William nodded. “Where women sell their bodies to men for money.”
That had Thor’s mouth popping open in surprise. “And Jareth has inherited it?”
William shrugged. “If he has inherited all of Chester de Long’s businesses, then he has, indeed, inherited it,” he said. “I am not entirely sure I have ever heard of any man inheriting something like that, to be truthful. But it must make money thelikes of which no other business in England ever has. Thousands of pounds, mayhap on a daily basis. Jareth will not only be rich—he will possess more wealth than God himself.”
“Money I could very much use,” Henry said softly.
Both Thor and William looked at him. Money was in desperate need by the king and everyone knew it, so now it made some sense as to why Henry seemed so incensed that Jareth didn’t want his inheritance.
Jareth had what Henry needed.
“Surely de Long paid taxes, Your Grace,” William said. “I know he contributed a good deal to Edward’s crusade.”
Henry drew in a long, thoughtful breath. “He did,” he said. “But so did others. De Long was not unique in that sense. But his wealth is obscene. No one man should be allowed to hoard such an amount.”
Thor could see that he was stewing about it, but Thor was stewing about the fact that Jareth had no idea what he was walking into. “Should you not tell Jareth what you know, Your Grace?” he said. “About the bordel, I mean. That is not exactly an inheritance a man can be proud of. Shouldn’t he know?”
Henry wasn’t as concerned for Jareth as he should have been. He took another sip of his wine. “Why?” he said. “He is going to find out when he arrives. What is the point of telling him now? It will simply make him more reluctant to accept the inheritance than he is already.”
“Aye, Your Grace.”
“And you will not tell him what you know,” Henry said. “It is none of your affair, anyway.”
“Nay, Your Grace.”
Lost in thought, Henry considered his wine before continuing. “Thor, I am to have an audience with the Bishop of Ely tomorrow,” he said. “You are aware of this?”
It was a change of subject that Thor wasn’t ready for, because he didn’t consider the conversation about Jareth and the bordel finished, but Henry clearly did. Thor nodded to the question.
“I am, Your Grace.”
“I want to meet with him alone,” Henry said. “I want you to discover whom he is traveling with and whom he intends to bring with him to Westminster. You know the man is here to plead on behalf of some Norfolk warlords who sided with de Montfort those years ago, men who have continued to refuse to support me. You will discover everyone he is bringing because I would not be surprised if some of those warlords come disguised as the bishop’s guards.”
“Fear not, Your Grace,” Thor said. “No one but the bishop shall make it to the hall.”
“Go, then,” Henry said. “And remember what I told you.”
“Your Grace?”
“Not a word of the strumpet house to Jareth.”
Thor nodded, his features expressionless, before quitting the chamber. That left William with Henry, just the two of them.
And that was the way Henry wanted it.
“It is going to eat away at de Reyne, not being able to tell Jareth what you told him,” Henry said. “But I am withholding the information for a reason.”
“Reason, Your Grace?” William said curiously.
Henry nodded, taking another drink of his wine. Just the dregs were left now, and he swirled them around in his cup, watching them float about.
“If Jareth is shocked enough at his inheritance and refuses to accept it, where do you think it will go after that?” he said.
William shrugged. “To his brother? His father?”
“To me,” Henry said, looking at him. “Unclaimed property will revert to the Crown.”
William understood completely now. “And so will the money it generates.”
