the
banker
.’ Though usurer would be a better name for Barnard’s profession. ‘Good friends, are you?’
‘We have mutually beneficial dealings from time to time. Barnard said you would be discreet over this matter, and would welcome the fee, for you have a child to raise.’
A threat, if ever he’d heard one. ‘And raise her, I shall. I never discuss money with clients. They can either afford to pay, or they can’t. Those who can will be billed by my
clerk in due course.’
‘Of course.’
Seth smiled gently. ‘I heard that Barnard drew in his loan on the company, then seized the assets of the Morcant Shipping Company. You bought it cheaply from him, I understand.’
Durrington shrugged. ‘Clara Nash’s dislike for the girl overrode her good sense and she played right into my hands. My only sorrow is that Alex died before I could carry through my
plans for us to jointly own the shipping company and expand into steam. You know Clara is ill, don’t you? Serves her right, she should never have meddled with opiates.
Seth had never met Clara Nash, knowing her only by reputation. He’d long been aware of her excesses and appetite for the exotic and unusual. ‘Didn’t the lady have young
daughters. What happened to them?’
Lord Durrington smiled. ‘The sweetest pair of innocent doves I ever set eyes on. Clara guarded them with her life, since it’s all she had left to bargain with. I had intended to wed
one of them so I could get myself an heir on her. But Alexander got in her ear and the girls dug their heels in. I could have had the pair at a price, the second as my mistress. But it meant
forcing the issue, and Clara wanted too much for allowing me that little pleasure.’
Although the breath hissed between his teeth, Seth’s smile was pleasant. ‘No man wants to dance to the tune of a greedy woman.’
‘Greed is built into Clara Nash, but a lot of good it will do her now, since she won’t live much longer. At the moment the girls are living with their brother in Clara’s house,
but the lot of them will be out on the street shortly, when Barnard forecloses. I thought to buy the house myself, but it would stretch me too thin at the moment. I’ve just signed a contract
to build a steamship, and have plans to erect a warehouse on the site of Alex Morcant’s former home.’
Seth’s grey eyes gave nothing of his thoughts away. He stood up, shook hands with the man and nodded. ‘You’ve told me all I need to know. I’ll be in touch in due course.
Good day, my lord.’
When he got outside Seth drew in a deep breath. Even the streets of London smelled fresh after the stench of decadence in that drawing room.
He headed for his home, one in a row of houses exactly alike in design and situated not far from Hyde Park. It was a convenient location for Seth, since he liked to ride every morning when he
was in residence.
Handing his hat and cane to the butler, he said, ‘Where’s Miss Kate?’
‘In the garden with her governess, sir.’
Strolling through the house, Seth paused at the French windows, smiling at the sight of his niece, who was lying on her stomach under the copper beech tree, drawing something in an exercise
book.
She looked pretty in a blue flowered dress with a frilly white smock over it. Nearby, Kate’s governess was nodding off in a wicker chair. As Seth watched, Kate picked up a long blade of
grass, got to her hands and knees and tickled the end of the governess’s nose.
By the time the governess came awake, flapping a hand in front of her face and saying crossly, ‘Bothersome insects,’ Kate was back where she’d started from, drawing
industriously in her book.
When Kate looked up and smiled, her eyes wide and innocent, the governess smiled back at her and said, ‘All right, my turtle dove?’ Kate nodded, and the woman’s chin gradually
sunk on to her chest again and she began to snore gently.
Seth chuckled as Kate picked up the blade of grass again.
banker
.’ Though usurer would be a better name for Barnard’s profession. ‘Good friends, are you?’
‘We have mutually beneficial dealings from time to time. Barnard said you would be discreet over this matter, and would welcome the fee, for you have a child to raise.’
A threat, if ever he’d heard one. ‘And raise her, I shall. I never discuss money with clients. They can either afford to pay, or they can’t. Those who can will be billed by my
clerk in due course.’
‘Of course.’
Seth smiled gently. ‘I heard that Barnard drew in his loan on the company, then seized the assets of the Morcant Shipping Company. You bought it cheaply from him, I understand.’
Durrington shrugged. ‘Clara Nash’s dislike for the girl overrode her good sense and she played right into my hands. My only sorrow is that Alex died before I could carry through my
plans for us to jointly own the shipping company and expand into steam. You know Clara is ill, don’t you? Serves her right, she should never have meddled with opiates.
Seth had never met Clara Nash, knowing her only by reputation. He’d long been aware of her excesses and appetite for the exotic and unusual. ‘Didn’t the lady have young
daughters. What happened to them?’
Lord Durrington smiled. ‘The sweetest pair of innocent doves I ever set eyes on. Clara guarded them with her life, since it’s all she had left to bargain with. I had intended to wed
one of them so I could get myself an heir on her. But Alexander got in her ear and the girls dug their heels in. I could have had the pair at a price, the second as my mistress. But it meant
forcing the issue, and Clara wanted too much for allowing me that little pleasure.’
Although the breath hissed between his teeth, Seth’s smile was pleasant. ‘No man wants to dance to the tune of a greedy woman.’
‘Greed is built into Clara Nash, but a lot of good it will do her now, since she won’t live much longer. At the moment the girls are living with their brother in Clara’s house,
but the lot of them will be out on the street shortly, when Barnard forecloses. I thought to buy the house myself, but it would stretch me too thin at the moment. I’ve just signed a contract
to build a steamship, and have plans to erect a warehouse on the site of Alex Morcant’s former home.’
Seth’s grey eyes gave nothing of his thoughts away. He stood up, shook hands with the man and nodded. ‘You’ve told me all I need to know. I’ll be in touch in due course.
Good day, my lord.’
When he got outside Seth drew in a deep breath. Even the streets of London smelled fresh after the stench of decadence in that drawing room.
He headed for his home, one in a row of houses exactly alike in design and situated not far from Hyde Park. It was a convenient location for Seth, since he liked to ride every morning when he
was in residence.
Handing his hat and cane to the butler, he said, ‘Where’s Miss Kate?’
‘In the garden with her governess, sir.’
Strolling through the house, Seth paused at the French windows, smiling at the sight of his niece, who was lying on her stomach under the copper beech tree, drawing something in an exercise
book.
She looked pretty in a blue flowered dress with a frilly white smock over it. Nearby, Kate’s governess was nodding off in a wicker chair. As Seth watched, Kate picked up a long blade of
grass, got to her hands and knees and tickled the end of the governess’s nose.
By the time the governess came awake, flapping a hand in front of her face and saying crossly, ‘Bothersome insects,’ Kate was back where she’d started from, drawing
industriously in her book.
When Kate looked up and smiled, her eyes wide and innocent, the governess smiled back at her and said, ‘All right, my turtle dove?’ Kate nodded, and the woman’s chin gradually
sunk on to her chest again and she began to snore gently.
Seth chuckled as Kate picked up the blade of grass again.
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