Page 66 of Lady of Providence
Elizabeth nodded, well aware of all that he said, and Mr. Cartwright leaned forward, looking into Elizabeth’s eyes.
“Your grandfather believed in you. He put this bank in your hands. I was skeptical at first, I will admit that. A woman, the senior partner of a bank? I’d heard it done before, it was true, but at Clarke & Co., I wasn’t sure.”
Elizabeth nodded again, not trusting her voice. He was right. Perhaps she hadn’t been the best choice.
“But Lady Elizabeth,” he continued. “You have proven yourself as much as your grandfather ever did. You have handled everything with the decorum you were raised with as a lady, and still the strength that has been passed down from both your grandmother and grandfather. Your cousin has done much wrong by you, and still, you have maintained your poise, responding in a manner that most would be unable to manage. Needless to say, Lady Elizabeth, I am impressed.”
“But all of the clients today—”
“They will come back,” he reassured her. “No other bank in London offers the service of Clarke & Co., which they will soon realize for themselves. In addition, the fact that you allowed anyone who wished it to remove their money only proves that this bank is, by no means, failing. If your grandfather were here, Lady Elizabeth, he would be proud of you. I wanted you to know that.”
Elizabeth nodded, unable to form any words due to the lump in her throat. She swallowed a few times, and Mr. Cartwright, clearly seeing her struggle, patted her hand and began to rise.
“I shall see you at the partners’ meeting. Do not worry yourself,” he said with a smile as he began to depart the room, and Elizabeth finally managed, “Thank you, Mr. Cartwright,” as he gave a little wave and continued out the door.
CHAPTER31
For the second time in the same week, Gabriel was stunned by the scene in front of him as his carriage pulled up before the doors of Clarke & Co. Once again, a line of people protruded from the entryway. Today, however, they were calm and orderly, and even Anderson didn’t look the slightest bit flustered.
This time, Gabriel didn’t rush into the building, but rather maintained the composed manner of the crowd itself and followed them in the door. Mr. Bates was standing at attention at his station, looking rather pleased, while clients were stepping up to clerks, some with hands full of papers.
“What in the world is happening?” Gabriel asked Mr. Bates as he looked around him.
Mr. Bates looked at him with a wide smile.
“They are returning, Your Grace!”
“Returning?” he looked back to Bates in surprise.
“Yes!” The man confirmed. “Can you believe it? It seems that most of them, upon returning home, realized that no other bank would have offered such a service, nor treated them so courteously despite the fact they were doing a run on it. They are now returning to re-hire the bank to store their savings, as it were, though many are somewhat shame-faced.”
“Well, I’ll be…”
Gabriel had never heard of such a thing before. It seemed that a bit of decorum and treating the customer with the utmost respect was actually the best action Elizabeth could have taken.
It was becoming clearer than ever before why Thomas Clarke had selected her as his successor. Not only did she have the temperament and the intellect, but the original senior partner had also trained her well.
“Mr. Bates?”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“What are the thoughts of the staff over all that has occurred?”
“They stand behind Lady Elizabeth,” Bates said staunchly. “Just as they stood behind her grandfather. She is a good woman, your grace. She treats the staff fairly, pays them well, and knows them each personally. That’s not typical in most banks, Your Grace. No, they will not be seeking employment elsewhere, that is for certain.”
“Thank you, Bates,” Gabriel murmured as Bates turned back to the next client looking for his service.
A flash of royal blue caught his eye as he turned, and Gabriel looked up to see Elizabeth standing at the top of the staircase looking down on the lobby below. Even from afar, he could tell that her gaze was incredulous, as though she herself could hardly believe what was occurring. And then the slightest of smiles graced her lips, and she nodded to herself before turning and hurrying back the way she came — likely to prepare for the meeting at hand.
Gabriel would miss this. Would miss her. It had been a strange position to find himself in, as a duke, and yet an endeavor he enjoyed. He sighed as he made his way to the stairs to find the meeting room. He would likely be the first to arrive, but perhaps a moment alone with Elizabeth would not be the worst idea.
* * *
Elizabeth tappedher quill pen nervously on the table. She ran her finger over the pen’s inscription once more as she awaited the partners to join her around the table. She had no idea what the reaction would be to her pronouncements today, and it scared her to think of it. But this was her role, her duty, and one she would not shirk.
The door nudged open, and Elizabeth looked up, expecting to see Mr. Brant, whom she had sent on an errand to collect a copy of the partners’ rules in case she had to explain any of her actions. He must have found them rather quickly, she surmised.
The frame filling the doorway, however, was not Mr. Brant’s. It was a wide, broad frame, one more familiar than any other man’s had ever been.
