[Finished] Time Enough for Money [Lucca]

[Bee]

Bates led them into a drawing room and offered a seat to McDuck, and then drinks and refreshments. Reisz took the opportunity to excuse herself to have a look around the outside and verify that nothing untoward was happening. Looked clear. She was sorely tempted to stay out there on patrol and leave the men mewed up with their misery, but deals over coin had a better than average shot of ending badly, and she needed to be there for Master McDuck there and after. She supposed she should consider herself a mite unprofessional for faintly hoping for a pash. But such a natural urge couldn't be shameful.

When she returned nothing of note had happened. Talking business already. Pleasantries must be out of the way then. She waited politely to be invited to drink, took a bit of water, and listened for the plan.

"If it's no inconvenience to you, Master McDuck, I think the morning should be a good time for a tour of the mine. I can show you to your room and any hospitalities you might require in the meantime."

[Lucca]

Graeme and his host continued to take the measure of each other as the Duck found himself led into a well-decorated drawing room and taking a seat, setting his cane aside. Small talk passed fairly quickly, much to Graeme's relief, as he was rather eager to get this deal off the ground. Truth be told, he was already half regretting his decision to return here, especially as he studied a map Bates had of where this mine was located. Its proximity to an area that he'd visited on his last time here, with her, was rather unsettling and for a moment Graeme very much wished he'd sent an underling in his place.

Of course, that would have meant he would undoubtedly have paid more coin out of pocket than the mine was really worth. Much as he appreciated his employees (most of the time) they were horrible negotiators to a man. At least, compared to him. Even the Diamonds wouldn't haggle with the complete and utter stubbornness he himself was known for. Graeme finished off his cup of tea and nodded. "Very well, that seems t'be agreeable," he said politely.

[Bee]

Apparently Master Bates was partial to his slumber, as they did not get out the door until 8 the next morning. It certainly didn't meet with Reisz's allowance but then, it was not her decision to make, and she might have been biased, accustomed as she was to rising with the sun and beginning her duties. Eight seemed a wretched late hour to be starting anything.

She was never quite keen on going to the mines on the edges of the Higher Veldt, even though she herself was immune to the periodic sickness. Ingrained cultural instinct, mayhap, though she carried about her business just fine in spite of the faint apprehension, patrolled the area when she had to.

Cards were well into the swing of work, of course, diligent Clubs and a Heart here and there to keep order. She doubted a fellow with as much repute as Bates would employ convicts, and he didn't seem to. The mine was huge, buzzing; the tour of the safer areas of it took some time. Reisz reckoned that Master McDuck could do a lot worse with his money, though a Spade owner still tickled her a little funny, admittedly.

[Lucca]

Graeme made it a habit to generally rise rather early as well. After all, the mornings were the best times to stroll over to his vault and count his money in peace before the work day really began. The Duck, therefore, was up several hours earlier than his host, and spent the time drinking tea outside the house and trying his best to stave off the memories. His gold-orange eyes were deep and troubled, and he barely payed attention to Reisz as she walked by him intermittently on her patrols.

The trip to the mine was a welcome change--a bit of physical activity to get his blood stirring and his mind distracted. Graeme intentionally chose the slightly harder paths, over more rocks and slightly steeper grades. The memories, even so, were strong and threatened to overwhelm him as they approached the site. Stubbornly, the Duck forced them back and followed Bates into the mine.

The smell of gold hit him as soon as he entered, and the Duck couldn't help breathing deeply of the musty air. Oh, yes. This was what he'd hoped for. If he'd possessed this ability back when he'd been here the first time, oh how easy it would have been to find so much more than what he had! And, on top of that, seeing all the Cards working so dilligantly was really a pleasure. Why, if his employees had such a work ethic, they'd get twice as much done!

By how much gold he could smell still buried in the rock, Graeme knew this would certainly be a worthwhile and profitable mine to own. At the end of the tour, he rapped his cane on the wall of the cave and turned to Mr. Bates. "Let's talk price, laddie," he said with a grin.

[Bee]

As it was apparently only fitting that business discussions occur in a business-like setting, they ended up in Bates’s rather fetching office. The financial end of things was generally of no-never-mind to her so long as things ended peaceably, so she spared little attention to the negotiations as they were made at first, though she picked up interest as they carried on.

It was most amusing, to see a pair of traders each try to get the better end of the deal. But in the end Bates wanted to get rid of the place, and McDuck to her general impression seemed to fancy money with as much fervor as even the most enthusiastic of Diamonds, so she wasn’t surprised to see things end the way they did.

“Well,” she said, with a wide grin, when Bates was distracted and momentarily gone from the scene. “I do hope you enjoy your new property. I hear Veldt gold is lovely this time of year.” In quieter tones, she said, “And feel free to give me a pash if this is out of line, you know more about business than I do, but I would get some good public relations in the works if I were you. Some people are gonna find it mighty queer to see a Spade merchant running the show.”

