by Abigail Agar
With the silence, Everett looked up. Phin’s face was as tight as a corkscrew, the look most men have seconds after having been punched in the gut.
He shot out of his chair and came around the desk. “Come on, sit. I’ll get you a drink. Sit.”
Everett poured two whiskies – he knew he would also need one – and sat in the chair next to Phin. “Start from the very beginning.”
Phin slowly turned to Everett. “I knocked on her door, but she refused to see me.” He turned his face to the wall and stared.
Everett gave himself a minute. He breathed deep, and gently placed his hand on Phin’s arm. “Who answered? Was it Quinn?”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t let you go in?”
“No.”
“What exactly, Phin, did he say?”
“The ladies aren’t receiving today.”
“Is someone ill?”
“No.”
“You asked?”
“Yes.”
“What did Quinn say?”
“The ladies aren’t receiving today. The ladies aren’t receiving today. The ladies . . .”
“I get it. Stop.”
Phin stared, drink in hand while Everett turned in his seat. “Phin look at me. Good. Now, drink up, we have work to do.”
“Ev, I don’t want to work right now. You’re going to have to do without me.”
“No, Phin. We have work to do. We have Charlotte’s work to do. Drink. We’re going to your townhouse.”
Everett called out to Mercy as soon as he and Phin entered Phin’s townhouse. She peeked her head out of the parlour.
“Oh my, what happened here?” she said.
Everett pointed his chin into the parlour and Mercy followed them in.
“Charlotte won’t receive Phin,” Everett said.
Mercy’s hand flew to cover her mouth. “Why? Did she give a reason?”
“He knocked, Quinn answered, said the ladies weren’t receiving.” Everett paused. “What’s the chatter among the ladies since we’ve been back?”
“Minimal. Same questions, same guesses.” Mercy sat down.
“Why don’t you stay put,” he said, giving Mercy the signal that Phin couldn’t go out. “I have two errands I need to run, then I’ll be back. If you get any callers this afternoon, see what they have to say.”
Mercy nodded, then looked at Phin. He was slumped in his chair, staring at the empty fireplace. She got up and followed Everett out. “I think I should go visit Charlotte.”
“No need. I’m headed there myself. Then I’m going to his solicitor’s office. Enough is enough. We're moving on the investigation.
Mercy nodded and shut the door behind Everett. She walked back into the parlour to discover Phin hadn’t moved.
Phin knew Everett and Mercy had been talking, but he couldn’t hear their words. His heart was exploding in his ears, one boom at a time. He was paralyzed. How do you move when you have no idea where you would go? Phin’s mind raced through every interaction he ever had with Charlotte. It was easy to conjure them up, but it was harder to figure out why he was being rejected. There could only be one reason, really. The rumours about him and his father. They would dog him for the rest of his life. She must have decided she didn’t want them to dog her for the rest of her life.
***
“I’m sorry My Lord, the ladies aren’t receiving today.”
“Please announce that I am here, and I need just a moment of their time.”
“I’m sorry, My Lord, the ladies aren’t receiving today.”
“I’ll stand here, next to the door. So the neighbours aren't alarmed, I’ll make sure to talk to each person that walks by. When the ladies are receiving again, I’ll be right here. I’ll be here this evening if they plan to go out, tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon and on.”
“My Lord,” Quinn bowed then softly shut the door.
After forty minutes of Everett talking to every person who passed the townhouse, in a rather loud voice, mind you, Quinn opened the door.
“You have been invited in by Lady Genevieve. Lady Charlotte is not available. Lady Genevieve asks appreciation for keeping your call short.”
“Thank you, Quinn. Very nice neighbours you have.”
“Thank you, My Lord.” Quinn stood back so Everett could enter the parlour. The door was left open, as Lady Genevieve was the only one in the room. Quinn stood just outside the door.
“Lady Genevieve,” Everett bowed.
“My Lord. Please sit and tell me what brings you to my door today.”
“I am alone, and I ask your discretion on keeping our visit between us,” Everett said.
“Oh? I’m surprised to hear that. I thought you came on someone else’s behalf.”
“I did. Come for someone else’s behalf, that is. However, he does not know I’m here, and I would prefer it to remain that way.”
Everett paused. “If you could be so kind to indulge me about why my friend and I have not been welcome at your door?”
“Certainly. My niece received information about the wrongdoing of your friend, and she no longer wishes to associate with him.”
“Lady Genevieve, what is the nature of this information?”
“I hardly think it is a proper topic of conversation for us, My Lord.”
“Alright. I will bring up events that have been the topic of conversation about my friend, and you can tell me if any of these are salient topics to our talk.” Everett leaned forward in his chair, readying his fingers to tick off all the topics he would mention.
