Changed Circumstances Chapter 56 "Evil Machinations"
This is a story of erotic fiction meant for adult readers over the age of eighteen years
Written by Jean-Christophe (Chris): September 2013 Read all my stories at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jean-Christophe_Stories
"The characters and ideas in this story belong in the writer's imagination and bear no resemblance to any actual persons or events. Please respect the integrity of the story and don't do any rewrites, make alterations of post other artists' pictures."
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Chapter 56
Rafe is fast becoming a thorn in my side. His continuing presence serves as a catalyst for his malcontent friends to work against me to regain his freedom. And it would seem that my victory at the meeting with Miles Fortescue and Francois Fournier was a pyrrhic one; whilst I might have won the battle that day, they'd regrouped with their supporters and are now waging war. And it is a war I can't afford to lose as so much depends on me being victorious. Retention of the former Barrois fortune is paramount to my own interests and to the future interests of my son, Etienne. Whilst it would be an exaggeration to say that I am panicky, I am nevertheless concerned.
Damn these do-gooders! Why can't they leave things as they are? A properly constituted court had adjudged Lucien Barrois as slave-born and returned him to a state of servitude. And for nearly two years, Lucien, as the slave Rafe, has served me well as my property.
Despite the notoriety of his case, I'd thought the community had moved on and forgotten Lucien Barrois. But I am wrong in thinking this. A group of his erstwhile friends, no doubt suffering from a belated guilt complex, have taken it upon themselves to raise the capital to buy Rafe from me and to grant him his freedom.
Rafe, the slave is powerless to cause me any trouble; but his friends are not. And a freed Rafe could present me with any number of problems if he decides to probe deeply into the circumstances of his dispossession and enslavement.
Whilst I'd not personally instigated the claims against Lucien Barrois - those had been made by my grandmother - I was the sole beneficiary of his downfall. I have long wondered if my grandmother's claims about Lucien's slave birth are valid or, more ominously, are they the machinations of her insatiable need for revenge against her family.
She'd made the claims and presented them to the courts - which had accepted them - and I'd become the inheritor of all that had once belonged to my distant cousin, Lucien who now serves me as the slave Rafe.
I'd broached the subject of the truth behind Rafe's birth with my grandmother on several occasions but had never received an answer other than a blank stare or an enigmatic smile. I had always intended to seek out the truth from her but I'd been kept busy establishing authority over the former Barrois possessions and had simply not followed through on those intentions.
Too late!
My grandmother has suffered a stroke which has left her paralysed and speechless and I have decided to just leave her in peace and not to stir up unpleasant memories. My grandmother is at death's door - her medical team had told me yesterday that she has just days to live - and I am too distraught to deal with that matter now. I have decided it's a question best left unanswered and to allow grand maman to take her secret - if such it is - to the grave with her.
This leaves me in an invidious position. After my grandmother's death, and if by some means Rafe's supporters disprove her claims about his slave birth, I am left as the one who must answer. Public opinion is at the best of times very fickle - I well remember the day of Lucien's enslavement at how people had gloated over his downfall - and it would see me as the guilty party.
I would then have to face a plethora of criminal charges all of which carry a mandatory sentence of lifelong slavery for me and my son, Etienne. Such a prospect is appalling. The tables would be turned and Lucien would be the master while Etienne and I would become his slaves.
I can't allow that to happen.
After my meeting with Miles and Francois, I spoke with Simon Barrow, my lawyer who has become indispensable to me. He has proved his worth to me and the Maratier enterprises many times over the past two years and I have promoted him within my organizations to such a level that he is now my right-hand man. True, I know that Simon is fiscally inventive in his management of my companies' affairs and that he skims some of the profits into his own expense accounts but I overlook that as one of the "perks of his job". As long as the embezzlements remain relatively small and he serves my interests, I will tolerate his dishonesty.
