouldn't have said anything if we could have afforded it。〃
〃We？ What do you mean； we？ Oh； hell。 Never mind。 Forget about it。 I don't want to hear about it anymore。〃
〃Whatever you say。 But I'm going to hold you to your promise。〃
〃What promise？〃
〃To let me manage the Lily。〃
〃Oh。 All right。〃 At that moment he did not care。 He collected the monthly accounting from the servants。 He had chosen them well。 They were not cheating him。 He suggested they deserved a small bonus。
He returned upstairs for the money。 Lisa watched him go； perplexed。 He realized his mistake too late。 Now she wondered why he had money today when he'd had none yesterday。 He located his dirty clothing； emptied his pockets onto his bed。 And gasped。
〃Oh； damn！ Damn；〃 he muttered。 〃What the hell am I going to do with three gold pieces？〃
There was silver； too； and even a fistful of copper； but。 。。。 It was a gyp！ A fortune he could not spend。 Juniper law made it illegal for moners to hold minted gold。 Even ining foreigners had to exchange theirs for silver…though foreign silver was as wele as local。 Lucky； too； for the black castle mintage was a decidedly odd coinage； though in the standard weights。
How could he get rid of the gold？ Sell it to some ship captain headed south？ That was the usual procedure。 He slipped it into his most secret hiding place； with the amulet from the black castle。 A useless fortune。 He assessed the remainder。
Twenty…eight pieces of silver； plus several leva in copper。 Enough to take care of his mother and Sal。 Way short of enough to pry Gilbert off his back。 〃Still be in the damned money trap；〃 he whined。
He recalled Sue's jewelry； smiled nastily； muttered； 〃I'll do it。〃 He pocketed everything； returned to the ground floor； paid his mother's servants； told Lisa； 〃I'm going out for a while。〃
First he made sure Wally's family was cared for； then ambled down toward Gilbert's place。 No one seemed to be around。 Gilbert was not like Krage； in that he felt he needed an army on hand； but he did have his bone…breakers。 They were all away。 But someone was in Gilbert's office because lamplight illuminated the curtains。 He smiled thoughtfully； then hustled back to the Lily。 He went to a table back in the shadows； near where Raven used to sit。 A couple of foreign sailors were seated there。 Tough merchandise if he'd ever seen it。 They'd been around for some time。They said they and their friends； who came and went； had missed their ship。 They were waiting for another。 Shed could not recall having heard the name of their home port。
〃You men like to pick up some easy money？〃 he asked。
〃Who doesn't？〃 one responded。
And the other； 〃What you got in mind？〃
〃I have a little problem。 I've got to do some business with a man。 He's liable to get vicious。〃
〃Want some back…up； eh？〃
Shed nodded。
The other sailor looked at him narrowly。 〃Who is he？〃
〃Name's Gilbert。 A moneylender。 You heard of him？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I was just past his place。 Don't look like there's anybody there but him。〃
The men exchanged glances。 The taller said； 〃Tell you what。 Let me go get a friend of ours。〃
〃I can't afford a whole army。〃
〃Hey； no problem。 You two work out what you'd pay two of us； he'll e along free。 Just feel more fortable having him with us。〃
〃Tough？〃
Both men grinned。 One winked at the other。 〃Yeah。 Like you wouldn't believe。〃
〃Then get him。〃
One man left。 Shed dickered with the other。 Lisa watched from across the room； eyes narrow and hard。 Shed decided she was getting too much into his business too fast。
The third man was a frog…faced character barely five feet tall。 Shed frowned at him。 His fetcher reminded； 〃He's tough。 Remember？〃
〃Yeah？ All right。 Let's go。〃 He felt a hundred percent better with three men acpanying him； though he had no real assurance they would help if Gilbert started something。
There were a couple of thugs in the front room when Shed arrived。 He told them： 〃I want to see Gilbert。〃
