Yes, the girl was intelligent and teachable, Alice thought as she felt her insides relax just a little. With those looks, that maturity, and especially her brother’s wealth, there would be no difficulty in finding her a husband.
“So, what has to happen next?” Nathanial asked from the head of the table. Alice almost laughed at his blunt comments. The man wouldn’t know subtly if it bit him in the ankle. No not Mr. Nathanial Caldwell. To him, everything was a problem to be attacked.
Olivia quickly glanced at Alice, her cheeks turning slightly pink at her brother's lack of tact. Obviously she was worried about making a good impression.
“A ball,” her mother said. “A coming out ball, here in your home I should think.”
“No,” Alice said, interrupting her mother, “I think a trial run, at a friend’s party. Something for Olivia to test and get her feet wet. A ball here would be too much for the first time. The ball should be given towards the middle of the season. Give us enough time to attract the right people.”
Her mother nodded slowly as she continued to eat. “Perhaps you are correct. A safe, secure gathering where we know she will be accepted. First impressions are so important.”
“Bradford,” Nathanial stated as if that answered all of their concerns.
“No!” Olivia answered quickly with a fierce frown. Seeing their surprise, she quickly stammered, “It is just that I am not sure I will be welcome at the Earl’s gathering.”
Nathanial laughed. “I assure you, Olivia, the man is not a beast, despite what you think. He will kindly welcome you. In fact, I will make sure that you are his first dancing partner.”
Alice noticed that the young girl’s face suddenly lost all its color. What is going on there? she wondered. The girl had been so poised and assured of herself. Most young girls would have been thrilled at the thought of attending a ball at an Earl’s home. Yet, she seemed hesitant for some reason.
“Yes, well,” her mother said, “a ball at the Earl of Bradford’s home would be an excellent start. But really, it will come down to the gathering here, at your ball. As for the Earl of Bradford’s event, we will need to let it be known that someone important will be there. Some reason for people to come.”
“Would the Duke of Hampton be sufficient?” Nathanial asked.
“Yes,” Alice answered immediately. “And if his wife were to attend it would be even better. People are curious.”
Nathanial laughed, “People are nosy, you mean.”
Lady Weston stopped eating for a moment and frowned at him. “You know the Duke of Hampton?”
Nathanial smiled as he nodded. “Let us say that we used to travel in the same circles. He will attend.”
“And other peers?”
Nathanial sat back and thought for a moment. “I can have a hundred Lords and their Ladies here. Perhaps the Prince Regent, but I would prefer not to ask that, not yet.”
Alice’s mother’s eyes grew very big as she looked at her daughter. Obviously, she had no clue what kind of man she was dealing with.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “It would not do to let people know who would be attending and then have these men and their wives not show. No, it would not do at all.”
Nathanial laughed again as he took a sip of wine. “I assure you, Lady Weston, half the men in this town owe me more than one favor. The other half want to be in business with me or hope to learn something from me. I promise you. If I ask them to come, they will come.”
Alice watched him for a moment. The man was not boasting. This wasn’t some false sense of bravado. No, he was simply stating a fact.
“Shouldn’t they be coming to see me?” Olivia asked.
Alice smiled at the young girl from across the table. “Oh dear, they will, I assure you. But first, we must get them to Lord Bradford’s. After that, a girl with your charm and your beauty. They will forget all about your brother. I assure you.”
Olivia blushed and nodded slightly, accepting the compliment.
“To attend the parties, they will both need a wardrobe,” Lady Weston said. “An entire ensemble for every possible event,” her mother added as if she were discussing next week’s menu with the cook.
Alice watched as Nathanial studied her mother for a long moment as if over a negotiating table. He smiled slightly and nodded. “Of course.”
“And,” her mother continued, obviously upset that she hadn’t asked for more, “you will have to escort your sister to each event. Not only for her protection. But, once the women of the ton learn that you will be in attendance, it will increase the invitations. I assure you. There are never enough eligible bachelors at these things. In fact, it will counter their displeasure in having such a rich beauty competing with their daughters.”
Alice watched as his eye narrowed for a quick moment. Obviously not pleased with this turn of events.
“I assure you, Mr. Caldwell,” Alice interjected before he could say no, “it will be expected. You need only put in an appearance, then you can break away to the tables in the parlor. It is common for the men to gather there and play games of chance.”
At last, he nodded but held up a hand.
“I have business concerns that at times must take precedence. I will endeavor to limit the conflicts. But I must warn you, they may occur.”
Both women nodded their acceptance of his proposal.
After that, the dinner became a cordial, easy affair. Olivia asked questions about the latest styles and what she would need to purchase. They discussed which modeste they should use and which milliner provided the best hats.
The girl’s eyes lit up as she planned out her wardrobe. Alice had to smile to herself when she remembered her first season. The fear and excitement. The sense of power and the thrill of anticipation. Oh, it was such a wonderful thing to be so young and have your entire life in front of you. Especially when you could afford to live the life you wanted.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed that Nathanial’s eyes glazed over as he ignored their conversation. A typical male, she thought. If it didn’t concern horses, guns, or cards, then he had no interest.