I'd told Simon about the meeting with Miles Fortescue and Francois Fournier and my concerns of what could happen if Rafe ever regains his freedom. He'd agreed with me and supported my idea the Rafe should be sold to an overseas dealer. However, he took it one step further and said I would also need to sell Norge along with Rafe. As he pointed out Rafe and Norge are lovers and if I were to sell Rafe but retain Norge he could, out of revenge, conspire with Rafe's friends to bring me undone. I'd not thought of this but I saw the wisdom of his advice and so I have decided to sell Rafe and Norge together.
However, my decision is tinged with regret. Since Rafe's return from La Forˆt eighteen months ago, he and Norge have served admirably as my personal ponies. They are widely recognized as an outstanding pair and much admired whenever I have them out in public. Therefore, they are a personal source of pride and I will truly miss them and I know they'll be hard to replace. As I thought about their replacements, I was reconciled to a long search until I found another pair worthy to replace Norge and Rafe.
But as so often happens with these problems, the solutions are close at hand but go unnoticed. One day, as I visited my grandmother, I saw two, magnificent, young slaves toiling in her garden. The day was hot and both slaves were sweating profusely which gave their muscular torsos an oily sheen. This served to highlight the erotic rippling of their powerful muscles as they worked. I stopped Norge and Rafe in the shade of a large tree to watch these two slaves at their labours. And I liked what I saw.
Both slaves were identical in build and appearance. Each of them had heads of closely cropped, thick hair and their skins had been tanned to an all-over, deep bronze. As they worked side by side pulling heavy mowers over the verdant sweep of the lawns which surround my grandmother's home, I looked on entranced by them. Their large, pendulous balls swung freely between their muscular thighs and their identical, thick cocks were semi- aroused and "wagged" from side to side with each step they took. Leaning forward into their leather harness with the weight of the mowers pulling back on them, their bodies were fully extended and every muscle group was stressed to its maximum. The delightful curves of their muscular asses were equal to those of my two ponies, Norge and Rafe. Suddenly and unexpectedly, I had found my replacements for Norge and Rafe.
I racked my brains trying to identify these two, magnificent slaves. I knew that I'd not bought any new slaves to serve in my grandmother's household since I'd replaced Ben with a new steward and I couldn't place these two.
Later, I made a point of asking the steward about the two slaves and he reminded me that they were a "special order" that I'd bought through Lionel Schuster as grand maman's litter- bearers. Sympathetically, the steward reminded me that since the onset of her illness, my grandmother was unable to use her litter and he'd allocated the two slaves to work in the gardens and to pull the mowers to keep them in prime condition. I praised him for his initiative and told him that, possibly, I now had other uses for them.
I asked if the slaves were named and he told me that they are called Nathaniel and Micah. I liked both names; if they were to become my personal ponies I could abbreviate both names to the simple one syllable ones of "Nate" and "Mike" which is similar to Norge and Rafe.
I recalled that the slaves are identical twins and they were obtained for me as a "special order" by Lionel Schuster. I'd spoken to the slave-dealer the same day as he'd appraised Rafe and I remember I'd done so partly to humour him because of his bad temper over Miles Fortescue's interference with Rafe, but also because I wanted a perfectly matched pair of strong, young male slaves to carry the elaborate litter I'd commissioned for my grandmother's use. Sadly the litter hasn't been used much and I supposed it stands in a corner of the stables gathering dust. But I was pleased to see the litter-bearers are worked hard to maintain their fitness for, as I recalled, they'd cost me a small fortune.
When I broached the possibility of buying identical twin brothers, Lionel had told them they are a rarity which seldom, if ever, came on the market. Obviously, he'd decided to exploit my disappointment for he'd then went on to tell me that he could place a special order for a pair of slaves but that they would be very expensive. I'd told him the expense was totally irrelevant; I wanted only the best slaves for my grandmother's litter.
I'd asked where he'd find such a pair and he told me he'd place an order with a "facilitator" who'd search for them and buy them on his behalf. His use of the term "facilitator" had intrigued me and I asked for more details.
