The other two barons did the same and followed. To his luck, he saw not only his Collector and Controller of Customs there, but also Oliver, the head merchant of the Clothmaker’s Guild, as well as two other guild members he’d seen with the man lately. “My lord! We didn’t know you had returned.” His Controller of Customs slid a parchment over to the Collector, and faked a smile. “Would you like to walk the docks and I’ll tell you what’s happened since you’ve been gone?” His Collector of Customs slipped the parchment into his pouch and stepped in front of the other two, and tried to direct Nicholas onto the docks. Nicholas just held out the tip of his sword and the man’s hands went up in the air. “Let me see that,” Nicholas ordered. “See what, my lord?” “Baron Hastings, will you do me the favor?” Nicholas asked, his sword still pointed at the Collector’s chest.
