Page 20 of Baron in Check
“It’s not fair, he’s freezing our main line of profit,” Fave said.
Greg’s stomach turned. “This is my fault. I provoked List at Westminster.” He emerged from his perch and descended to Fave and Gustav.
“List cannot set fire where there’s no tinder,” Gustav reassured Greg, “and there’s plenty of that in the House of Lords. None of this is your fault.”
“I should have prevented it, I have a say at least where you don’t,” Greg told Gustav.
“It’s another of his strategies to bring us down,Yingale.” Sweet boy he called him in Yiddish with such tenderness that Greg’s heart burned with longing for love. Gustav padded Greg’s upper arm. “How do you do?”
Greg lifted the fencing mask and exhaled heavily. “I heard everything.”
“Then you know that we’re in quite a troublesome situation. I hope Pavel and his sons will take this in their stride.” The six Klonimus brothers and their father, Pavel, were named Crown Jewelers along with Fave, Arnold, and Gustav.
“I cannot imagine that they will, “ Fave said, and Greg agreed. “They’ll be furious if they don’t get paid for months of labor and a load of gems.”
“Rightly so,” Greg added. “Why do they have the right to intercept the money Prinny pays you for work that’s done and delivered?”
Fave rubbed his forehead. “Because we’re setting a precedent that List and Nagy don’t like.”
“So is he. He cannot annex the pieces he ordered from you. Don’t you have a contract?”
“An appointment, not a work order, nor a contract,” Gustav said.
“They’re lining up their pawns and blocking the way to Prinny,” Fave said.
“They’re a toxic combination, List with his tentacles all over Europe and Nagy with his reach all over St. James,” Greg said. “But you’re Crown Jewelers, can’t you appeal to Prinny directly?” Greg had spent many leisurely afternoons with the Prince. He was smooth and easy to talk to, and certainly used to people making demands.
“No matter what, we need a confidant in parliament. Whatever Prinny can do, he’s not able to overrule the entire House of Lords.”
“We need to split them, divide and conquer,” Fave said.
“For that, we need sway. And for sway, we need access. You can’t just knock them off their high horses and expect to form pawn islands to shoot new ideas through. Life’s not a chess board.” Pawn islands were inherent weaknesses in the formation of a shield in chess. The more pawn islands, the lower the defenses. “But it is a battlefield. The floor of the House of Lords is a bit like a chessboard when the votes sway yay or nay.”
Gustav narrowed his eyes. “Unfortunately, I agree.”
“I have to get more sway in parliament and speak up on your behalf,” Greg said. “Let me be the bullet that shoots down the pawn islands.”
Fave pursed his lips and searched his father’s eyes. “He wants to marry Hermy and step into her brother’s title.”
“Oh Greg,” Gustav said. “That’s so dangerous! You cannot take on the House of Lords and the Prussian delegate on our behalf, it could cost you your career.”
“Not as dangerous as being in the line of attack for both Nagy and List. He could cost you everything. The Klonimuses, too. I’ve been there when he tried to … you know when Ben and I returned from India.”
“And that’s why we cannot pull you into this trouble, son. It’s our burden to bear.” Gustav drew Greg into an embrace, and Greg’s heart nearly cracked open. He hadn’t cried since his own father died, but whenever Gustav was so nice to him, he felt the urge to weep at his feet.
“Please let me do this for you,” Greg pled. “If my father was too much of a coward to bear the burden, let me at least protect you.”
“Nobody can protect the Jews, my son. It’s almost Purim and we remember Haman. There were so many instances in history where Jews were the targets of lethal attacks?—”
“But every once in a while, the Jews needed a friend. Please, Uncle Gustav, let me.” Greg called Gustav uncle even though they were not blood relatives; they were almost family, and he had to call him something akin to father—his own didn’t deserve the parental title. His father would have sent him to battle if there was any promise of a return on investment. Not Gustav. The Pearlers looked out for one another, considered every angle of the risks involved, and they never threw one of their own to the dogs. They would protect Greg, treat him as if he was one of them, and for such big hearts, and in return for the warm welcomes, the kind smiles, and the tender nicknames he received, Greg wanted nothing more than to wage war on their behalf.
The first step was a good opening.
Well, an opening speech counted, and he’d already delivered one.
Next, he had to develop his minor pieces.
Time for the Black Knight to jump and take the center.
