He had to close his eyes and look away. “You’re making it very hard.”
When he opened his eyes, Jocasta was kneeling in front of him, taking his semi-erect cock in her hand and guiding it to her lips. “I can make it harder.”
It was going to be a law. Wedding respite needed to be a week. At minimum.
LORD ARENDALE’S JUNIORminister, Sir Benevent, was young, efficient, and eager to do something useful for his new queen. When Jocasta asked him about the mortgage rates and rents being hiked at will, he flew into a flurry and returned with books half his size to slam in front of her, showing all the fiscal laws for the kingdom.
“You see, Your Majesty, there are set rates for when mortgages and rents can be raised, with yearly intervals being the minimum. And if a mortgage has been set by the bank, themonthly payment cannot be altered, but the bank could change its additional fees. Even so, they are not allowed to go above five percent of the monthly payment agreed upon.”
Jocasta looked at the huge tomes. “Where are these kept?”
“There are several copies, I am sure, but these would be kept in the palace library, the Ministry of Commerce buildings in Tundra Springs, and other major cities like Port Hebron... Why?”
“I wish to read them. I also wish to know if these same laws apply if a bank sells the mortgage—that is, they let a third party pay it off, and then the original people who sought the mortgage must pay that person back on a monthly basis—or the third party will say that they will stop making payments on that property?”
“That’s highly unusual. Most banks won’t do such a thing.”
“Banks in the settlements are few and far between, and they run the best they can.”
“Well, in that case, a scrupulous person would set terms, and if the bank did not charge an increase, neither should they. Did they claim the bank charged an increase?”
“Several times, at least. It seemed to go up every two or three months or so.”
“Then that person lied, or the bank was breaking the laws of Caledon. The bank must be investigated, and then the individual.”
“I was hoping you would say that, Sir Benevent. I know this Fox went by the name of Nemo. Could he be brought here for questioning about these practices?”
“Arrested, Your Majesty?”
“No, not if there was nothing illegal with what he did, but could he be summoned here for a discussion? We could ask the banker from Frost Hills to come, too. Yes, bankers from many of the outer settlements. People are living from hand-to-mouth, and the banks mustn’t take further advantage of a bad situation.”
“A summit! A banking summit!” Benevent’s eyes looked starry. “Would I be in charge of it, Your Majesty?”
“You and me. Have you ever held a summit before?”
“Well, er, no.”
“Me, either. I imagine we need things like a list of what we ought to accomplish, a place to hold it, a guest list, and some sandwiches. Lots of sandwiches. People don’t pay attention when they’re hungry. Would a week be enough time to put something together? We could have it here, in the ballroom. We’ll just put in chairs and tables, and tell the orchestra not to bother coming in,” she chuckled.
“Yes, ma’am! Right away, ma’am. You leave it to me, and I’ll consult with Lord Arendale and have a report to you tomorrow.”
Jocasta nodded and stared at the eager junior minister. He seemed to be waiting for something.
“Oh! You may leave,” she said, then shook her head as he fled. She was going to have to get used to people caring about what she said or did, including not randomly wandering out of the room like customers who came to “browse” the shop.
Speaking of the shop, she needed to ask her parents what they thought about the idea of opening one in Tundra Springs. She would have to have Cole’s parents over to dinner to return the favor of their hospitality towards her parents. The Minister of Education and the Minister of Agriculture wanted to discuss new initiatives...
“Do I do this every day?” she asked Essa, who was sitting in the back of the Queen’s Parlor, knitting.
“I don’t know, ma’am. I’m new at this, too,” Essa confessed.
“You don’t have to,” Valeria piped up. “My mother told me Queen Ciara took on very few royal duties. She claimed they were for the king, and her job was to be a wife and mother.She thought that maybe you would do the same, since you don’t come from a noble family with experience in these matters.”
Jocasta smiled. “Well, perhaps not, but everybody eats, everybody has bills, and no one wants to be sick, hungry, or broke.”
Essa and Valeria looked at her like she had descended from on high, a prophetess. “What?”
“You are so wise! We knew you were strong and beautiful, otherwise Girion wouldn’t have chosen you, but we had no idea you were so... profound.”