“First. Phin responded to an emergency notice of loan default on Collinswood, a default that would have required the bank to sell Collinswood. Phin renegotiated the loan so Mercy would not lose the roof over her head.
“Second. He opened new bank accounts without his father’s name on them so Bennett couldn’t access the accounts and gamble the money away.
“Third. He opened an account for Mercy’s dowry since his father gambled her dowry away. All of it.
“Fourth. He physically pulled his father out of Maggie’s gambling hell – to the objection of Jasper Bernard, I might add. His father promptly disowned him.
“Fifth. Phin opened an account giving his father an allowance.
“Sixth. He went to India to build a plantation, and he sent all the money he earned to me to pay down the Collinswood loan and build up Mercy’s dowry.
“Seventh. After five years, he sold the plantations – he had three by that time – to the East India Company for an obscene amount of money.
“Eighth. He came back to London for Mercy’s season.
“So let’s talk about the rumours. Yes, his father disowned him. No, he didn’t leave his father penniless, gambling left his father penniless. He gave the man that disowned him a monthly allowance. For gambling money, Bennett fronted two smuggling boats, and he sold off jewellery – his wife’s and his daughter’s as well as valuable antiques.
“You mentioned you didn’t want to have an improper conversation. Then I’ll ask you, have you heard anything else besides the twisted truths I just provided you?”
“No.”
“I can personally vouch for every penny Phin earned and put into the bank because he sent it to me, and I deposited it. I deposited it in an account to pay down Collinswood that Bennett tried to gamble away and I deposited it in the account for Mercy because Bennett gambled away her dowry. I also deposited money into an account Phin set up for his father.
“Your information. Who has vouched for it? You couldn’t have possibly turned Phin out on his ear on hearsay. Lady Genevieve, I would very much like to hear of this information and its veracity.”
Everett leaned back in his chair. He thought he may have been a little hard on Genevieve, but he was trying to save a friend. He looked in her face, but all he saw was indecision. What is there to think about? he wondered. He rose and bowed.
“I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. If you have any que
stions about anything I’ve said, please just send the messenger to my office. I will respond immediately. I believe Phin advised you to have Jasper Bernard checked out. I strongly suggest you listen to his advice. Good day.”
***
Everett stood on the pavement in front of Charlotte’s townhouse, shaken. He had never disclosed such personal information before. It didn’t sit well with him. And it was all for naught. Genevieve was unmoved. Everett shook his head. How could she be unmoved?
He knew it wouldn’t end there. Charlotte and Genevieve couldn’t continue to turn Phin away, but Everett would not allow that to stand.
Not when Phin was in terrible pain. When Everett walked into the parlour, and he saw Phin in agony, he wanted to put his hand into Phin’s chest, grab his heart, and pull it out. He imagined himself dusting it off and putting it back in, shiny and clean.
Everett cringed and closed his eyes. He started walking to Phin’s. Josie and Mercy had invited some ladies over for a buffet dinner and gossip this evening. Great.
Everett walked into Phin’s parlour and said, “Let’s go to White’s. Nothing like a gentlemen’s club devoid of females to have peace and quiet while we drink and eat. Phin told Everett he had stopped by Charlotte’s every day this week. He sent flowers – different ones every day. Everett told him he saw Aunt Genevieve and explained the truth about Bennett and Phin. Phin said it hadn’t made a difference, though he was grateful for the try.
***
“I heard back from the East India Company on prices to rent cargo space. You were right. It hasn’t gone up at all,” Everett said when Phin walked through the door.
“Not at all? Great news,” Phin said with no enthusiasm as he took the chair.
“Can we increase the space we rent on these ships?”
“Not on every ship, but on enough.”
“Phin?” Everett said.
“Yes, Everett,” answered Phin.
“”Is today going to be at all productive? Because if it isn’t, let’s not bother.”
“Let’s try, Everett. We can call it a day if things aren’t progressing.”
“Fair enough. How about we get the subject of Charlotte purged so we can move on. I think it’s best,” Everett said, a hopeful look on his face.
“So you want me to act like a girl in her first season pining over a Duke who rejected her?”
Everett hit the desk with the palm of his hand. Phin jumped. “Exactly.”
Everett got up, closed his office door and sat back down. “Phin, seriously, how are you doing?”
“Everett,” he said adjusting himself in the chair trying to get comfortable,” I miss her. She’s the one I want. I was so close. I get why she won’t see me. I wouldn’t want her to make a life with me while this cloud is hanging over my head, but I don’t have to like it.”
