JC: William Redman Carter Noble Savage Chapter 58 By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2005 “Do you think I should open a publishing house?” William asked. “No,” Linda answered putting the manuscript on the table. She had just finished reading it and had been very impressed. She knew Happy Harry, but not many of the other homeless. She had noticed that the manuscript had Forest Shadow crying like a baby by the time she had finished it. “Okay, so who do we take the manuscript to?” “Al Maloney would probably be the best person. His publishing house has handled a lot of best sellers. This manuscript will benefit from his experience,” Linda answered. William wouldn’t change a word of the manuscript and wondered how it would be beneficial by having it changed. Curious he asked, “What do you mean?” “Well, there’s the whole publishing process that it will have to go through. Before it is even printed, there is the cover art, he’ll have to mount an advertising campaign, and set up distribution. He’ll have to establish how big of a run to make with the first release,” Linda answered. She knew that the advertising would have to be handled very carefully. No matter how well it was written, a book about homeless people didn’t stand much of being a best seller unless it was handled with great care. “You really know this stuff.” Raising her eyebrows, Linda looked at William amused by his comment. There were times when she found it difficult to believe that he was her son. She said, “I’ve been doing this since before you were born.” “So I guess I called the right person. If you can’t be good, then it helps to be lucky,” William replied with a wink. Al Maloney sat at his desk and stared at the manuscript that Linda Carter had brought to him. Normally, he would skim the first page and know if it was worth his time to read it. After that, he would scan a manuscript; giving it a half an hour to convince him that he should publish it. Reading this one, he had taken the entire night. He had savored every word and phrase. He shivered at the memory of the pleasure that it had given him. It had been a long time since a book had given him that much pleasure. He pressed the intercom and said, “Mercedes, please arrange for Linda Carter and Jan Adorno to come here for a visit.” There was a moment of uncharacteristic silence. He started to wonder if she was at her desk before Mercedes answered, “They are here along with two others.” Surprised, he said, “Well, send them in and clear my calendar for the afternoon.” Linda walked into the room beside Jan. Holding hands, William and Lucy followed the women into the office. While coming out from behind his desk, Al examined Linda. He thought she was one of the most attractive women he had met. Her fine Native American facial features, long black hair, and regal posture gave her a presence in the room that could not be denied. Linda extended a hand and said, “Hello, Al. It’s nice of you to see us today.” “It is always a pleasure to see you, Mrs. Carter. I must admit that I’m a little surprised that you were here,” Al replied. He had never handled one of her books since his publishing house did not deal with children’s books. However, he did know her through social events and was very familiar with her reputation as an author. She was known to be a diligent author who wasn’t pushy and worked well with editors, typesetters, artists, and publishers. To have her show up the day after dropping off a manuscript was very unusual. Linda smiled and said, “William said that you would be ready to meet with us at the moment. He’s never wrong.” Looking over at William, Al didn’t know how to respond. He recognized the young man and knew enough about him not to dismiss him as just a teenager. He was actually more interested in meeting the author of that outstanding manuscript that he had just finished reading. As if reading his mind, William nodded his head and, gesturing to Jan, said, “Allow me to introduce you to Jan Adorno and my wife, Lucy Carter.” After a quick nod to Lucy and William, Al turned to Jan. His eyes quickly flicked over her. He saw a middle aged woman wearing a basic woman’s business suit. It was a good quality outfit. He said, “I enjoyed your manuscript very much.” “Thank you,” Jan said. “It’s going to be a tough sell, but I think that you have written a best seller,” Al said. Interrupting, William held up a hand and said, “It won’t be a tough sell. It describes the best of the human character under the worst of conditions. It tells stories of greatness originating from men and women who have nothing. In today’s world of sanitized living, these stories have an appeal.” Looking over at William, Al considered what he knew of the young man. A chill went down his spine. In a soft voice, he said, “I know it will appeal. I just have to figure out how to make them aware of it without turning away the audience first.” Smiling, William said, “How about telling people it was written by the second Bard of modern times?” Leaning forward, Al’s eyes widened and he asked, “You don’t mean that she’s a Druidic Bard?” “Exactly,” William answered. Lucy and Linda both turned to look at Jan. Neither were surprised that William knew it before they did. It took a minute before Lucy was able to ask, “When did that happen?” “It was the night that you and William read the manuscript. I woke up in the morning knowing that I was now a Bard,” Jan answered with a blush. While William and Lucy had read the manuscript, she had a dream in which she was telling a story to an unseen audience. When she awakened that morning, the bracelet was on her wrist. