Table of contents for Tales from Ten Taverns
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Oana
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Reca
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Corina
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Elena
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Maria
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Laura
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Diana
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Oana
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Roua
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Valeria
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Rodica
- Outtake: Author’s Notes on Characters
Dear Maria,
Yes, I received word from Mother Oana about the reunion. Roua also mentioned it to me in her last letter. She and Rodica are the only ones whom I really keep in touch with, besides you and Mother. I know Corina’s in Grahm’s Village somewhere – Rodica mentioned it to me some time ago – but I have no idea what’s been happening to all the other girls. How is Diana doing? And has anyone heard from Reca at all? Neither Roua nor Rodica have the slightest idea what she’s been up to. Perhaps I’ll have a chance to see her at the reunion. I’ll have to reorganise my schedule a bit, and hand things over to one of my assistant bartenders, but I’m sure I should be able to make it.
As for the question of husbands, I’ve finally decided not to get married at all, but go into business for myself. Maybe the high society of White Stone are composed of a different breed of people, but Portland is run by self-important hagglers and traders with overinflated opinions of their role in “sustaining the economic welfare of the city.” I’ve received so many “inside tips” from just keeping my ears open when I’m serving tables that I really do believe I would dump a platter of drinks on the next person who suggests they can give me “a sure-fire win”in exchange for “a bedside favour”.
Nevertheless, those egotistical men have one good thing – they’re all paranoid about secrecy and making sure that the competition haven’t got a whiff of what they’re planning. I’ve managed to make use of that by ensuring complete confidentiality and arranging my tavern in such a way that no one can hear what’s being said at another table. You might want to try that – though I doubt it would work in your case, since high-society types want to be seen and heard.
In any case, Rodica and I have been talking, and she thinks she’s got a plan that would greatly profit all of us tavern sisters. You know she’s running a tavern at the Morcraven Marshes? Well, she’s become good friends of the winery owners there, and she thinks she can get a discount from them if she buys in bulk. She was suggesting we pass our entire orders for wine to her, and then she’ll order and ship them out to us according to how much we need. I’ve done the calculations, and I think we’ll save about 15% of our costs if we do it by that method. Do you want a piece of this? We can talk more about it at the reunion.
See you soon,
Laura
