Page 65 of Lady of Providence
“Gentlemen,” she called out to the throng below her, and when no one turned, she cupped her hands around her mouth, and in a surprisingly still very ladylike manner, repeated her call. “Gentlemen!”
Heads near her began to turn, and soon murmurings through the crowd caused the lot of them to begin to look her way. One began to shout at her, but she held up her hand, and they fell into silence. Gabriel could understand why. It wasn’t every day a beautiful woman — a lady no less — commanded a room with simply her presence. Despite what he knew must be turmoil roiling within her, she looked as calm and composed as she always did.
“Contrary to what some of you have heard, the bank remains as strong an institution as it has always been,” she said serenely, her voice alone seeming to somewhat placate the crowd as she stood with her hands crossed in front of her. “We are not folding, and I can assure you that we have the ability to cover any and all debts that are required of us. Our partnership is changing, but the remaining partners will be meeting this week to discuss moving forward. We will continue in our current capacity. If, however, you still wish to remove your money from this bank, that is, of course, entirely within your right to do so. Please simply make a line so that our clerks can help you accordingly.”
She looked to the bank’s manager.
“Mr. Bates will help direct you to the clerk who is able to handle your business. Please see him first to assist you. If anyone would like to question me directly, please tell Mr. Bates, and we will form a line for inquiries to me as well.”
She turned and spoke to Mr. Brant, who had appeared behind her, and he nodded.
With that, she nodded to them all and then returned up the stairs. Gabriel heard mutterings of people around him. Some of them questioned Elizabeth, but many actually seemed mollified by her words and began filtering out of the building. About half remained, standing in line now to see Mr. Bates.
Gabriel could only stare after Elizabeth. She had handled the entire situation with more grace and dignity than any man ever could, that was for sure. If there was ever a man who questioned whether a woman belonged in business, if he had seen Elizabeth’s performance today, he would certainly revise his thinking. Gabriel wished he could tell her how magnificent she was, but she had been clear that she didn’t want his affections, and how could he continue to belittle himself before her?
Besides that, he couldn’t forget her dismissal of him — as a man, and as a partner. But until he was officially removed, this bank was still partly his, and he would do all he could to protect it.
Gabriel walked over to Mr. Bates and tapped him on the shoulder.
“If you need anything, Mr. Bates,” he said when the man turned to look at him, his own control returning after Elizabeth’s speech, “I shall remain at the side of the room in the chairs against the wall.”
Bates nodded, clearly appreciating the thought that someone else was available to back him if needed.
Gabriel sat in the corner, crossed his arms, and watched the proceedings.
* * *
Elizabeth had never been soexhausted in her whole life.
If she lost this bank, she would lose everything. As of this moment, it was just holding on. Thankfully her reassurance seemed to have held off some of the clients, and most of their significant clients had come to speak with her directly. While Elizabeth knew that no matter the each account was important no matter the size, when it came down to the bank’s financial picture, the larger accounts were, of course, the most vital.
Once she explained the truth of the situation, most agreed to remain with Clarke & Co., though she could tell some were skeptical. Between the lies spread by Henry, and the rumor — though true — he had shared with, it seemed, the partners of the bank, she wasn’t sure how long she could continue in her current capacity, or whether the bank could survive this.
She was letting her grandfather down, she thought, sinking her head into arms as she sat behind her desk. Elizabeth was nearly too tired to move, to find her way out of the bank and return home. Maybe she should just sleep here, she thought with some chagrin. She had the partner’s meeting in a couple of days. She could just stay here until then. What did it matter, anyway?
Elizabeth nearly jumped when there was a knock at the door, and when she bid entry to her visitor, she was surprised.
“Mr. Cartwright,” she greeted the elderly partner when he walked into the room. “Please, have a seat.”
He nodded, making his way over to the small conversation nook, where they sat next to one another. Elizabeth knew him fairly well, as the man has been a friend of her grandfather’s for so many years, yet she knew he had been as perplexed as many others when Thomas had named her his successor.
She opened her mouth but wasn’t entirely sure what to say. He was likely here to question her, suggest she leave the bank in the hands of someone else, but deep within she knew she wasn’t ready to let go. Despite the exhaustion upon her shoulders, she still had some fight let in her.
“Mr. Cartwright, I—”
He shook his head before she could say any more, and laid a hand upon hers in a fatherly way.
“Lady Elizabeth,” he said gently. “It has been a difficult day, I am sure.”
She nodded, blinking back tears at his kindness. “It has.”
“Your grandfather was one of my greatest friends, and he is a man I admired all of my life,” Mr. Cartwright said, the tufts of hair bobbing around his head as he spoke, and Elizabeth could see that his fingers moved in concert, and she knew he was likely longing for the pipe he typically smoked.
“Did you know,” he continued, “That we grew up together?”
“I did,” Elizabeth said, having heard the story from Thomas a few times. “He said that you had always been a close friend.”
“Since the day he protected me from the other boys picking on someone much smaller than them,” Mr. Cartwright said with a sentimental smile. “Thomas was always looking out for everyone else. He was the type of man who succeeded at everything to which he put his mind. Look what he did with this bank. He took a simple business and turned it into one of the most successful banks in London. A man who came from little was soon socializing with the nobility. Not many men can bridge that gap.”