Slyly, he tapped one side of his nose with a finger and told me there were some questions I shouldn't ask or matters with which I shouldn't concern myself. However, I'd assumed from his comments that his methods might not be entirely legal and I'd left the matter there after promising him a handsome commission if and when he found me a pair of slaves that met my stringent requirements.
It took several months for Lionel Schuster to fill my "special order" and I'd grown tired of waiting. I was in the process of looking among La Forˆt's slave herd for two suitable candidates when I received word from the slaver that he'd managed to find my litter- bearers.
Excitedly, I hurried to inspect them and found them to be everything I wanted. Being identical twins meant that they were perfectly matched with strong bodies and agreeable faces. They were aged nineteen and the day I inspected them they were still traumatized by their abductions. Tearfully, they told me they weren't slaves and that they'd been kidnapped off the streets of a distant city, branded and brought here. They begged me to free them to return home to their parents. This angered Lionel Schuster and he applied a cruel, leather strap to their asses and until they fell tearfully silent.
Truthfully, I had no interest in how they'd become slaves. That was irrelevant and my needs were paramount to their loss of freedom. I bought them immediately and as I'd promised, I paid a sizeable bonus to Lionel Schuster.
This had established and uneasy relationship between Lionel and me. I know that he doesn't like me because of my wealth and background but the feeling is mutual and I despise him as merely a peddler of human flesh. Still ours is a symbiotic relationship and I do occasionally buy and sell slaves through his establishment.
After rediscovering Nathaniel and Micah, I'd sent them to La Forˆt for conditioning and training. I'd asked Claymore Jackson to personally undertake their training as he'd impressed me with his conditioning of Rafe. He'd taken a raw, somewhat soft, new slave and turned him into the magnificent pony who was the equal of Norge.
Of course, I'd not told Claymore my reasons for training these two new ponies or that ultimately they are to replace Norge and Rafe. Nor will I tell him about my plans to sell them. I will inform him of this once it is a "fait accompli". The least he knew the better.
Since my meeting with Miles and Francois, I have viewed everyone with suspicion. I worry that people are secretly scheming on Rafe's behalf and plotting my downfall. I know Claymore Jackson had been close to Lucien as a boy, a teenager and a young man and had great affection for him. What I don't know is how much affection he retains for Rafe, the slave. Could Claymore Jackson be persuaded to throw in his lot with the "Save Rafe" group? That is something I can't rule out entirely. It now seems many people are rediscovering their residual affection for Rafe.
My suspicions and fear increase daily and I have to take great care that I don't become paranoid. For I need to stay focused and keep all my wits about me to out-manoeuvre those who are working against my interests by trying to free Rafe.
My last report from Claymore told me that the training of my replacement ponies is progressing well. Claymore said he had put both Nate and Mike to work on the water- wheels and treadmills to build up their cardio-vascular systems and to strengthen their legs and soon they would be placed in to harness and broken in.
With that news, I decided there is no longer any need to hold onto Rafe and Norge. Today I am driving them to Lionel Schuster's slave-market to discuss with him the best means of ridding myself of the troublesome Rafe and his lover, Norge.
Rather than stress Norge and Rafe - I need them to present well should Lionel Schuster choose to inspect them - I keep both ponies to a modest trot. Even so, they are sweating profusely in the day's heat. I watch the perspiration beading on their powerful shoulders before coalescing with one another to form little rivulets which trickle willy-nilly over their muscular backs and I watch as it is channelled down through the canyons of their asses. Their sweat gives their undulating ass-cheeks an oily sheen which highlights the delightful curves of their muscular buttocks. I never tire of watching the stressed power and beauty of these two slaves running before me.
Almost lovingly, I flick my whip against their yielding flesh and add yet another red stripe to their asses. As they lunge forward I am rewarded with a glimpse of their sweat sodden balls swinging freely between their strong thighs and their winking assholes.
