The Secret Healer(85)
“What do you want?”
“We’d like to speak with Ruppert. He lives here, yes?”
“So what if he does? What do you want with him?”
“Tell him that Agathe from Worms is here.”
“From Worms? You’ve traveled a long way. Has he done something wrong?”
“No, he hasn’t. Can’t you let us speak to him?”
The old lady looked sullen as she finally let both the women enter. “Ruppert!” she bellowed upstairs. “Ruppert, you good-for-nothing, come on down. You have a visitor.”
There were signs of life upstairs. “Who is it, Mother?”
“A woman named Agathe from Worms,” the old hag yelled back. “Come down here right now; otherwise, I’m going to throw them both out again.”
Agathe and Madlen traded looks until Ruppert came downstairs. He stopped at the next to last step, gazing at his visitors with confusion. “Agathe, is that really you?”
“It wasn’t easy to find you, Ruppert. This is my foster daughter, Maria.” Agathe hesitated briefly before saying her niece’s name. She wondered whether it was wiser to give her a completely different name. But there was no turning back now.
“Greetings to you both!” He walked over to the women. “To what do I owe the honor? What are you doing in Emmerich?”
“So many questions,” Agathe said, trying to distract him with her charm. “Do you have a moment?” She looked around. The house was dark and small and smelled musty. “Why don’t we take a little walk?”
“As you wish.” He followed as the women stepped outside. “Mother, I’m going out again.”
They left the house together and walked a bit before Agathe continued, “You live with your mother?”
“When I’m here, yes. It doesn’t make sense to have my own place since I’m away so often. And I can take care of her when I’m home. You’ve seen her. She’s gotten old and needs help.”
Agathe had a completely different impression of the old lady. She was bossy and irritable and didn’t seem helpless in any way. But she nodded. “Old age is not easy. It’s good to have a son who can take care of you.”
Ruppert smiled. “Now tell me, what are you doing so far away from Worms?”
“Haven’t you always raved about Emmerich?” Agathe let out a forced laugh.
“No, seriously.” Ruppert looked at her pointedly.
“We want to operate a booth to sell our dresses, but the head of the market will not admit us unless a man takes part in the business contracts.”
“Yes, that’s the way it is here.” Ruppert realized that she still hadn’t answered his question. The women had something to hide, and he would be much happier if he knew what it was.
“Can you help us?” Agathe asked.
Ruppert scratched his head. “You need me to get permission so you two can do business here?” He thought it over. “What’s in it for me?”
Agathe had worried that the merchant wasn’t the friendly man she had done business with for so many years. She had to offer him something. “As long as we do business under your name, we’ll give you ten pfennigs for every dress we sell.”
“Twenty pfennigs,” he countered.
“What’s the use of selling dresses if we don’t make a profit?”
“You want me to believe that you don’t make more than twenty pfennigs’ profit on every dress you sell?” He laughed throatily. “Agathe, how stupid do you think I am?”
“Ten pfennigs,” she insisted.
He stopped, and Agathe and Madlen followed suit. Ruppert scrutinized the women. Then his expression changed. “Ten pfennigs and a small kindness from time to time.” He smiled crookedly and let his gaze rest on Madlen.
Agathe laughed scornfully. “You’ve completely lost your mind.” She grabbed Madlen’s hand and pulled her away with her. After a few steps, Ruppert caught up with them.
“Wait, wait, can’t a man make a little joke?”
Agathe stopped again. “How many jokers do you think I’ve met in my life?” She approached Ruppert until her face was inches from his. Suddenly, he felt a sharp point where the braiding held his jacket together. “Sir, this is a knife whose blade I make sure to sharpen every single day. You were too distracted by your vulgar thoughts to notice that I was wearing it, or how quickly I pulled it out. I was wrong about you, Ruppert. I mistook you for an honest businessman, but I know the look in your eyes. You weren’t joking. We’ll take our leave now.” The knife tip bored deeper into his flesh. “If you are ever in Worms again, spare yourself a trip to my house. I want nothing to do with you ever again. Do you understand?”