Ethics question

[A440A at aol.com]

<< I wrote a positive report of the piano and recommended the buyer offer 

several hundred dollars below the asking price.  She did so, but, the 

seller rejected her offer.  The buyer  left the deal and bought another 

piano elsewhere.  When I heard she bought another piano, without telling 

her,  I offered the original seller his price and bought the piano.  Did 

I do wrong?  Should I have asked her permission?  Should I tell her now, 

especially since she plans to  hire me to tune her new piano?  I have a 

queasy feeling about the deal. Should I?    It could be a future, 

awkward situation. >>

Greetings, 
    You better believe it.    You paid more than you suggested she did, and I 
believe if I had been in her place, and later heard about that, I would have 
automatically assumed that I had been cheated.  
    
   That queasy feeling is coming from somewhere.  Why would you tell them to 
offer less than you thought it was worth, and were willing to pay yourself?  
You were paid to tell your client what the piano was worth, and you didn't.  
(It's worth was determined by what you paid for it).   
        I don't know how you will get out of this without either suffering a 
long term fear of being found out, or, (more likely) when the truth comes out, 
being seen as totally underhanded.  What is a big dent in a reputation worth? 
     
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html