I have no doubt that I will miss them when they are sold but self-preservation overrides any affection I have for them. I suppose the number of times I have left to drive them depends on my upcoming discussions with Lionel Schuster. I'm not sure how long it will take him to arrange their sales to an overseas operator but I'm hoping it will be a matter of days rather than weeks. I will need to take Lionel into my confidence and to impress upon him the urgency for Rafe's sale.
Apart from the normal sales commission payable to him, I will promise him a sizeable bonus for an expedited sale. I'm sure his avariciousness will make him most co-operative and amenable to my arguments.
As we turn into the street leading to Schuster's Slave Emporium, both slaves baulk slightly and it is necessary for me to apply my whip harder to keep them moving forward. They have guessed my destination and I suppose there is some apprehension on their parts. Both slaves have been here before; Norge three years ago when Lucien Barrois had bought him and Rafe when I'd brought him here for his initial valuation.
I suppose the slave-market terrifies a slave and any visit to it must unsettle him. The thought that he can be sold without warning is always at the back of a slave's mind and I wonder if Norge and Rafe have guessed that something is amiss. I have taken great care not to alert Rafe to my plans. But who knows - perhaps one of my house slaves has overheard my plans concerning Rafe's future as I discussed them with Simon Burrow - and warned Rafe. House slaves are notorious gossips who are forever slyly listening to their owners' private conversations.
On several occasions, I have caught one of my house slaves listening to my private conversations and I had him caned as a warning to my other slaves. However, it is doubtful if this was successful as I'm sure they still eavesdrop on me.
As we approach "Schuster's Slave Emporium", I pull back on the reins and slow both ponies to a walk. This gives me the chance to take in the recent changes that Lionel Schuster has made to his establishment.
Our society is heavily reliant on slavery and slaves are now a major contributing factor to our new prosperity. The demand for slaves to power our industries and farms is insatiable and slaves toil in our factories, our mines and our quarries. Their muscle is used on building sites and to provide the locomotion for our transport. They serve us in our homes and in fact, there isn't one area that is totally slave-free. Slaves have become a welcome part of our lives and the demand for them continues unabated. This has resulted in an ever expanding market for the courts' newly enslaved wrongdoers and the enterprising slave- traders have taken advantage of this.
In Lionel Schuster's case, he has added new showrooms where his stock can be better presented to the prospective buyers. I haven't visited these showrooms but I have heard others speak of the large auditorium with its central catwalk where naked slaves are paraded before the buyers who sit comfortably in deep armchairs on carpeted floors and are served refreshments by the in-house slaves.
Lionel Schuster's dealership is unrecognizable; his new showrooms dominate the street. My first reaction to the outside appearance is that they are ostentatious -the fa‡ade is all gilt, glass and potted plants that reflect the man's poor taste and crassness. Gone also is the rather nondescript wooden sign with "Lionel Schuster, Slave merchant" written upon it in black letters against a white background. It has been replaced with more "upmarket" signage in gilt scrolling which now declares - "The House of Schuster, Supplier of Fine Slaves" under which is written in smaller letters - "We deal in only the Primest Livestock - Satisfaction Assured."
As I drive through the gateway into the courtyard, I am back on familiar ground for nothing had changed here. The showrooms are simply a superficial face lift hiding the sordidness of the slave-holding pens. Here, nothing has changed; the conditions the slaves endure are as they always have been. The squalor and the degradation remain while the appalling smells of unwashed bodies and human ordure still linger to assail the nostrils and to catch in the throat.
As I halt my carriage an elderly slave hurries forward to take the reins from me and to tether Norge and Rafe to a hitching ring set in the stone wall. He asks if he can water my ponies and I agree but tell him to be sparing with the water - after all an overfull belly can considerably slow a pony. I also instruct him to help them piss; I am always concerned that an overfull bladder can be unnecessarily stressful for both my ponies as they run.