Well, she would have to see about changing his mind about such things.
Smiling to herself, she looked down at her empty plate less Olivia, or her mother read her mind. Yes, the man needed to learn what a pretty dress could do for a woman. She might not be his mistress, but that did not mean she couldn’t make him regret that fact.
Chapter Eight
Nathanial sat behind his desk and read the latest report from his estate in Kent. For once, his agent had good news. The new mill was proving to be more profitable than expected and the repairs to replace one of the barns had been less than anticipated.
Good man, he thought. Pleased with himself that once again he had put the right man in the right job.
As he held the paper in front of him, his mind drifted from the words on the paper to think about the dinner and more specifically Lady Alice Weston. Smiling to himself, he remembered how easily she had handled everything. Putting Olivia at ease. Making her feel as if she were in charge while subtly guiding her.
Yes, the woman would do well.
Frowning, he wondered once again why she wasn’t married. The woman would make an excellent countess. He could well imagine her juggling a dozen different issues. Always ensuring everyone felt as if they had received fair treatment.
“Sir, do you have a moment?” his secretary, Mr. Johnson, said from the door.
Nathanial looked up from his report. He hadn’t even heard the man knock.
Shaking his head, he pointed to the chair across from his desk.
“What have you found out?”
Mr. Johnson slipped into the chair and pulled out a sheet of paper from the inside of his black frock coat.
“It seems, our Lord Brookstone is not as wealthy as has led people to believe. Not when you consider the debts mounting before him.”
Nathanial smiled. This was what he liked about Jo
hnson, the man was a natural spy. He’d found him working in his father’s offices. A simple clark. But he’d noticed that the man knew everybody and always had the latest news. He knew which ships were poorly manned, which were carrying contraband and which were in danger of being lost due to poor seamanship.
It was this knowledge his father had used in deciding which voyages to invest in. A practice that Nathanial had expanded on greatly. Then, realizing the man’s true value, he’d shifted him over to be his personal secretary.
“And?” he asked him.
“And,” the man said with a smile, “I will have an entire list of his debts before sunrise.”
Nathanial laughed. “How?”
Mr. Johnson shrugged his shoulders. “His Lordship should be more careful in his secretary. The man likes to play cards. Later tonight, he will lose a significant amount of money. Money he cannot afford to lose. I will offer him a choice, the list or I will go to his employer and demand relief. Believe me. He will gladly turn over the list.”
Nathanial nodded. “Good.” He thought for a moment then asked, “Any word from Tommy? Is he back yet?”
“No, Sir. Not yet. But it is early. I would not expect him back until tomorrow at the earliest. But, if Lord Weston has anything to be embarrassed about. Our man in Bristol will have it. I promise you.”
Again, Nathanial nodded as he thought about the things he was setting in motion. It was strange, he thought. Before last night, he would never have bothered himself with such men. But after seeing what Brookstone had done to Lady Weston. And learning that her own cousin had tossed her aside like spoiled cargo. No, such a thing would not be allowed to stand. These men had unknowingly made a fatal error. They had crossed Nathanial Caldwell. Worse, they had hurt someone he was starting to care about.
That was the one thing that could never be allowed.
.o0o.
Lady Alice Weston smiled as Olivia continued to ask questions about the latest fashions and what would be expected of her. It was quite obvious the girl had a lot to learn.
“Perhaps we could go through your wardrobe?” Alice asked. “Knowing what you already have available and what you prefer will help me at the modiste’s.”
The young girl studied her for a few seconds and Alice realized that she might very well be embarrassed. Was it being thought of as a school girl? Or was she worried about being thought of not having good taste.
At last, she nodded and led her to her bedroom.
“Should we call your maid?” she asked.
Olivia vigorously shook her head. “Maud would only slow us down, I do believe she was a maid for one of Henry the VIII’s wives.”
Alice laughed as she started to examine Olivia’s dresses. Nothing particularly wrong she thought, just out of date. Then, something caught her eye in the back of the wardrobe.
“What are these?” she asked as she held up a pair of men’s breeches.
Olivia’s face grew very red as she lifted her chin and said, “Breeches.”
“I can see that,” Alice said. “But why are they here?”
“They’re mine.” Olivia said as she took them from Alice and carefully folded them.
Alice paused and said, “Why do you have men’s breeches?”
Olivia sighed heavily. For a moment, Alice thought the young girl would refuse to answer, but finally, she said, “I wanted to see a boxing match. They would never have allowed a girl to go. So, I pretended to be a boy.”
Alice could only stare in shock. Did Nathanial know about this?
“You went to a boxing match? Alone?”
“Not alone, Jocko went with me,” the girl said, unable to look Alice in the eye. She knew how wrong this was, Alice thought. Yet, had done it anyway.
“Jocko helped you?”
Olivia swallowed hard. “Don’t blame him. I didn’t give him a choice. I told him I would go without him if he wouldn’t help.”
Alice could only stare as she desperately tried to understand. The thought seemed so foreign to her. The scandal if she had been discovered would have been terrible.
“What was it like?” Alice asked as she returned to examining the dresses.
