Chapter 6: Financial Evaluation

In the office, Anch was in shocked disbelief. "You actually met Victoria? The wife of the Kalinin's eldest son?" Henry had hardly got through the door, Anch hadn't even removed her manuses but she was anxious to hear the slightest bit of gossip and was bombarding him with questions. "There are really shocking rumours about her now. Some say that she has men that she treats as her doenyes — her servants. That she has made her own properta for them to wear in secret. That she makes them wear manuses for her or even the chanoosh! Can you imagine a man doing such a thing?"

Henry didn't know what to say. Victoria had just seemed like one of many pushy women entrepreneurs he had come across. He wouldn't have been surprised by anything that she got up to in the bedroom if she felt it would help whatever scheme she was involved it.

Anch was still chattering on. "Is she as beautiful as she looks in the magazine? What was she wearing? Are her breasts really like they look in the photographs?"

"You shouldn't worry about your breasts so much," Henry chided, enjoying the fact that Anch was wearing an exceptionally tight sweater that provided him with all the information he needed to reassure her.

"We shall have to go in the cubicon later," she flirted, "so you can be sure."

"Well, Miss Astana" Henry responded playfully. "I am most anxious to be certain. We shall most definitely find some time to review the matter. For now though I would like some coffee."

Anch nodded her head and got up to go in search of the brass pot and tiny cups. They had only time for a single cup before Kerren Kerrish summoned Henry to his office.

"So, Mr English Banker, your assessment of this project, please. Should we advance money?" Kerren was in expansive mood.

Henry was keen to tread carefully. "Well, Mr Kerrish, the business proposal seems sound and the sums involved are not large. Of course the credentials of Mr Koresh are beyond reproach and in any case there is sufficient security."

"I am hearing an unspoken 'But' in your assessment, I fear."

"It is only my concern regarding his wife, Mr Kerrish. It seemed to me that this was more her scheme than his, if you understand me."

"Indeed I do, Indeed I do. Many of those who take westerners as wives or concubines discover that their women find it hard to give up their traditions of independence. Fortunately we need not worry. In Kushtian law no woman can make a contract. So the husband is always responsible for the actions of his wife."

"But in this case — with Mr Koresh so unwell - I suspect he is much less able than his wife pretends."

"You are right to be concerned. I think we should proceed as you suggest but we should also protect our interests. I think you should keep a close eye on this business enterprise. It would be most unfortunate if anything were to embarrass a council member or, worse still, the Kalinin."

"Oh good," thought Henry. "No pressure." What he said was, "Absolutely, Mr Kerrish, you can rely on me. I will arrange review meetings with Mr Koresh's wife, so that she can keep me up to date with progress."

"Very good. I will inform Mr Koresh that the bank will approve the loan."

When Henry returned to his office, Anch was waiting for him. "Your ten o'clock appointment is here, Mr Henry," she said. "Mrs Hallanan wishes to discuss with you a loan application."

"Anch, I'm puzzled," Henry replied "I did not think that the bank could lend to a woman. This is not more of the Koresh business is it?"

"No, not at all. The loan is for her husband but she has come here to plead his case."

Henry was beginning to wonder if any Kushtian man handled his own financial affairs. "Well," he said, "I suppose that I had better see her."

Henry's reluctance was immediately overcome by the appearance of the woman. Although veiled, of course, she was dressed for the rest in the most elegant of western fashions, with a conspicuous display of expensive finery. Henry wondered how much of a loan her husband was looking for. It had to be substantial, otherwise he could just pawn his wife's designer clothes."

The woman spoke out in a stream of a guttural dialect of Kushtian. Henry had to apologise. "I'm sorry," he said, "I don't understand. Do you speak English?"

His question brought forth a similarly unintelligible response. Henry called Anch across. "This is no good," he said, "you'll have to translate for us."

Anch looked slightly embarrassed. "She says she has been sent by her husband to do anything that you need in order that the loan is approved."

"Well," said Henry, misunderstanding comprehensively, "I'd better look at the file, make sure that all the forms are here and so on."

Anch blushed. "No, Mr Henry," she said." She says she must go to the cubicon with you for discussions. Her husband insists. This is how things are done."

Henry looked at the dark almond eyes of the woman as she stared intently at him over her veil. He took in the way that her well cut suit fitted what was evidently a trim figure and how the shortness of her skirt showed off the shapeliest of thighs. It would, he decided, be rude to refuse to discuss matters further and gestured to the cubicon. The woman took him by the hand and led him to the curtained couch.

Almost as soon as he had spread himself out on the couch the woman was kneeling beside him, gabbling away. "Anch," Henry called, "You must come and translate. And bring your pad, there may be things we need to keep a note of."

Anch looked embarrassed but joined Henry behind the cubicon's curtain as the woman started to fumble with Henry's fly zip. She chattered on, apparently unconcerned by the presence of Anch who was translating as best she could to keep up with the woman's constant stream of talk. "The loan details should be all that the bank requires," Anch translated, ""There is quite sufficient security to meet the bank's requirements and there should be every reason to grant the loan. Of course it is recognised that first families get priority in these matters but surely the bank recognises the importance of the stimulus to the economy... " by this stage the woman had pushed Henry's trousers and underpants down and had knelt astride him, pushing her skirt, with some difficulty, up over her hips.