The slave conducts me to Lionel Schuster's office suite which adjoins his new showrooms. As I enter his office, Lionel Shuster walks from behind his desk to welcome me. His welcome is effusive but I detect his underlying dislike of me which probably matches my disdain for him. Nevertheless, we shake hands and he asks.
"Good morning, Mr Maratier! How can I help you? Are you in the market for new slaves for your household or you plantation? If so I have some excellent new slaves fresh from the Law Courts that would probably suit your needs."
"Good morning, Mr Schuster." I return his greeting. "Actually, I've come to sell slaves and not to buy."
"I see! Well I have to be honest with you Mr Maratier. It's not a good time to sell a slave. Already, there's a glut of prime livestock overflowing our holding-pens. Over the last few sales, slaves have been selling very cheaply. How many slaves do you wish to sell and more importantly, is it necessary that you sell at this stage?"
"I have two slaves I want to sell and yes, it's imperative that I sell them as soon as possible."
"It almost sounds like a fire-sale. Mr Maratier! Can I ask why it's so urgent that you sell your two slaves?"
"Indeed you may, Mr Schuster! And I need to take you into my confidence. Can I trust you to be discreet with what I'm about to tell you?"
"Mr Maratier! I am the very soul of discretion. Whatever, you tell me will remain within these four walls. Please tell me more so that I know how I can help?"
"I have two slaves who have become an embarrassment to me and I need to be shot of them immediately. I have come to you to see if you can expedite their sales."
"You have intrigued me. Mr Maratier. Tell me more about the two slaves and why you need to sell them so quickly?"
"Actually, you know the two slaves I'm referring to. They are my two personal ponies, Norge and Rafe."
"I know them well! And of course, Rafe is the former Lucien Barrois who bought Norge from me about three years ago. If my memory serves me correctly they are a magnificent pair of slaves. Why on earth do you want to sell them? I know because of them you are the envy of many slave-owners who'd pay a small fortune to possess them. If you put the two of them side by side on the auction-block you could just about set your own price for them even in today's depressed market."
"I do understand that and I regret that I must part with them. But circumstances dictate the need to sell them quickly and I might add - as quietly as possible!"
"Now you really have piqued my curiosity, Mr Maratier! May I ask what those circumstances are? "
"Can I talk frankly with you Mr Schuster? The situation I find myself in is a difficult one and obviously I need to take you into my confidence. But before I tell you, I need your word that you won't repeat a word of this conversation to another person."
"You have my word, Mr Maratier! Rest assured that I always conduct my business dealings in the strictest confidence. But please - continue. Tell me what is troubling you and let's see if I can't come up with a solution to your problem."
"Well...... I'm not sure if you are aware there's a group of Rafe's former friends who are trying to raise the money to but his freedom?"
"I have heard the rumour, Mr Maratier. However I treated it as hearsay. Are you saying there is truth to the rumour?"
"Yes there is and the group's spokesmen have already approached me and made a serious offer to buy Rafe from me."
"You refused, I hope, Mr Maratier?"
"Most certainly I did and I sent them away thinking that would be an end to the matter. But it isn't and I have heard more rumours that my refusal has angered them and made them more determined than ever to help Rafe regain his freedom."
"I wouldn't worry too much about that, Mr Maratier. After all the courts sentenced Lucien Barrois - or Rafe as he is now known - to lifelong slavery. And Rafe is your slave and whether or not you choose to free him is a matter for you alone to decide. The group can raise all the money they can but unless you agree to sell Rafe to them then their efforts on his behalf will fail."
"I do understand that but what concerns me is that their activities could make Rafe a "cause c‚lŠbre" and raise doubts in the minds of his former friends who could then agitate for a judicial review of his trial and sentence."
"But Lucien Barrois's trial was all above board from what I recall. There was compelling evidence to back up your claims to the Barrois estate. The only problem would be if new evidence came to light refuting the claim that Lucien Barrois was the progeny of a slave woman. Is there a possibility of that happening?"
