Doctor, ushering the Chamberlain to a chair. ‘My… page and I met a rough fellow in Jaffa from whom we bought these simple garments. Our own clothes were in a terrible state. Now whether this uncouth man had stolen the clothes from you first is another matter. Have you been missing things from the wardrobe?’
‘Yes, without a doubt,’ agreed the Chamberlain.
‘Then someone in your service at the palace is a pilferer. Someone who has access to the wardrobe. Of course, if you are certain these clothes I am wearing belong to you, I shall see they are returned to you immediately.’
Vicki breathed an inward sigh of relief as the Chamberlain’s manner became much warmer, mentally blessing the Doctor for wriggling out of the awkward situation.
‘Of course, my page and I have no clothes here,’ the Doctor went on, ‘and also, it seems to me, this honest merchant has been involved without much proper cause. Or profit.’
Ben Daheer, who had been following the conversation with increasing nervousness, terrified he would be revealed as a buyer of stolen goods, perked up his head at the sound of the word profit and his face brightened visibly.
‘Since we need clothes,’ the Doctor continued persuasively, ‘couldn’t we employ the merchant to make us outfits?’
The Chamberlain, also conscious he had brought Ben Daheer to the palace on a false pretext, immediately agreed. The Doctor smiled.
‘And what do you think he should be paid?’ he asked pleasantly. The Chamberlain rubbed his chin reflectively.
‘Well, well,’ said the Doctor, before he could reply, ‘I’ll leave it to you. You pay him whatever you think.’
The Chamberlain stared at the Doctor.
‘I? Pay the merchant?’
‘You are the Keeper of the Household Purse, are you not?’
Once again, the Doctor produced a battery of argument to support his plan, and eventually the Chamberlain held up his hands wearily then drew out a pouch from his belt. The Doctor took it from his hand, extracted six gold pieces from it and handed them to Ben Daheer, returning the half-empty purse to the defeated Chamberlain. Ben Daheer rubbed his hands over the coins in glee and was just about to launch into a long speech of gratitude when the Doctor cut him short.
‘Let us not say anything more until you have cut and stitched our clothes. There! This tiresome business has come to a happy conclusion for all of us.’
He turned and grinned at the Chamberlain’s long face.
‘I know, I know. You think that six gold pieces are too much for a single outfit each for my page and myself. But be contented, my dear sir. A man in my position needs all kinds of things to wear. I shall see your six gold pieces are used in the proper way. Besides costumes for our immediate use, this honest fellow and I will see that I am dressed for any occasion.’
‘My Lord, it is obvious to me that you are extremely important,’ said Ben Daheer, ‘but to do you justice I might well exceed the six gold pieces you have generously showered on me.’
The Doctor waved a hand grandly and Vicki turned away to hide her smile.
‘Whatever the sum is, my good man,’ he said airily, ‘the Chamberlain will meet it.’
Before the Chamberlain could argue, servants in the corridors started up a cry of his name. A servant knocked at the door and hurried in. Ben Daheer turned and then gasped in surprise.
‘It was him! He is your thief. His name is Thatcher.’
Thatcher, the culprit, gave a shout of terror as the Chamberlain ran after him. The Doctor put his arm around the shopkeeper’s shoulders.
‘Well, well. Now that we have that little matter settled, let us discuss the clothes you shall make for my page and myself.’
None of them saw the Princess Joanna walk past the door, hesitate for a second and then stand in the doorway.
‘You will make us some fine clothes, my friend,’ the Doctor was saying. Vicki made a face.
‘Must I go on pretending to be a page, Doctor? Can’t I be a girl
‘Yes, without a doubt,’ agreed the Chamberlain.
‘Then someone in your service at the palace is a pilferer. Someone who has access to the wardrobe. Of course, if you are certain these clothes I am wearing belong to you, I shall see they are returned to you immediately.’
Vicki breathed an inward sigh of relief as the Chamberlain’s manner became much warmer, mentally blessing the Doctor for wriggling out of the awkward situation.
‘Of course, my page and I have no clothes here,’ the Doctor went on, ‘and also, it seems to me, this honest merchant has been involved without much proper cause. Or profit.’
Ben Daheer, who had been following the conversation with increasing nervousness, terrified he would be revealed as a buyer of stolen goods, perked up his head at the sound of the word profit and his face brightened visibly.
‘Since we need clothes,’ the Doctor continued persuasively, ‘couldn’t we employ the merchant to make us outfits?’
The Chamberlain, also conscious he had brought Ben Daheer to the palace on a false pretext, immediately agreed. The Doctor smiled.
‘And what do you think he should be paid?’ he asked pleasantly. The Chamberlain rubbed his chin reflectively.
‘Well, well,’ said the Doctor, before he could reply, ‘I’ll leave it to you. You pay him whatever you think.’
The Chamberlain stared at the Doctor.
‘I? Pay the merchant?’
‘You are the Keeper of the Household Purse, are you not?’
Once again, the Doctor produced a battery of argument to support his plan, and eventually the Chamberlain held up his hands wearily then drew out a pouch from his belt. The Doctor took it from his hand, extracted six gold pieces from it and handed them to Ben Daheer, returning the half-empty purse to the defeated Chamberlain. Ben Daheer rubbed his hands over the coins in glee and was just about to launch into a long speech of gratitude when the Doctor cut him short.
‘Let us not say anything more until you have cut and stitched our clothes. There! This tiresome business has come to a happy conclusion for all of us.’
He turned and grinned at the Chamberlain’s long face.
‘I know, I know. You think that six gold pieces are too much for a single outfit each for my page and myself. But be contented, my dear sir. A man in my position needs all kinds of things to wear. I shall see your six gold pieces are used in the proper way. Besides costumes for our immediate use, this honest fellow and I will see that I am dressed for any occasion.’
‘My Lord, it is obvious to me that you are extremely important,’ said Ben Daheer, ‘but to do you justice I might well exceed the six gold pieces you have generously showered on me.’
The Doctor waved a hand grandly and Vicki turned away to hide her smile.
‘Whatever the sum is, my good man,’ he said airily, ‘the Chamberlain will meet it.’
Before the Chamberlain could argue, servants in the corridors started up a cry of his name. A servant knocked at the door and hurried in. Ben Daheer turned and then gasped in surprise.
‘It was him! He is your thief. His name is Thatcher.’
Thatcher, the culprit, gave a shout of terror as the Chamberlain ran after him. The Doctor put his arm around the shopkeeper’s shoulders.
‘Well, well. Now that we have that little matter settled, let us discuss the clothes you shall make for my page and myself.’
None of them saw the Princess Joanna walk past the door, hesitate for a second and then stand in the doorway.
‘You will make us some fine clothes, my friend,’ the Doctor was saying. Vicki made a face.
‘Must I go on pretending to be a page, Doctor? Can’t I be a girl
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