Phin got up and started pacing. “I’m so frustrated.” He turned to Everett, “I didn’t do anything wrong.” He fell back into his chair, rolled his head back and looked at the ceiling.
“So you miss her, she’s the one, and you can’t have her because of something you didn’t do. Does that about sum it up?”
Without moving his eyes from the ceiling, Phin said, “Yessss.”
“Can we come up with a way to solve this? Are there people who can vouch for you or people Bennett knew at the time who can come forward?”
“This whole mess revolves around two separate truths that have been mashed together. Do you really think one person refuting one piece of this is going to satisfy the sceptical people of the ton?”
Chapter 16
Phin walked into Everett’s office. “Nothing new on the Charlotte front?”
Phin shook his head. “I visit every day and get turned away. I send flowers every day, and they are refused. I send letters. They bounce right back to me.”
“Know what I think?”
“No, Everett. Tell me, what do you think?”
“Don’t get testy. I’m trying to be of help. What I think is she is so devastated by the circumstances, she can’t bear to see you or hear from you.”
“That’s probably true. So you don’t think I look like a lovelorn idiot?”
“No, you look like a lovelorn idiot, just like everyone else out there in love.”
“Better.”
***
Mercy waited in the front hall for Quinn to return. Before, Quinn would open the door wide for her, and she would walk straight into Charlotte and Genevieve’s parlour without a thought. Now she didn’t even know if she would get permission into their parlour.
Quinn came out and shut the door behind him. He walked to Mercy and gave a bow.
“Though the ladies appreciate your visit, they ask if you could come again. They hope later this week would be convenient for you. They would very much like to receive you then.”
“Thank you, Quinn. Would you let the ladies know I will be back on Thursday?”
“I will, My Lady.” Quinn bowed and opened the door for Mercy.
***
“Lord John Beasley, Duke of Marlborough to see you, Your Grace,” Stevens announced at Everett’s office door.
“John,” Everett said, standing, “what a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in. Let me pour you a drink?”
“Yes, Everett, that’s lovely.”
Everett motioned to the two chairs by the fireplace, and John sat.
With drinks in hand, Everett joined him. “I heard you and I have a mutual friend. Lady Genevieve?”
“We do. I have just met her, but I have to say, I’m enjoying her company.”
Everett took a small drink of his whisky. “And how are the two ladies fairing?”
John eyed Everett then sat back, getting himself comfortable in his chair. “How are they fairing? Well, that’s what I’m here about, actually.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, I have the good fortune of being received by the ladies. Apparently, I’m alone in that regard. Genevieve told me about your visit to her after Charlotte turned Phin away. My understanding is you were forthcoming with your familiarity with Phin’s flight to India. You told them of the differences between Bennett’s and Phin’s version on the events of five years ago.”
“Yes, I told Lady Genevieve everything thinking it would change her opinion of the rumours, but I was wrong. It didn’t seem to make any difference to her at all. I have to admit I was surprised by her response.”
John paused and nodded. “Everett, I’ve come here today hoping that you and I can work on a way to clear up these rumours about Phin once and for all. I hear the ton believes the rumours are true. Whether they be true or not, if the ton believes them to be true, there will always be a cloud over Phin’s head.
“The ladies believe Phin is of excellent character. You know, Everett, if there is a cloud over his head, there would be a cloud over his wife’s and children’s heads.
“Charlotte has been advised – either rightly or wrongly – not to connect herself to Phin when these rumours could go on for years.
“Now,” John said, taking a sip of his drink, “that about explains things. I’m hoping we can put our heads together and find a way to refute these rumours. What do you think Everett?”
Everett looked into his glass, swirled the liquid inside, and looked up at John. “I can’t think how we would prove something definitely did not happen. Bennett disowned Phin; Phin did close the accounts, and then he did sail to India. These rumours are so close to the truth, they defy adjustments.”
John looked undeterred. “Prove it we must. I want to tell you a story. You know, getting twenty-four Dukes in the same country estate for a weekend is a difficult accomplishment. Thankfully, it only happens twice a year. At one of our meetings, I don’t believe you were Duke at the time, Bennett wanted my help on accessing Mercy’s dowry account.”
Everett’s head snapped up, his eyes bore into John’s.
John put up a hand, palm facing Everett. “I know what you’re thinking.
He knew I was on the board of directors of the bank holding Mercy’s dowry account. He told me he kept a journal of what happened including information on why Phin went against him and why he disowned Phin. He told me if I read the journal, I would change my mind and immediately allow access to Mercy’s account.
“I told him I couldn’t help him. He never spoke to me again.” John paused. “I think we need to see if this journal exists.”