Lionel Schuster senses that all isn't as it seems and that perhaps Guy Maratier isn't being as forthcoming as he should. Yes, he'd heard those rumours about Rafe's former friends working to set him free but he'd thought they'd be doomed to failure. The evidence presented to the court by the Maratier's had been strong and along with almost everyone else he'd believed it. But now, Guy Maratier has sown a seed of doubt in his mind. Not that he has any sympathy for Rafe. Quite the opposite is true! He'd enjoyed watching as Lucien Barrois was stripped of his wealth and freedom and condemned to slavery. His hatred of the former "aristocratic" Lucien was such that he relished his fall from grace and his very public humiliation at the hands of Guy Maratier.
Several times over the years, he'd caught sight of the naked Rafe running in harness pulling his Master's carriage through the city's streets. How he enjoyed looking at the superbly fit, nude bodies of Rafe and his running companion, Norge. He'd grown hard as he glimpsed the erotic play of their muscles at work under the golden-tan of their sweat-glistening hides. And he'd especially liked the haphazard pattern of whip marks on their asses and backs.
At such times, Lionel was well pleased. It was payback for all the insults and slights that he's suffered at the hands of the arrogant Lucien Barrois. And with that in mind, he would hate to see Rafe set free.
However, he has no great liking for Guy Maratier - he too is an arrogant prick - and after all he and Lucien Barrois had been cast in the same family mould. With his new wealth, Guy had become as insufferable as his distant cousin. But Guy was untouchable and so he had to swallow his pride to do business with him much as he'd done with Lucien Barrois.
But his rat-cunning instinct tells him there is something to be gained from this exchange with Guy Maratier and he is determined to exploit it to his advantage.
"No, there's no chance of that happening whatsoever" Guy answers indignantly. "But that wouldn't prevent his supporters from fabricating evidence to use to bolster their arguments and to sway public opinion. What concerns me if that happens; I could find myself in a protracted series of court cases. I want to avoid that at all costs."
"I see your problem, Mr Maratier. But how can I help? Will selling your two slaves really help your situation? If they are sold to another owner wouldn't you lose control of the situation? It's possible that their new owner would be tempted to sell them to Rafe's friends and where would that leave you?"
"Yes, I agree and that's why I need them to disappear!"
"What do you mean by disappear?"
"I want Rafe gone from my life and I want him secretly sent to a place where he poses no threat to me or serves as a catalyst to his malcontent friends."
"Well you could sell Rafe and Norge to the quarries where they'd have a working life expectancy of two to three years."
"Even that is too long and Rafe would still be visible to his friends spurring them to greater action."
"Well then send him to the mines. He'd be out of sight there - working permanently below ground and never seeing daylight again. That would remove him from public sight."
"This had occurred to me but it's not really a solution. Certainly, he'd be out of sight but probably not out of the public's consciousness. His supporters would be aware of his presence in the mines and would double their efforts to procure his freedom. No, I need a more permanent resolution to my problem with Rafe."
Lionel Schuster senses where this conversation is leading. Obviously, Guy Maratier is worried by the prospect of Rafe regaining his freedom. Despite his assurance of a few minutes ago that Lucien Barrois is the progeny of a slave woman, Guy's demeanour suggests that he has some doubts. Otherwise, why is he so anxious to be rid of Rafe? The furtive look in Guy's eyes and his less than subtle hinting that he wants Lionel's help in making Rafe disappear suggests that Guy Maratier is a worried man.
Of course, Lionel has no personal interest in the "politics" of the situation. He has no sympathy for either Rafe or Guy. But he has a keen nose for business and his instincts tell him there is money to be made out of this.
Lionel knows it would very easy to make Rafe disappear. Given his nefarious contacts within the slave trade all things are possible. For a sizeable fee, he could organize for Rafe and Norge to be secretly taken out of the country and sold in some foreign slave-market where the circumstances of Rafe's enslavement would be of no interest.