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Lucy asked feeling hurt that Jan had not rushed to confide her good news. Looking down at her feet, Jan was ashamed that she hadn’t shared the news with Lucy. She didn’t feel right in telling her that she couldn’t tell her. Instead, she answered, “I don’t really feel worthy of it.” Lucy nodded understanding even though she didn’t. William leaned over and put a hand on Jan’s shoulder. In a soft voice, he said, “Anyone who can tell Harry’s story so well is worthy of it.” Turning to Lucy, he said, “She could not tell you. Bards do not proclaim themselves as Bards. They can not tell their own story, only the stories of others.” Full understanding dawned on Lucy and she resolved at that moment to assure that Jan received full credit for her efforts. The relationship between the two women took another subtle turn. Lucy changed from supporter to promoter of her friend. Al watched trying to figure out the dynamics of the situation. It was obvious to him that Jan was closer to the son and daughter in- law than to Linda. The son’s assertion that Jan was a Bard would make a very good statement in the marketing effort. He wondered if William was correct. Turning to Jan, he said, “We’ll need to work out the details for the contract. Do you have an agent?” Linda answered, “She will be using my agent. William’s staff will facilitate negotiations.” “Will you need an advance?” “An advance?” Jan asked. “Well, it will take about four months for us to get the book through production. That will put it on the shelves in about September. Royalties are paid twice a year -- in March and October. March royalties cover sales for July through December of the previous year. It will be at least year before you see any money from the book,” Al answered. “I do not need an advance,” Jan answered after glancing at William and seeing that he was shaking his head to let her know that she wouldn’t need it. William had given her a debit card and told her that he was depositing her allowance in it. Since she had never used it or even bothered looking at the statement, she had no idea how much money she had. “Are you sure?” Al asked noticing the uncertain glance that Jan had given William. “She’s a member of our household,” William said. “And what does that matter?” Al asked surprised by William’s interruption. “It means that she does not have to worry about money for the rest of her life,” William answered. “Okay,” Al said with a frown. He wasn’t sure how much William was worth, but he could always tap the wealth of the rest of the Carter Clan. He’d heard things about William, but he wasn’t really that well connected in the financial world. Linda knew better than to underestimate what William was capable of doing for someone about whom he cared. She smiled at Al and said, “Jan is well provided for.” For the next hour, Al explained what Jan could expect over the next four months. It was a daunting task for a woman who had once been homeless, but Jan accepted the assignment as though she were born to it. She demonstrated a confidence and self- assurance that was far different than the woman who had to work up her courage to talk to William and Lucy in the ice cream parlor just a few years earlier. A dozen buildings lining the road were visible through the window of the hotel suite in which Linda, Jan, Lucy, and William were staying. Sitting in the living room of the suite after their meeting with the publisher, Linda and Jan were discussing the amount of money that a best seller could bring an author. Jan was having a hard time believing that an author could make so much money and that she wouldn’t know what to do with so much. She remarked that she didn’t even spend her allowance. Lucy listened to the exchange and, in a whisper, asked, “William, how much do you give Jan for an allowance?” “I don’t give Jan an allowance,” William answered looking at Lucy and then glancing at Jan. He tired to remember if he had ever told her what he was doing for Jan. After a moment’s reflection, he realized that he probably had forgotten to mention it. “You told me that you were depositing my allowance in that debit card,” Jan said looking over at William in confusion. “I don’t deposit anything in it. The returns on your investments are deposited in there to keep your account at a fifty thousand dollar level,” William said not understanding her confusion. He was pretty sure that he had explained that to