No rest for the wicked it seems, I must confess dear reader since my return there has been a stack of parchment mounting upon my desk. Problems with my suppliers, issues which need to be addressed and that have needed my personal attention. Whilst the Inn has run itself smoothly the wagons that have been on the road have been running a little slack in my absence, causing delays on both ends. I need to smooth matters over with not just the suppliers but the buyers also. This is unacceptable. Given the grinding halt my operation had come to in the summer in part due in part to the treachery of one of my men.
Indeed, I have had tense talks with some of those which I must placate in the hunting lodge in Bree. A shakeup is needed. A man can only procrastinate for so long and if it is true that my men have been slacking in my absence then they are about to find out the hard way, some of them.
The man I had left in charge in my absence is a good man. There is no doubting his loyalty and commitment to me and my business but organisation is not his forté and things have quite clearly deteriorated due to his new-found responsibilities whilst I have been away.
Very well, if this is how must be then this is how it must be. In conversation with my most trusted senior men whom I will call into my home I will draw up a list of essential and non-essential employees, and make decisions accordingly as to their personal character, work ethic and so on and so forth. If I have to be tough and make some uncomfortable decisions which may in turn lead to men losing their livelihoods then so be it.
I have to act now, and act swiftly before the rot well and truly sets in.
They have but one or two months to prove their mettle to me, I will keep a close eye upon performance, and come the end only the men not causing me problems will remain. If I have to hire Sellswords on a short-term contractual basis and pay a steeper price to make up for the shortfall in men until replacements can be found then so be it.
It is rare that I devote such time to my business within these pages but it is now at the forefront of my mind as I have neglected these matters through procrastination since my return. Whilst the day after the Captain's daughter left my home was largely devoted to wining and dining and keeping up a charm offensive upon the very individuals with which my enterprise needs to thrive. Last night I devoted almost entirely to the books and the papers. I am so very tired, yet I cannot stop now. If I throw myself deep enough into the work I will be able to complete it soon.
I must admit, given the amount of time I have spent with quill in hand, the strain of which is quite surprising though naught compared to sword-practice. I could not face writing here last night. For which I hope you'll forgive me. Today I have no appointments to keep apart from a knock on the door expected by my man who will undoubtedly replenish my own personal stores. Which are becoming quite depleted of rum. I will need it for the long night ahead of me.
I think it's high time I begin to seek to hire a bookkeeper whom I can trust so the amount of work and correspondence which does reach my desk is only the most important which requires my own personal hand. Yes, most wise. But for now I will soldier on.
I've letters here from the Mayoral office saying I am behind on taxes. The greed of that man, and for what? What does the Mayor actually do, or the Watch. To warrant such pilfering of my coffers? Certainly nothing very useful given the dire lack of defences and preparation for any incursion into the Bree-lands. No, he sits upon his fat backside and simply demands that I pay him for doing bugger all or he will close his gates and seize my assets. A pox upon him and his taxes, Theft is all it is. For all the good it does. Theft which I must stomach, unfortunately. I am no dragon guarding his hoard greedily. I have lived without coin for much of my life and I could do so again if needed. But it does anger me when a man who's luxurious lifestyle I prop up is so damned insufferable to deal with. Oh, don't worry sir. I'll pay for the security of my own goods on the roads mister mayor sir, don't you worry about that. I'll bear all the burdens of cost whilst you twiddle your thumbs and ignore the threat which ever persists as near as Trestlebridge no less. Why there is no fyrd in these lands, no militia I do not know. But the commerce me and my like bring to the town. The prosperity will all come crashing down should Trestlebridge eventually fall. I don't grumble at having to pay men to secure my own wagons really but the man and his office is beyond ridiculous.
I suppose I shall have to arrange payment to the cretin before I receive any more letters.
Yes, become a caravaner I said. It'll mean naught but adventure and nights spent upon the road whenever the mood shall take me. A somewhat naive sentiment I have come to realise though it has afforded me the ability to travel.
If I pause for respite, my mind wanders to my childhood friend who now dwells in a new home still at the other side of the village. My windows have been freshly barred, You can never be too careful with thieves abound and the Rat's friend so easily compromising my tavern has now made me wary.
It should be an added deterrence as well as the guard posted upon my door. it would seem in my absence there has ensued a tedious drama for which I have no time for. Unbeknown to me the man I have posted at my door regular has put a child in the belly of the nurse maid which my childhood friend employs. And now he denies that it is his. This poses for me a moral dilemma. For it was I before I had left that had encouraged this man to spend time with the irritating nurse maid in order to prevent her from fawning over me. But should I hold myself responsible for what has transpired? I do not possess the art of fortune telling, I am not the weaver of fates. No, I will not allow this to plague my conscience.
The request that was made me when I visited my friend, whether I would consider his dismissal for his transgressions. Where is a man to draw the line? As far as I can tell he has been most upstanding in the performance of his duties. He is good with the blade he keeps at his hip and he has been outstandingly professional as far as I can tell. If I were to give every man the boot simply because of how he chooses to spend time off duty for good or ill without compromising my business interests or poor behaviour on the job then I would have no employees left. Indeed, I have seen some of them in the brothel in town when I know for a fact that some of them have not only wife but child.
All I can do if his presence upsets my friend is reassign him to either the Inn or one of my wagons and I opted for the latter. Though his words following the break of my window did leave there no doubt that she is more upset with me than she let on following our surprisingly pleasant chat. He said that she purposely threw the stone and cursed my name. She truly does have the right to be upset with me I won't deny it but is it wise to climb the hill and see her in such circumstance?
No, I will leave her to simmer down. If I sit and think of her for too long I will never get anything done. I have no time for sentimentality.