Why, this happens all the time. It wouldn't be the first time that Lionel Schuster has assisted someone in getting rid of an unwanted family member or a business rival. Of course, such activities are illegal but handled correctly there is no risk involved and over the years, they have proved very profitable. The "clients" have always been willing to pay a premium service fee to be rid of someone who they see as a threat to their wellbeing. And it would seem this is now the situation with Guy Maratier.
Lionel has the solution to Guy's problem and he could shorten their discussion by telling him of the options open to him. But Lionel isn't in any hurry to tell them to Guy. He is enjoying Guy's discomfiture, his furtiveness, the perspiration beading on his brow, the nervous twitching at the corners of his mouth and the evasive hinting for a solution to his "problem with Rafe" all add to Lionel Schuster's intense satisfaction. No, he'll not make it easy for this arrogant man who'd normally not bid him the time of the day. Lionel decides he'll let Guy squirm for a bit longer.
"Mr Maratier, if both the quarries and the mines are out of the question, then I don't know how I can help you. What would you have me do?"
"I'd like your help in getting my two slaves out of the country to some place where they'd be sold and with no chance of ever returning home."
"I can do that. The exporting of slaves isn't illegal but it is very time consuming. As the owner of the two slaves to be exported you'd need to apply for permission to do so. But it's not a quick process. The slaves have to be medically examined and quarantined before they can leave the country; that's part of our international obligation with the import and export of slaves. And that is what takes the time, I'm afraid. And then there are the export duties to be paid at this end and the import fees payable at the country of destination and these do add up to a considerable sum."
"Money isn't the issue here. It's the time factor. How long does all that take?"
"If you're lucky, it could take from four to five weeks. But sometimes it can take two months before you're given an export permit."
"That long!" Guy's exclaims in dismay. "I was hoping for something quicker than that."
"I'm sorry, Mr Maratier!" Lionel is taking malicious pleasure in this exchange. "But the bureaucracy works very slowly on these matters and I'm afraid there's no way you can expedite the process."
"Can we bypass the system, Mr Schuster?"
"I'm not sure that I'm following you, Mr Maratier! What are you suggesting?"
"I'm asking if there I any way that I can hurry along the process of simply making Rafe disappear. As I said money isn't a problem."
Lionel is enjoying being obtuse and ignores Guy Maratier's less that subtle hint that he assists him in making Rafe disappear. He decides he'll prolong the discussion for a while longer before offering his suggestions.
"Offering a bribe to an official to get a favourable decision isn't something I'd be a party to Mr Maratier. Bribing a Government official is a serious offence and carries a stiff penalty if you are caught. I'd strongly recommend against it."
"I wasn't suggesting that! I was wondering if there's some way we can circumvent the system and simply spirit Rafe and Norge away without and questions being asked."
"Again, what you ask is illegal!"
Guy Maratier is becoming impatient with the slave dealer's evasiveness but in his own interests he holds back from any form of confrontation. He'd never been fond of the man - in fact he can barely tolerate the odious slaver and it would be very easy to cross swords with him - but he needs the services of Lionel Schuster and so he must be civil at the very least. He desperately needs Lionel Schuster's help in ridding himself of Rafe.
"Mr Schuster, I remember when you procured a special order for me over two years ago it was on the condition that I asked no questions. I was thinking that we could come to a similar arrangement with Rafe and Norge."
Lionel Schuster is taken by surprise and racks his brain to recall the special order that Guy is referring to. Guy said it happened over two years ago; a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then and there have been many special orders in the intervening years. Try as he might he can't recall that particular special order but he's aware that Guy is calling his bluff by mentioning it. Guy has reminded him that he's not averse to breaking the law when it's in his interests to do so. However, he needs to refresh his memory and asks.
"I'm sorry Mr Maratier! I can't recall to what you're referring. Please refresh my memory."
