34 Bad News

The next day I gave the appropriate orders to Secretary Kowalski regarding the bathhouse and the inn, and called the cook to the castle, I was going to train him myself.

My culinary skills were not outstanding, but I knew many dishes that were little known or unknown in those days ... I showed the chef how to make pancakes with sweet cheese and fruit, then how to make dumplings with meat and sweet ... hot dogs , pizzas, pasta, noodles, a few soups. I also showed him how to make a few sauces, including horseradish sauce and plum sauce ... fortunately he knew the basics and only needed some practice ... after a month of study I gave him a test and he passed it. He was not suitable for being a chef at the royal court, but for a cook at the inn his skill was outstanding.

(Janusz Ostrogski / Teofila Tarło POV)

"I do not know from whom Wilkomir inherited his literary talent, he did not even study. Hieronim and Eleanor were not lovers of literature either." (Janusz Ostrogski)

"I don't know either, the most surprising thing for me is his knowledge of Rome. When I read "Quo Vadis". I felt like I was in the Colosseum, seeing the Praetorians set fire to Rome, at the behest of Nero. I felt sad when Petronius took his own life, though a pagan he was not a bad man ... your grandson knows how to stimulate the imagination and emotions." (Teofila Tarło)

""Hahah ... my decision was right, even if Wilkomir had not achieved anything else in his life, in which I do not believe my legacy will be in good hands... and speaking of good hands. My dear wife, ten years have passed since our wedding. Our son died when he was an infant ... and my time is approaching too ..." (Janusz Ostrogski)

"Stop talking about your death, you will bring misfortune and only God in heaven knows the date and time of our death." (Teofila Tarło)

"Mors certa, hora incerta... When I die, I will leave you a small inheritance, you can remarry, live a quiet life as a widow or go to a monastery and become a nun. It will be your decision." (Janusz Ostrogski)

"I do not think so far into the future. If God gives health, you will live a hundred years ... but thank you husband for thinking about my future." (Teofila Tarło)

(End POV)

The days turned into weeks ... the summer was over and the golden Polish autumn began, only to give way to the upcoming winter after the next weeks... the harvest was exceptionally good and it wasn't just the grain, the same was with apples, pears, hazelnuts and forest fruits ... as soon as the harvest was over, I contacted Jankiel and Aram.

From one hectare of cultivated fields this year, I obtained 3,5 tons of grain, last year it was only 1,7 tons ... Mokosz's blessing really worked. Currently, the price in Gdańsk for 3,3 tons of grain was 8 ducats, I had 10,000 hectares of arable land, which gave me over 84 thousand ducats of income. It was a large sum, usually my annual income does not exceed 50,000 ducats, including trade, rent, taxes ... now I have over 80,000 ducats on the sale of grain alone.

However, I decided to invest in Aram and Jankiel, I offered to sell them 3,3 tons for 5 ducats, under the condition that the grain would go to Vienna and Moscow... and of course they agreed, three ducats of potential earnings was enough to encourage them. They only had to invest in their own transport.

I also decided to increase the number of arable lands, since 10 thousand hectares gave 80 thousand ducats of profit, if I had 20 thousand hectares... There was still the question of fruit, but I quickly found a solution ... I sold half of the apples and pears, and the remaining ones I was going to convert into vinegar... The price for one pitcher of vinegar is a 12 penny.

I handed over the rest of the duties to Secretary Kowalski, I had more important matters on my mind than selling agricultural products, sitting over financial documents also bored me ... next year I will have to hire someone to handle these matters, Kowalski also does not get younger and sooner or later he will need help.

The winter period is always more relaxed, so with more time I decided to focus on a few things. I brought three language teachers to Jazłowiec from Lviv, I intended to learn Turkish, Russian and Swedish in writing and speaking, and in the future also French and English... and the rest of the time I was going to spend on building my literary position, after publishing two serious novels, I decided that my next book would be "Fairy Tales of the Grimm Brothers" and "Andersen's Fairy Tales" ... of course, I will have to change both titles.

It was January 13, 1623, I was sitting in my office and doing another plagiarism when there was a knock.

"Please come in" (MC)

I knew that it was not Sveta, she was the only person who could enter my office without knocking. Secretary Kowalski appeared in the door.

"The Lord, a messenger arrived, brought bad news ... Your grandfather ... died two weeks ago." (Secretary Kowalski)

"Thank you, please, on my behalf, inform the priest to say Mass for his soul ... and please leave me alone now." (MC)

Secretary Kowalski left the office ... My mock sadness quickly turned into joy. I am rich, very rich ... My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"Sveta it's good that you are ... we will celebrate, take your clothes off ..." (MC)

"Lord ... I ... I don't know how, Lord, I ..." (Sveta)

I looked at her. She had tears in her eyes.

"Take a deep breath and tell me what happened. You will undress afterwards, today I am in a great mood." (MC)

"Lord, I'm pregnant, I'm sure of it, this is not my first child. You're going to be a father." (Sveta)