Page 5 of Dancing with an Enigmatic Duke
“Oh,” Emmeline said with a frown. “Well, if my brother has his business well in hand, why would he benefit from bringing ships to the Indian Ocean, if you do not mind my asking, Lord Torrington?”
Harcourt was the one chuckling now. “She got that from our mother.”
“I do not hold an inquisitive mind against a young lady. It is a good thing to be keen upon understanding one’s world.” The duke breathed deeply as if pondering how to explain before he continued. “I think it would benefit your brother by opening up new avenues of trade. He would not have to take his whole fleet out of the Caribbean spice market, but it could be a good investment to stave off any potential slow times.”
Emmeline took a sip of her wine as she listened to the man’s explanation. “In theory that seems a good plan. However, are they not in the same market here at home? If the market slows in one part, it will slow all over. Should he not invest in a different market to ward himself against such things?”
“True,” Lord Torrington conceded. “The spice trade is generally a strong one, however. What I meant was if some blight or other should affect yields that his income would be protected by being in multiple environments.”
There was no flaw to that particular logic, so Emmeline merely nodded.
Harcourt sighed. “I simply do not think that I want to try to persuade my crews to move seas. Some of them have families in the Caribbean and would not be favourable to it.”
“Ah, the family man,” Lord Torrington said with a grin. “Some of them have families here at home as well. We could combine efforts and create a new company together, which would share the risks.”
“It does not seem much of a risk, if you are merely combining two fleets. Why would you need my brother’s ships if you have your own?” Emmeline sat back as a serving girl came to collect her plate, followed by another girl with a plate of greens coated in a sweet vinaigrette.
Harcourt motioned to one of the young women. “Would you ask them to bring dessert as well? We can serve ourselves.”
The young woman dipped into a quick curtsey and hurried out of the dining room. “Still rushing dessert?” Lord Torrington asked the question with a one-sided grin that only earned him a glare from Harcourt. The duke’s eyes flashed over to Emmeline. “To answer your question, after your brother’s sweet tooth interrupted the conversation, I do have a fleet, but he has far too many ships in the Caribbean for the output of the islands. We could use those extra ships to take on the cargo that my ships have to leave behind. Think of the profit wasting away in fields or storage. We do not get nearly as much in the local Indian markets.”
Emmeline cut her eyes over to her brother. To be truthful, Harcourt did not look opposed to what his friend was saying. “Then I wonder why he does not assent. That has to be a question left solely for him.”
“Hear, hear,” Harcourt chimed in as he raised his glass and took a sip of his wine.
Lord Torrington snorted. “I see the family resemblance now.”
Despite Harcourt’s instructions that they could serve themselves the dessert, two serving girls brought a cake. One carried the cake and one carried plates and utensils. Harcourt’s eyes followed them greedily as the girls sliced the cake up, placing a slice on each plate before passing the plates of dessert around the table. Harcourt took his plate with a grin. “It looks delicious.”
“I’m sure the cook will be pleased to hear that, Your Lordship,” the older girl said. Harcourt waved them away and they quickly took their leave back to the kitchens.
Much to Emmeline’s amusement, Harcourt pushed his plate of greens away and pulled the cake to him. It was Lord Torrington who remarked upon Harcourt’s dismissal of his vegetables. “How do you hope to raise fine strong children by teaching them to forgo their vegetables in favour of cake?”
Harcourt narrowed his eyes at his friend as he sliced off a piece of the cake with his fork. “I do not see any children at this table. Nor do I expect to see any until I get family affairs in order. So at least for the time being, I can indulge as I wish.”
“Family affairs meaning me, I suppose,” Emmeline said before she could stop herself. She instantly regretted it. The conversation had put her at ease, and Emmeline had let her guard down.
The men turned their heads to look at her. Harcourt spoke to her much as their father had when she had stepped her foot out of line. “As a matter of fact, Emme, you were exactly what I was referring to. It is my duty to see you properly married, and I intend to do so. However, I do wish to pursue my own marriage one day.”
Harcourt looked as if he might say something else, but a male servant popped his head into the room. “Forgive the intrusion, Your Lordship, but there’s a letter for you at the door. The gentleman insists that you take it personally.”
Sighing, Harcourt shoved himself up from the table. “It is probably that dratted Grissom. He is forever sending me correspondences, and I have to sign for them. Excuse me.” Harcourt left the room, and Emmeline felt as though perhaps he had taken the air with him, for she could scarcely breathe from the embarrassment of the way her brother had spoken of her.
“Harcourt lacks tact. However, his mention of the season makes me dread it all the more,” Lord Torrington said, as if he had picked the words right out of her head.
Emmeline eyed him curiously for a moment before she whispered, “I know what you mean.”
“Do you really? Does any woman?” Lord Torrington’s question brought her eyes up to his face. He was eyeing her with equal curiosity. He laid his fork down on his plate as if he were giving her his full attention. “It seems to me that most women I meet simply cannot stop talking about the season, with its balls and parties.”
Emmeline’s finger played with the base of her wine glass. “Perhaps, then, I am not like other women. I do not think that I will enjoy it much.”
“Why is that?” He asked the question with what seemed genuine interest, but Emmeline hesitated to respond. When she made no move to explain, he continued, “I do not look forward to it simply because my family, specifically my mother, has attempted to match me with every eligible lady that can be found. Mind you that is a lot.”
She eyed him for a long moment. “And yet you have found no match. Does the fault lie with the young women or with yourself?”
To his credit, Lord Torrington did not seem offended at the question. He smiled with a light laugh. “I would say the fault lies more with myself. I simply do not have the time or energy for it. My strengths need to be focused on business at present. But my mother has set her mind that she shall have her grandchildren within two years.”
“She does not give a young lady much time, does she?” Emmeline laughed behind her hand primly.