"Well I asked you about the availability of identical twin brothers to act as bearers for my grandmother's new litter. You told me twins very seldom came on the market and that it's doubtful I would find what I was looking for. But to cut to the chase you also said you could place a special order for such a pair."
"Ahh yes, I do recall those two! From memory they were flawlessly matched and quite expensive."
"They were more than expensive. They cost me a small fortune but worth every cent. For a short time, they served my grandmother well as her litter-bearers and gave her much pleasure."
"However, I'm sure I would have warned you of their cost before I placed the order for them, Mr Maratier."
"Yes you did! But I told you the expense wasn't an issue. You may recall, I also promised you a sizeable bonus if you found me the right pair."
"Indeed you did. Mr Maratier!"
Lionel Schuster now remembers at the time he'd deliberately overstated the difficulty of finding identical twin brothers and had over inflated the costs involved in obtaining them. Mind you, they weren't that easy to come by; he'd found it necessary to bribe scouts to travel widely looking for likely candidates and then when they were found to pay a high fee to facilitate their disappearance. Once found, they were spirited away and kept hidden as their new brands healed; fresh brands would certainly raise suspicions as the two new slaves loudly protested their loss of freedom. As their brands healed the two slaves' time was well spent. Counterfeit documentation was prepared showing they'd been born into slavery and they were trained in the rudiments of slave conduct and introduced to slave discipline. And all this had added considerably to their overall cost.
Nevertheless, Lionel had certainly overstated those costs and had made a large profit on the deal. And this was before Guy Maratier had given him the promised bonus for his troubles. Yes, he had to admit that Guy had been most generous. How then to turn this present situation to his financial advantage?
"Could I add that money in obtaining those two slaves was of no consequence to me and similarly it won't be in facilitating the secret disappearances of Rafe and Norge? I will spare no expense in achieving this and indeed I will pay a most generous bonus to the facilitator who spirits them away out of my sight and out of the public's mind. Whoever that is will find me most generous in showing my gratitude."
Hearing these words, which appeal to his greed, Lionel Schuster's avarice gets the better of him. No longer does he feel the need to bandy words with Guy Maratier. The time for that is over. With the promise of an unlimited expense account and a fat bonus payable once the two slaves have disappeared overcomes his need for "payback."
"Mr Maratier, an idea comes to mind as to how we can solve your problem with Rafe. Ideally, what we could do is to bribe a trader to take your two slaves out of the country without going through the red tape I mentioned earlier."
"And how do we do that?"
"It can be done very simply! We could find a slave-trader who has the necessary permits for a shipment of slaves he is exporting to some place or another and bribe him - no questions asked - to substitute your two for two of his slaves once they have been cleared by the Customs Authority."
"Will it work, Mr Schuster? It all sounds too easy!"
"I don't see why not! But it won't come cheaply. It will be expensive."
"Hang the expense, Mr Schuster! I don't care what it costs. Just rid me of Rafe and Norge and you can name your own price."
Within the secret confines of his rat-cunning nature, Lionel Schuster determines it will indeed cost Guy Maratier dearly. But then the man is obscenely rich and can well afford the costs - and much more - involved in spiriting his two troublesome slaves out of the country.
"Then let me see what I can do for you. Mr Maratier. But I suggest you don't mention this to anyone else. You haven't done so have you?"
"No!" Guy's answer is evasive and hides the fact that he has already discussed this matter with Simon Barrow. Still he trusts Simon - more than he does the Lionel Schuster - and feels he doesn't have to explain this to the slaver.
"That's good! And let's keep it that way. And it's imperative that the two slaves know nothing of this. We don't want to spook them into running away do we? Inevitably, they would be recaptured but during court questioning under duress as to why they tried to escape they could reveal our little scheme. Secrecy is of the utmost importance, Mr Maratier!"
"Indeed it is Mr Schuster. How lucky I am to have you to fall back on to solve my problem. I am eternally grateful to you."
To be continued.....