easily transportable good, like sugar and salt. Rubies and other gemstones require costly protection during transport and, as they are not a necessity, they are difficult to sell. But every man in this city requires a bit of sugar and salt to season his meal. Little risk, dependable return. You’d do well to remember that, Lady Juliana.”
“Thank you for the advice,” Juliana replied, though her voice lacked the ring of veracity. She had not been pleased when Mrs. Jolly had assigned the glum-faced solicitor as her mentor, and she liked him less with each passing moment. The man had a genius for leaching the excitement out of every circumstance. But even the dour Mr. McGregor could not entirely quench her anticipation for the adventure that lay ahead. For the first time in years she had more to look forward to than attending balls and parties and gossiping about the latest scandal. She was about to take the helm of themighty Marquis Line, her father’s dream. And maybe, by making his dream her own, the terrible ache in her heart would begin to fade. An ache for her father, and for—
“Connor Reed.”
Juliana sat bolt upright. “W-what?”
Mr. McGregor produced a handkerchief from one of his numerous pockets and gave his nose a swipe. “Connor Reed was a beneficiary who was left a considerable inheritance by your father, but who has not yet come forward. I dunno why. I put advertisements in all the newspapers, and dropped hints in the local watering holes. But not a blessed soul has come forward to claim the money. It’s a poser, and that’s the truth.”
Not to Juliana. The Admiralty had no wish to associate their heroic privateer with his less-than-honorable former life. Even though the marquis’s will absolved Connor of any legal punishment for his larceny, the moral stain would remain. And while the peers, politicians, and power brokers who had invited Connor into their homes might sanction all manner of murder and mayhem in the kings name, they would be sorely unforgiving of a crime perpetrated against one of their own.
In any event, it was none of her affair. “Perhaps this Reed person is out of the country. Or dead,” she added with a relishing smile. “In any event, a missing beneficiary is no concern of mine.”
“Funny, I thought you might ken something of the fellow’s whereabouts.”
Juliana’s smile died. She turned to the window and affected disinterest. “La, sir, what a curious thought. I never heard of the man before that afternoon.”
McGregor produced a tin of snuff from a pocket and took a pinch. “You don’t say? Well, that’s another poser, considering your da spoke of this man thinking of him
and
of you. Are you certain you’ve never heard of this man?”
Mr. McGregor’s unwavering stare threatened to drain thetruth right out of her. “Perhaps I heard my father speak of this gentleman, but if I did it was long ago.”
“Well, I couldna help seeing that you were that torn up when you heard the man’s name. Are you absolutely sure you know nothing of this man?”
Juliana read the accusation in Mr. McGregor’s gaze. She opened her mouth, half-afraid that the whole sordid truth would come tumbling out of her, but Meg spoke first. “For shame, Mr. McGregor. Juliana had only recently learned of the death of her father. Is it not natural that she would break into tears occasionally, for no reason at all? If she says she has never heard of this Connor Reed, then I am quite certain she hasn’t.”
Mr. McGregor settled back in his seat. “Forgive me, Lady Juliana. As I told Mrs. Jolly, I am unused to the company of young female persons. I had no wish to offend. I only wanted to ken the whereabouts of the inheritor of a sizable legacy. In any event, I shouldna have troubled ye. In a few minutes you’ll have your hands full of more problems than kenning the whereabouts of some old acquaintance of your da’s.”
Juliana looked out at the towers of crates and boxes that
“Thank you for the advice,” Juliana replied, though her voice lacked the ring of veracity. She had not been pleased when Mrs. Jolly had assigned the glum-faced solicitor as her mentor, and she liked him less with each passing moment. The man had a genius for leaching the excitement out of every circumstance. But even the dour Mr. McGregor could not entirely quench her anticipation for the adventure that lay ahead. For the first time in years she had more to look forward to than attending balls and parties and gossiping about the latest scandal. She was about to take the helm of themighty Marquis Line, her father’s dream. And maybe, by making his dream her own, the terrible ache in her heart would begin to fade. An ache for her father, and for—
“Connor Reed.”
Juliana sat bolt upright. “W-what?”
Mr. McGregor produced a handkerchief from one of his numerous pockets and gave his nose a swipe. “Connor Reed was a beneficiary who was left a considerable inheritance by your father, but who has not yet come forward. I dunno why. I put advertisements in all the newspapers, and dropped hints in the local watering holes. But not a blessed soul has come forward to claim the money. It’s a poser, and that’s the truth.”
Not to Juliana. The Admiralty had no wish to associate their heroic privateer with his less-than-honorable former life. Even though the marquis’s will absolved Connor of any legal punishment for his larceny, the moral stain would remain. And while the peers, politicians, and power brokers who had invited Connor into their homes might sanction all manner of murder and mayhem in the kings name, they would be sorely unforgiving of a crime perpetrated against one of their own.
In any event, it was none of her affair. “Perhaps this Reed person is out of the country. Or dead,” she added with a relishing smile. “In any event, a missing beneficiary is no concern of mine.”
“Funny, I thought you might ken something of the fellow’s whereabouts.”
Juliana’s smile died. She turned to the window and affected disinterest. “La, sir, what a curious thought. I never heard of the man before that afternoon.”
McGregor produced a tin of snuff from a pocket and took a pinch. “You don’t say? Well, that’s another poser, considering your da spoke of this man thinking of him
and
of you. Are you certain you’ve never heard of this man?”
Mr. McGregor’s unwavering stare threatened to drain thetruth right out of her. “Perhaps I heard my father speak of this gentleman, but if I did it was long ago.”
“Well, I couldna help seeing that you were that torn up when you heard the man’s name. Are you absolutely sure you know nothing of this man?”
Juliana read the accusation in Mr. McGregor’s gaze. She opened her mouth, half-afraid that the whole sordid truth would come tumbling out of her, but Meg spoke first. “For shame, Mr. McGregor. Juliana had only recently learned of the death of her father. Is it not natural that she would break into tears occasionally, for no reason at all? If she says she has never heard of this Connor Reed, then I am quite certain she hasn’t.”
Mr. McGregor settled back in his seat. “Forgive me, Lady Juliana. As I told Mrs. Jolly, I am unused to the company of young female persons. I had no wish to offend. I only wanted to ken the whereabouts of the inheritor of a sizable legacy. In any event, I shouldna have troubled ye. In a few minutes you’ll have your hands full of more problems than kenning the whereabouts of some old acquaintance of your da’s.”
Juliana looked out at the towers of crates and boxes that
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