Olivia frowned. “Honestly, much more violent than I thought it would be. And very smelly. I mean, a stench that I believe I will never be able to erase from my memory.
Alice laughed. The story told her so much about the girl. Now, if she could only learn about her brother.
Who was he? Where was he from? How did he get here? Such wealth at such a young age. The man couldn’t be more than thirty-three. Less than ten years older than herself. Yet, he acted as he had seen so much more of life.
An old soul, someone had once called people like that. People who understood the world and quickly mastered it.
“Your brother,” she suddenly interrupted. Then froze when she saw the surprised look in Olivia’s eyes.
Backtracking quickly, Alice tried to cover her trail. “I am sorry,” she said. “But, what is your brother’s favorite color? Perhaps that is what you should wear for your first ball?”
Olivia nodded. “Blue, he likes blue. He told me once that it reminds him of the ocean.”
Alice frowned. “Does he miss the ocean? Was he a sailor?”
“Yes,” the young woman said with a smile. “In fact, I should tell you that story. If you want to know about my brother, that story will illustrate everything.”
Alice bit back the question about to leap from her mouth.
Instead, she said, “Only if you think it might help. After all, a good part of my job will be managing your brother to your best interest. We will need his help and concurrence on so many things. If I could better understand him, then it might help. Of course, I wouldn’t dream of asking you to divulge family secrets.”
Olivia laughed. “That is okay, everyone knows this story. I am not telling tales out of turn.”
Alice nodded, but kept her lips firmly pressed together. Do not push, she told herself. Let the girl think this was her idea.
Olivia took a deep breath and began. “The first time Nathanial tried to run away to sea, he was ten years old. Before I was even born. He tried to stow away on one of my father’s ships. Jocko found him and returned him to my father. I can still remember my mother telling the story. The butler let Jocko walk into the house holding Nathanial by the scruff of the neck like a drowned rat.”
“So, Jocko worked for your father?”
“Oh, yes. He was a bosun on one of Father’s ships. Anyway, Nathanial kept badgering Father, until at twelve, Father finally relented. Mother told me that she wasn’t happy about the matter, but Father assured her that after one voyage, Nathanial would soon recant his silly ideas.”
“I don’t think any mother would be pleased with the thought of letting her twelve-year-old son run off to the sea,” Alice said.
Oliva nodded. “Well, to make sure, Father had Nathanial sail before the mast. Not as a cabin boy.”
“What does that mean?” Alice asked.
“It is a term, meaning common sailor. The front of the ship is where the sailors live. It also means, no special privileges, no protection. Although, Father did place Jocko on the same ship to keep an eye out for my brother. But Jocko told me years ago that he hadn’t been needed. That first night at sea, Nathanial pulled a marlin spike on a sailor.
“Jocko refused to tell me what the sailor did to deserve it, but assured me that Nathanial had every right. After that, his protection was no longer needed and that Nathanial took to a sailor’s life like a duck to water.”
Alice thought about what the young woman was telling her. A twelve-year-old boy had lived and worked among sailors. Climbed up to the yardarms and furled sails in storms. Stood hours and hours of watches, long lonely nights under the stars. Oh, how he must have loved having such an adventurous life.
“So, this started even before you were born. Tell me, did you know Jocko growing up?”
Olivia laughed. “Jocko is fam
ily. I have never known a world without Jocko in it. When Nathanial would visit, after a voyage. Jocko would always come with him. Nathanial would bring me dolls from around the world. I loved them, don’t get me wrong. But Jocko, he would bring me maps and books. Those I treasured.”
Alice smiled, that said so much about this young woman, she thought. Knowledge, adventure, those were what was important to her. She could well imagine the same applied to her brother.
“Anyway,” Olivia continued, “after two years, Father realized that his son was not coming to despise the life of a sailor as he had hoped. So, he moved him to midshipman, an apprentice ship’s officer. Nathanial told me how he loved the new challenge, but the bookwork, the math, almost sent him back to the sailor’s quarters. Eventually, he mastered it though, became a ship’s officer and then took his first command at eighteen.”
“So young,” Alice said with a gasp, then tried to hide her obvious interest by removing several of the dresses that would not be adequate.
“Not as unusual as you would think, and he had proven himself to his men. Coming from before the mast held a lot of importance to the men, Jocko told me.”
Alice nodded, she could see it, see him, stalking the deck, glaring off into the distance, ready to meet any challenge. Her heart tumbled a little, thinking of him, alone against the world. The responsibility for his ship and his men resting on his young shoulders. A thousand things that could go wrong. All of them unanticipated. Yes, she could see him leading such a life.
“And your brother inherited your father’s shipping business?”
Olivia frowned slightly as she obviously remembered the death of her father. Shaking her head, she said, “Yes, but by then, Nathanial was already richer than my father.”
Alice was shocked, “How?” she asked before she realized she might be treading into family affairs that were none of her concern.
Olivia smiled. “It is a complicated story.”
“I imagine,” Alice said with a matching smile while holding her breath. This was a detail she desperately wanted answered. Not because she had any desire for his wealth, but because it was so central to who the man was.
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