〃Suppose he don't want to see you？〃 It was standard tough…guy game…playing。 Shed did not know how to respond。 One of his panions saved him the worry。
〃He don't got much choice； does he？ Unless that fat's all muscle in disguise。〃 He produced a knife； began cleaning his nails。 The deed was so reminiscent of Raven that Shed was startled。
〃He's back in the office。〃 The fat thug exchanged a look with his panion。 Shed figured one would run for help。 He started moving。 His frog…faced panion said； 〃I'll just stay out here。〃
Shed pushed into Gilbert's office。 The moneylender had a sack of leva on his desk； was weighing coins one at a time on a fine scale； sorting out those that had been clipped。 He looked up angrily。 〃What the hell is this？〃
〃Couple of friends wanted to stop by with me and watch how you do business。〃
〃I don't like what this says about our relationship； Shed。 It says you don't trust me。〃
Shed shrugged。 〃There's some nasty rumors out there。 About you and Sue working on me。 To do me out of the Lily。〃
〃Sue； eh？ Where is she； Shed？〃
〃There is a connection； eh？〃 Shed let his face fall。 〃Damn you。 That's why she turned me down。 You villain。 Now she won't even see me。 That ape at the door keeps telling me she isn't there。 You arrange that； Mister Gilbert？ You know； I don't like you much。〃
Gilbert gave the lot of them a nasty one…eyed stare。 For a moment he seemed to consider his chances。 Then the small man ambled in； leaned against the wall； his wide mouth wrinkled into a sneer。
Gilbert said； 〃You e to talk or to do business？ If it's business； get at it。 I want these creeps out of here。 They'll give the neighborhood a bad name。〃
Shed produced a leather bag。 〃You have the bad name； Gilbert。 I hear people saying they won't do business with you anymore。 They don't think it's right you should try to screw people out of their property。〃
〃Shut up and give me some money； Shed。 You just want to whine； get out。〃
〃Sure talks tough for being down four to one；〃 one of the men remarked。 A panion admonished him in another language。
Gilbert glared in a way that said he was memorizing faces。 The little man grinned and beckoned with one finger。 Gilbert decided it could wait。
Shed counted coins。 Gilbert's eyes widened as the stack grew。 Shed said； 〃Told you I was working on a deal。〃 He tossed in Sue's jewelry。
One of his panions picked up a bracelet； examined it。 〃How much do you owe this character？〃
Gilbert snapped a figure； which Shed suspected to be inflated。
The sailor observed； 〃You're shorting yourself； Shed。〃
〃I just want quit of this jackal's lien on my place。〃
Gilbert stared at the jewelry； pallid； stiff。 He licked his lips and reached for a ring。 His hand shook。
Shed was both fearful and filled with malicious glee。 Gilbert knew the ring。 Now maybe he would be a little nervous about messing with Matron Shed。 Or he might decide to cut a few throats。 Gilbert had some of the same ego problems Krage had had。
〃This should more than cover everything； Mr。 Gilbert。 The big； too。 Even with the extra points。 Let's have my lien back。〃
Dully； Gilbert retrieved that from a box on a nearby shelf。 His eyes never left the ring。
Shed destroyed the lien immediately。 〃Don't I still owe you a little something； though； Mr。 Gilbert？ Yes； I think so。 Well； I'll do my best to see you get everything you've got ing。〃
Gilbert squinted angrily。 Shed thought he saw a hint of fear； too。 That pleased him。 Nobody was ever afraid of Marron Shed； except maybe Asa； who did not count。
Best make his exit； before he stretched his luck。 〃Thank you； Mr。 Gilbert。 See you again soon。〃
Passing through the outer room； he was astonished to find Gilbert's men snoring。 The frog…faced man grinned。 Outside； Shed paid his guardians。 〃He wasn't as much trouble as I expected。〃
〃You had us with you；〃 the little man said。 〃Let's go to your place and have a beer。〃
One of the others observed； 〃He looked like he was in shock。〃
The little man asked； 〃How'd you ever get that far into a moneylender； anyway？〃
〃A skirt。 I thought I was going to marr