SOMETIME later, she received a message from Chuy. He had finished drafting the blueprints for the riverboat, so she went to see him. Bertine was stunned when she saw the design.
“Fantastic! Chuy, you understood exactly what I wanted,” she said.
“That’s what I came up with as far as luxury goes. I thought about what I’d do if I were rich and threw everything I could think of into the design.”
He looked rightfully proud over the gorgeous, lavish riverboat in his illustration. The second floor boasted two rooms. All of the windows were large and open in design. He had even included smaller ventilation windows that could be easily opened and closed to invite the river breeze. There was even a veranda that wrapped completely around the second floor, though it was a bit narrow. Shades were installed in the ceiling. Guests in the second-floor rooms could draw them closed when they wanted privacy. He had also thought of simple en-suite bathrooms, so Bertine had no complaints whatsoever over his design.
The first floor would have the usual large chamber, but this one too possessed wide windows as well as a small bar area. The chaise lounges placed around the wall looked comfortable and also served as storage. There was also enough space for several hammocks and lifesaving equipment.
“Wonderful! This is absolutely wonderful. It isn’t gaudy at all, either. Minimalist but elegant,” she raved.
“Make it too elaborate, and the guests will get hurt if the boat hits a rough current.”
“That makes sense. What is this here on the prow?”
“It’s the angel, Beren, the one responsible for protecting ships.”
Attached to the prow, the angel gazed forward, wings slightly spread, and arms crossed in front at the chest.
“Have you decided on the interior then?” he asked.
“I was thinking of using this fabric for the wallpaper.” Bertine showed him one sporting the white roses her mother had loved so much.
“You want to slap this expensive fabric on all of the walls? You must be incredibly wealthy, miss.”
“I wouldn’t say that, but I suppose you could say I’m getting by.”
A smile accompanied her reply, but the truth was that at the moment, her income was through the roof. All of her ventures—the jarred goods, stingers, and scarlet fabric—produced profits like a never-ending spring. She still had plenty to spare even after accounting for the local and national governments’ shares. If she hadn’t spent her capital on the hotel and riverboat, she could have lived the rest of her life completely in leisure.
Except Bertine’s life now was more akin to a servant’s compared to her former life of luxury. Her clothing was simple and easy to move in. She no longer fussed when she sweated. And she certainly wore no jewelry. Despite everything though, she still enjoyed this lifestyle leagues more than her old lavish one.
Moreover, it didn’t matter how much money she made. Because once she died and went to live in God’s heaven, she wouldn’t be able to take a single copper coin with her. So by using her gains for work, she could enrich others’ lives too. That suited her just fine.
“Oh, right, miss. It would be great if the furniture you chose didn’t have too many sharp edges, to avoid hurting the passengers, y’know.”
“I picked with just that in mind, but would you mind looking everything over just in case? I would feel at ease with your inspection since you’re an expert on this.”
Chuy huffed out a gentle laugh.
“Did I say something odd?” Bertine asked.
“No, no, I was just thinking how nice it is that nobles like you exist too. I talk and dress rough, but it makes no never mind to you. And you always ask for my opinions too.”
“But I don’t think one’s rank matters in the face of an expert,” Bertine insisted.
“Now that’s where you’re wrong, missy. Most nobles demand folks like me do exactly what they say and how.”
This time it was Bertine’s turn to laugh.
“Well, if I had to deal with customers like that in your place, I’d want to tell them to walk a mile in my shoes then come talk to me again.”
“I sure would if I had my own riches to throw in their faces. But I’d rather feed my wife and children and have them wear nice, clean clothes, so I’ll smile and nod along with whatever they say. And o’ course, I want to do work I can be proud of.”
His words made her teary-eyed. Chuy’s wife must feel so loved, she thought enviously. A second later, she admonished herself. No, no, I shouldn’t envy others.
“Why don’t I bring over the furniture catalog tomorrow and you can tell me if I made the right choices?” she suggested.
He agreed and she left the workshop with a smile.
Just when Bertine was about to step into her carriage, a young woman around twenty came running toward her. She stared at her in surprise, wondering whatever was the matter, while the young woman doubled over, panting heavily.
“Thank you so much for offering my father such wonderful work,” the woman said. “You can’t imagine how excited and happy he’s been to build a boat for the nobility.”
Of course. A good father raises good children. Warmth surged in Bertine’s heart.
“Not at all. Please accept my thanks as well because your father is an outstanding carpenter, one who prioritizes the customer’s needs.”
His daughter’s face shone brilliantly with happiness. Even after Bertine’s carriage departed, she could see the young woman still waving cheerfully.
✦ ✦ ✦
THAT night, Bertine wrote a letter to her father about Cecilio’s plan. How he wanted to force the Luennian royal family out of power then install Prince Claudio as the new king, during which the Federation would give the boy its full endorsement and support. She also mentioned the hotel’s progress and told him about Eckhart, as well as how much the president of the company supplying interpreters had helped Evance in his time in the Empire.
The reason this letter ended up being longer and chattier than her usual ones was because of the father and daughter she saw during the day. As she penned it, Bertine wondered how lonely her father must be living with a wife whose heart remained closed. Perhaps the wine she drank while she wrote could be blamed for the next passage in the letter.
“I have long since given up on marriage, to the point that I don’t even wish to marry. But I can’t help wanting children and raising them. You see, there’s this carpenter I work with and today, I met one of his children…”
The marquess cried when he read his daughter’s heartfelt letter a few days later.
“I would love for Bertie to be happily married…”
Because of him, her matrimonial hopes had been dashed twice, so she had abandoned the notion completely. Although he had been responsible for teaching her everything he could about trade, he never imagined Bertine would be so successful at it. So it stung him painfully to see her letter now with her simple wish of “wanting children and raising them.”
Then he read the part about San Luenne again and again.
“So it wasn’t just the Empire but the Federation as well that intended to make Prince Claudio king of this country, eh? I wonder if God himself wrote this play.”
The marquess surmised this plan would probably succeed. But in everything there was always a chance, no matter how small, of failure. Then he knew what his role in all this would be. He would lay the groundwork for the leaders and young nobles who spearheaded the idea. Make certain their objective wasn’t discovered ahead of time. Smooth the way for them to succeed. So he swore to himself.