her when he gave her the card. “My investments?” Jan asked looking at him with even greater confusion. “Yes, I put twenty five million in an investment account for you when you moved in. Whatever money you spend on the debit card is automatically replaced from that investment account the next business day.” “Twenty five million dollars?” Jan asked. Her stomach twisted at the thought of so much money and the world started to fade on her. Lucy leaned over to William and kissed his cheek. Pleased to know that Jan had nothing to worry about financially, she said, “That’s so sweet.” Moving quickly, William raced over to Jan and caught her before she slipped out of her chair. He gently moved her head down between her knees to help her recover. Looking over at Lucy, he shrugged his shoulders and said, “She’s fainted.” “I can’t imagine why,” Linda said in mock confusion. She wasn’t surprised at all by Jan’s reaction. It took a few seconds for Jan to recover. Sitting up, she said, “I can’t believe that I fainted.” Taking her hand, Linda said, “Carter men tend to have that affect on the women in their lives.” The reason why she fainted came back to mind. Turning to look at William, she asked, “Twenty five million?” “Yes,” William said. Looking at her, he said, “I thought you knew that. Haven’t you been getting your statements?” “Yes, but since I’ve never spent any money I don’t look at them,” Jan said. “What about your clothes?” William asked. Lucy looked embarrassed and said, “Whenever I go shopping, I take her along. We get some clothes and I usually insist on paying for everything.” “Oh,” William said and returned to his chair. He looked over at Jan and asked, “So is there anything you want to buy?” “Not really,” Jan answered looking down at the floor. She had a place to live, nice clothes, and Lisa was a very good cook. She couldn’t think of anything that she really wanted. Lucy frowned and asked, “What about taxes?” “Well, the first fifty thousand was a gift. Until she actually spends something, she doesn’t have any income,” William said. “That’s nice,” Lucy said. She wondered how that worked, but was confident that William had set up everything with the IRS. Jan looked at the ground for a moment and then said, “Can I take everyone out to dinner?” “Yes,” William answered. “Good. I would like to do that,” Jan said with a smile. She liked the idea of being able to spend a little money on her friends. William was about to make a suggestion when Linda said, “Don’t ask about a Burger Burner, William!” Settling back in his chair, he turned to Lucy and said, “Nobody seems to enjoy going to a Burger Burner to celebrate. I find that very sad.” “I’m sure you do,” Lucy said with a grin. She winked at Linda and added, “How about you and I celebrate our return home tomorrow with a trip to the Burger Burner?” The exchange made Jan feel a little more self confident. She said, “I’d like to take everyone to the best restaurant in town. Of course, we’ll need to find out where that is.” Linda smiled and asked, “Would you mind if I take care of that?” “I’d appreciate it,” Jan said. Linda dialed a number on her phone. After a moment, she smiled and said, “Marguerite…” Going out to dine required a shopping trip to get the appropriate evening wear. While the women searched for evening dresses, William was stuck at a tailor getting fitted for a dark blue suit. Despite his wealth, his busy social calendar, and his extensive contacts within the business community, William did not own a suit. Like his fathers, William usually wore blue jeans and work shirts. After several hours, he returned to the hotel with his new suit, tailored shirt, and new shoes. Much to his surprise, he beat the women back to their room. He had been confident that they would only take an hour to shop. They barely made it back to the hotel in time to get dressed for dinner. William, dressed in his suit, waited for the women to finish dressing. He had been waiting for ten minutes when Lucy stepped out their room. She was wearing a black evening dress that clung to her every curve. With her long brown hair and tanned skin, she looked like a million dollars. He felt his heart lurch. She was so beautiful that it took his breath away. Smiling at her, he said, “You look like a dream.” Lucy looked over at William with wide eyes. She couldn’t believe how good he looked in a suit. His dark skin, Native American features, and long black shiny hair, tied back in a pony tail, gave him an exotic appearance. His dark eyes, focused upon her, were searing in their intensity. For the first time in their marriage, he looked like a power broker who could buy and sell the world. Licking her lips, she said, “I almost don’t want to go out. You look so handsome.” Wearing a simple classic black dress, Linda came out and looked at her son. She was impressed and could hardly believe how handsome her son was. Winking at Lucy, she said, “William, you clean up well.” “Thanks mom,” William replied. Looking at Lucy, she said, “Lucy, you are an absolute doll.” All