a trained dog. Just explain to her that her father's business goes down the sewer if she doesn't marry you. That will bring her around."
"Father, that's ridiculous. You can't really pull the rug from under Hanover. He's been your friend for years. He'll come out all right soon enough. He knows the business. I expect to learn a great deal from him before I take over."
The silver-haired man leaned back in his chair and blew smoke rings at the ceiling. "One of these days, boy, you'll learn that money's the only thing that gives you power. Hanover would shoot you in the back in an instant if he could. It's only that loan we hold that keeps him to his promises. Money is power, boys. Keep that in mind."
Artemis Mulloney rose and walked to the door, still tall and straight despite his years. He stopped only to turn with one more reminder, "Get that gal in line, boy, and do it soon. Elope. That's the best thing for her. Bed her and wed her, in that order. She'll come around when she knows who's boss."
Twenty-year-old John giggled as soon as the door closed. "That's one order I wouldn't have any trouble handling. Need any help with the little lady, Pete? I could entertain her when you're otherwise occupied."
"Shut up, John." Peter didn't even bother looking in his youngest brother's direction. There was something distinctly irritating about John's presence tonight. The kid looked more like their mother than their father. He had a woman's weak build and a lanky adolescent gracelessness that he hadn't outgrown. And his sense of humor was definitely misplaced.
Peter would be just as happy trouncing John as the newspaperman.
Why did the image of that stranger at the office this afternoon keep coming back when he thought of John? Obviously, he had too much on his mind.
It was time he paid the journalist a visit.
* * *
Daniel sat on a crate he'd brought to the roof and leaned back against an old chimney. He would have to find the fireplace that went with the chimney if he meant to stay here this winter, but winter was a long way off on a hot day in June. He threw off his shirt and picked up the notebook he used to keep a record of his ideas. He should be out investigating the mill to prepare the next bombshell he had in mind, but intuition told him it wouldn't suit his purposes to leave the premises for too long so soon after the first attack.
Intuition served him well. He heard the sound of the carriage carrying up from the street well before it arrived. It cost a lot of money in horseflesh to get that expensive clip-clop sound followed by silence instead of the unrelenting squeak of a farm wagon. Daniel had already seen Hanover arrive at the factory earlier this morning. This was a different visitor.
He couldn't help a leap in heartbeat at the possibility that Georgina might have decided to arrive in style, but he remained where he was, gazing upon the street below with full knowledge that no one could see him up here. He grimaced as he recognized the driver if not the carriage. He should have known Peter Mulloney would drive a sporty little two-seater chaise.
Daniel made no attempt to go down and meet his guest. He wasn't quite prepared to introduce himself to the brother he had never known and whom he was coming to despise as much as he had resented him earlier. Peter Mulloney was obviously the perfect son his family had wanted. Strong, handsome, he walked with an unblemished stride that Daniel could never hope to match. He probably didn't even need glasses. Daniel adjusted his own and went back to studying his notes. The dinner invitation in his pocket was ample excuse to wait for a meeting.
The deep base howl of a huge dog as his prey came close enough to strike made Daniel look up again, this time with a faint smile. Obviously, Peter had ignored the warning posted on the door. The dog had been an expensive investment, but a great burglar deterrent as well as good company.
Daniel couldn't quite hear the curses he was
"Father, that's ridiculous. You can't really pull the rug from under Hanover. He's been your friend for years. He'll come out all right soon enough. He knows the business. I expect to learn a great deal from him before I take over."
The silver-haired man leaned back in his chair and blew smoke rings at the ceiling. "One of these days, boy, you'll learn that money's the only thing that gives you power. Hanover would shoot you in the back in an instant if he could. It's only that loan we hold that keeps him to his promises. Money is power, boys. Keep that in mind."
Artemis Mulloney rose and walked to the door, still tall and straight despite his years. He stopped only to turn with one more reminder, "Get that gal in line, boy, and do it soon. Elope. That's the best thing for her. Bed her and wed her, in that order. She'll come around when she knows who's boss."
Twenty-year-old John giggled as soon as the door closed. "That's one order I wouldn't have any trouble handling. Need any help with the little lady, Pete? I could entertain her when you're otherwise occupied."
"Shut up, John." Peter didn't even bother looking in his youngest brother's direction. There was something distinctly irritating about John's presence tonight. The kid looked more like their mother than their father. He had a woman's weak build and a lanky adolescent gracelessness that he hadn't outgrown. And his sense of humor was definitely misplaced.
Peter would be just as happy trouncing John as the newspaperman.
Why did the image of that stranger at the office this afternoon keep coming back when he thought of John? Obviously, he had too much on his mind.
It was time he paid the journalist a visit.
* * *
Daniel sat on a crate he'd brought to the roof and leaned back against an old chimney. He would have to find the fireplace that went with the chimney if he meant to stay here this winter, but winter was a long way off on a hot day in June. He threw off his shirt and picked up the notebook he used to keep a record of his ideas. He should be out investigating the mill to prepare the next bombshell he had in mind, but intuition told him it wouldn't suit his purposes to leave the premises for too long so soon after the first attack.
Intuition served him well. He heard the sound of the carriage carrying up from the street well before it arrived. It cost a lot of money in horseflesh to get that expensive clip-clop sound followed by silence instead of the unrelenting squeak of a farm wagon. Daniel had already seen Hanover arrive at the factory earlier this morning. This was a different visitor.
He couldn't help a leap in heartbeat at the possibility that Georgina might have decided to arrive in style, but he remained where he was, gazing upon the street below with full knowledge that no one could see him up here. He grimaced as he recognized the driver if not the carriage. He should have known Peter Mulloney would drive a sporty little two-seater chaise.
Daniel made no attempt to go down and meet his guest. He wasn't quite prepared to introduce himself to the brother he had never known and whom he was coming to despise as much as he had resented him earlier. Peter Mulloney was obviously the perfect son his family had wanted. Strong, handsome, he walked with an unblemished stride that Daniel could never hope to match. He probably didn't even need glasses. Daniel adjusted his own and went back to studying his notes. The dinner invitation in his pocket was ample excuse to wait for a meeting.
The deep base howl of a huge dog as his prey came close enough to strike made Daniel look up again, this time with a faint smile. Obviously, Peter had ignored the warning posted on the door. The dog had been an expensive investment, but a great burglar deterrent as well as good company.
Daniel couldn't quite hear the curses he was
Similar Books
