Page 99 of The Moonstone Hero
“I meant to ask,” she said, breaking into his thoughts, “how did the meetings go with your grandfather’s advisors?”
“Quite well. I certainly cannot fault the old man in his attention to the family interests. I’ve gone through dozens of reports regarding the Seaton assets, and there is very little to trim away. They are all operating at a profit.”
“I am not surprised. Your grandfather seemed sharp as a hawk and very much needing to be in control of everything.”
“Including whom I marry,” Caden said with a sigh, but dismissed that concern, since he was now betrothed to Ella and there was nothing and no one ever going to dissuade him from marrying her. All that was in doubt was the timing. “As for the Seaton assets, I was relieved to see he hadn’t gotten much into ‘the steal from others to enrich myself’ business yet.”
“Oh, I’m glad.”
“Those Ashanti gold mines are all that were taken by him and his so-called business partners. Perhaps more of these shady dealings will turn up as I dig deeper, but it appears most of our holdings are in England and inherited from the former Duke of Seaton. There’s no question my grandfather improved on them, but they were gained by legitimate means, assuming our early ancestors were not scoundrels and cutthroats.”
“England’s history is so filled with wars and brutal grabs for power,” Ella said. “I cannot imagine any of today’s powerful families having reached their status because their forefathers were pious.”
“I suppose not,” Caden admitted. “Was I too hard on my grandfather? Am I a fool to be enraged and blaming him and that worm, Abbott, because of what happened to my men?”
She shook her head. “No. Absolutely not. What they allowed Fulke to do was heinous. There is a difference between fighting for our country because we are at risk of being attacked, and our marching in and grabbing whatever we want from others who never had any intention of harming us. I see that clearly. So do many of your peers, particularly Solway and Mar. I think the Scottish lords are most sympathetic because this is what the English did to them on their lands, and it is still quite fresh in their minds.”
He gave her a soft kiss. “I thinkyouought to make the speech to Parliament. You will be far more persuasive.”
Her eyes rounded in mock horror. “Dear heaven, no. But I shall cheer for you loudly from my high perch in the gallery.”
He gave her cheek a light caress. “I love you, Ella.”
She melted into his embrace. “I love you too.”
He realized by her tone that his words came as a relief for her.
Idiot!
He had not properly considered what his reluctance in firming their wedding plans was doing to her. And Ella was not the sort ever to say something to him about it. But it had to be worrying her. Would he back out? Would things change if he became duke?
“Ella, I am going to marry you.” This was all he could say, and he would keep telling her until he knew more about his grandfather’s condition.
“I know.”
But she didn’t really. Caden could hear the false bravado in her words. “I will, Ella. Even though we are not in Moonstone Landing, I do not need to see those moonstones to know they are shining for us. Have faith, love.”
He walked her out to the waiting carriage, greeted Stafford and Imogen, and remained on the street to watch them as their carriage disappeared around the corner.
He strode back inside to speak to Dr. Farthingale. “Do you detect any change?”
“No,” the doctor said. “Tomorrow will be a turning point, I fear.”
Caden’s heart tightened. “I suppose I had better pray harder for that miracle.”
He spent the rest of the day by his grandfather’s side, talking to him and reading to him. He even read the Shelley poem Ella loved so much. “I know, Grandfather. I cringed too when she first read it to me. But it helped pull me out of the depths of my despair. Well, seeing Ella’s beautiful face again probably did most of that for me. The poem helped, too. It reminded me that beauty does still exist. Not everything in life is about cruelty and greed.”
He sighed and continued. “Do not take that as an accusation against you. It is just a general comment on the nature of man.”
Caden left his grandfather’s side only occasionally to meet with the estate manager and financial advisors. He had several very smart money men, but the one who stood out as best among them was Finn Brayden. For this reason, Caden had asked to meet with him privately today.
“Lord Mersey, you look as though you have something specific on your mind. What is it you wish to ask me?”
Finn settled into one of the chairs opposite the desk, obviously comfortable with their meeting, and perhaps relieved to be meeting with Caden and not Abbott. Caden took the chair beside his, preferring a more casual chat to sitting behind that big desk, which only served as a barrier between them. “There is something that worries me, Mr. Brayden. It has nothing to do with the Seaton investments under your management. It is those he has with Lord Horace Abbott. Do you know anything about them?”
“Yes, I make it my business to know what else my clients are investing in. Are we to be honest here?”
“Absolutely. This is why I invited you here alone. If I could strangle Abbott and get away with it, I would. I do not like his influence over my grandfather at all.”