eyes turned to look at Jan when she stepped out of her room. She was wearing a blue dress that was so dark that it was almost black. For the first time that William could remember, she was wearing makeup. Around her neck was a silver necklace that Linda had loaned her. She looked elegant. Nodding his head, William said, “Jan, you look fantastic. Men the world over will be jealous of me for escorting three such beautiful women for an evening.” Jan was overwhelmed by the entire experience of going out to dine. It started when their party was greeted at the restaurant by the chef. The chef discussed their choices and tailored the menu to each individual’s personal taste. For the next three hours, outstanding dishes on small plates were served with lots of flourish and discussion about the preparation. It was service that went well beyond trying to impress a rich customer. It was the kind of service driven by professional pride in wanting to impress folks who dined at the table of one of the greatest chefs in the country on a regular basis. While dessert was being served, Jan looked around the private dining room. The white linen table cloth, china plates, crystal glasses, candles, and décor were perfect. Soft music in the background helped complete a classy environment while maintaining a tranquil atmosphere. It far exceeded any concept of dining out that she had. With a sigh, she said, “This is like some kind of fairy tale.” William eyed the chocolate soufflé that had just been set in front of him and said, “Ah, one of my favorite desserts.” The chef stood back and watched as William tasted his soufflé. While it was true that William enjoyed fast food, that did not mean he did not appreciate a good meal. Dining with Ed had taught William how to approach and extract every piece of pleasure from great cuisine. Even Lucy was impressed with how William had approached each dish. After tasting the soufflé, William looked over at the chef and said, “Marguerite couldn’t have done better.” Nodding her head in agreement, Linda said, “Pierre, this meal was outstanding.” Lucy had never had a meal of this quality outside of the home of the Carter Clan in Arizona and was truly impressed. Although she shouldn’t have been surprised, she was impressed with how knowledgeable William was with the cuisine. She had been overwhelmed by the meal. Looking at the Peach Tart placed in front of her, she said, “This looks amazing.” Feeling a little embarrassed at her choice of dessert, Jan looked at her bowl of vanilla ice cream. She would have felt even more embarrassed except Linda had asked for ice cream first. Her eyes opened in shock when she tasted the ice cream. She exclaimed, “This is unbelievable.” Pierre grinned at the pleasure that the simple dessert had brought her. Linda tasted hers and said, “This is heavenly.” “Thank you,” Pierre said. Too few of his clients actually ordered the simple dessert. It was actually his favorite dessert and he’d spent years experimenting to find the perfect recipe. He added, “It is such a simple dessert, but I love vanilla ice cream. It is a shame that more people do not request it.” William nodded his head and said, “I imagine that most people go for the most complex dish in the belief that it projects a more cultured taste. Of course, that won’t prevent me from seriously injuring anyone who tries to take this soufflé away from me.” Pierre smiled at the comment and nodded his head. It was not his place to comment on the palate of his typical customers. Many ate in his restaurant with the intent of impressing others and didn’t really appreciate the effort that went into producing the food they ate. He knew that wouldn’t be the case with this party. They were used to food prepared by the great Marguerite. If anyone could appreciate his skill, it would be them despite the fact that only half of them drank wine with their meal. Lucy looked over at the soufflé and asked, “Can I have a taste of your soufflé?” Nodding his head, William prepared a spoon with a taste of his dessert. Holding it out for her, she leaned forward and tasted it. Her eyes rose in pleasure at the rich flavor. She looked at her tart and decided that she had made the right choice. It was a tough call, though. Looking over at Pierre, she said, “Every one of these desserts is outstanding.” “Thank you.” The conversation died while everyone enjoyed their desserts. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. The conversation returned when Jan finally pushed her bowl of ice cream forward and said, “I can’t eat another bite.” Lucy ate the last crumb on her plate, grinned over at Jan, and said, “Same here.” Sitting back, William waited for the waiter to finish pouring coffees for everyone at the table. Once that was done, he held his cup aloft and said, “Here’s to Jan the Bard. May her stories touch the hearts and souls of good men and women for many years to come.” Lucy immediately joined in and said, “Here, here.” “Well said,” Linda said. “Thank you,” Jan said feeling embarrassed by the attention.