[Lucca]

If Bates was hoping to wear Graeme down with endless bartering until he just gave in, he certainly had another thought coming. The Duck was absolutely as stubborn as they come, and he gave barely an inch the entire time. Finally, they'd reached a conclusion that was more than satisfactory, and the Duck found himself lounging back with a contented smirk on his bill, eyes still faintly glowing gold from the proximity of the same precious metal. It wasn't something that bothered him; after all he had carried the ability for several months, now, and was well used to it.

"Ah'm sure Ah'll enjoy it quite a bit," he said amiably to Reisz, folding his hands neatly in his lap and leaning back against the chair he was currently sitting in. Despite it not being very comfortable, he almost felt like he could have napped here. Did that mean he was finally growing old? The thought was slightly distressing, so he put it out of his mind. "Nay, not at all. Ah thank ye for the advice." Though he took another moment to consider what, exactly, it meant--ah, of course. Veldt culture was even more Suit-biased than the rest of Wonderland. "Ah ken a Diamond or two tha'owes me a wee favor. With the right assurances they'd come 'round tae visit the mine an' be seen with me." And be seen taking orders from him, but that was neither here nor there. It caused quite a swell of pride in Graeme that he'd managed this deal despite the bias against Spades in business here.

[Bee]

Reisz nodded; this sounded amenable enough to her--favors and bribery and cautel and all of that sly business, the abuses of the serpentine mind. If he thought and acted enough like a Diamond then eventually he might just be seen as one in all but aspect. Or enough that no one would openly bother him about it. People were hard to predict in that respect, and Diamonds were wont to add a bavin of coy social layers to an already mincing enterprise. She didn’t care to dig too deeply into the complexities; it was her job to keep things neat and orderly topside.

And it wasn't her business anyway until it turned into a riot. And she knew that wouldn’t happen. The most she would probably ever get to do was bare her teeth at idle gossip.

“A clever tack to take,” she said, grin intact. And then, because she was still on a job, one leg of which had just concluded, “Planning on remaining with Master Bates for a stretch, or relocating?” Either to a new abode or out of the region; she didn’t know what kind of efforts a change in hands, on this scale, were required.

[Lucca]

Graeme just smirked a tiny bit wider at Reisz's compliment. Oh, he knew he was clever, especially when it came to business and getting his own way in it. True, he had a bit of a bad reputation in some circles, but that was only because they were all envious of his hoards of gold. There was a brief moment where he missed his vault and wondered when he'd get another chance to swim in it, as that was really his favorite leisure activity while at home. Others questioned how the Duck managed to do such a thing, but he let them wonder. No good businessman reveals all his secrets, and neither does the good treasure hunter. Graeme McDuck happened to be both.

"For a few days, aye, Ah'll be staying with him," he replied, shifting slightly in the chair as one of his wings decided to ache slightly from a cramp. "It's a long process, sometimes." But he thought she probably knew that, from having guarded Cards on similar deals before? Or perhaps she hadn't. After all, not many from out of the Realm were ever daring enough to take their chances there. But it would take a few days to sort out all the paperwork and arrange a schedule of exports and payments and other such details.

[Bee]

She had learned this lesson before, but she always seemed to forget it: paperwork was phenomenally dull business. It was just dull being in the same general area in which it was taking place; she could not imagine how mind-numbing it must be to actually be laboring over the paper, finalizing a transaction, making pleasant chatter with someone you had had just economically dominated. She found herself quite nearly wishing that Master Bates would attempt to reneg on his deal so she could have some sort of pash to disrupt, some sort of conflict to settle, but alas (and yet thankfully) things appeared to be very orderly.

She did not consider herself a bloodthirsty person—peace and order were her most important and cherished goals—but she was going nearly out of her mind. She remembered why, even if it earned her a trip to the Capital, Diamond duty was sometimes not worth the effort it took to pack. While it was an honor to be chosen to watch him, she was going to be glad to see the back of Master McDuck and get back to her fields.

[Lucca]

Graeme considered himself to have good stamina for paperwork, especially when it was made after a deal he'd clearly gotten the better end on. It let all the small talk they engaged in over the following days be flavored with just the right edge of smugness on his side, and resignation on that of Mr. Bates. When everything was finally done, and the Duck was spending more time packing than signing his name, he gave a heartfelt goodbye to the Card who had just assured him of several wonderful profit margins over the next year as he directed from afar the workers in the mine to dig up the lovely gleaming gold.

On the morning of his planned departure, Graeme was especially restless. He was up and out before the sun, standing on a hill and looking out over the fields of wheat as they gleamed in the sunrise. It stirred memories heavy in his heart, and he found himself staring without really seeing. All his thoughts were consumed by visions of the past. For once, he welcomed them, spreading his arms and facing the dawn. He was leaving this place, with all its ghosts of the past, behind, so he'd entertain them one last time.