Page 101 of Terms of Trade (Trade Wind 4)

Sirena waved her hand. “Oh, he is most clever with conservatories. Helen, Mr. Paxton became famous for his work at Chatsworth.”

“That’s the seat of the Duke of Devonshire,” Nicholas explained.

“He’s designed a modular building of glass and iron, and mark my words, it will be built at Hyde Park and dazzle the world!”

A half hour later, having imbibed hertsipouro, Pen had moved to her favorite chair and fallen asleep.

Sirena shook her head, a loving look on her face. “Cheeks of a cherub. Spirit of a nymph. She was up late last night, decorating. No, Helen, do not apologize. She loved every moment, as did I!”

“Rest until dinner,” Vassilis suggested to his wife, who settled back into her own chair and closed her eyes. “Helen, come look atHydraagain with me, will you?”

Nicholas watched dispassionately as his father silently nabbed thetsipourobottle and his empty glass, and led Helen to the Christmas tree. He carefully set everything on the table, then picked up the model ship.

“Your people came from Ireland and Britain, eh? Ours from Greece, then Constantinople. Ships have carried both our ancestors across the seas. Changing our lives and fortunes.”

She nodded, imagining the three-masted clipper that Elijah commanded this very moment, then wondered about all the other ships her relatives had traveled on. Her own mother had crossed the Atlantic with her family in 1799 at the age of five.

“Yes, Vassilis. Our families have traveled by sea. Made their livings from it one way or another.”

“Different families, but the same, eh? Strong people. Daring. You and Nicholas will carry this on through your own children.”

She didn’t know where to look. She couldn’t profess shock that he would know of her and Nicholas’s affinity, but tonight was the first time his parents had spoken so boldly.

He chuckled, and she forced herself to look at him. He seemed neither displeased nor disapproving.

“I’m not Greek.”

He shrugged. “This is true.”

“I’m not an English lady. I’ll bring your family no social glory.”

He winced, presumably at the reminder of what he had sought by aligning Adrian in marriage with the aristocracy, before nodding. “I know.”

His frankness spurred hers. “Could you accept me? Not just as a friend of the family, but as family?”

“Yes,” he replied immediately. “Before you is a man humbled. I accept the bounty of the fortunes that the Fates bring to me instead of trying to force them to my will. Nicholas changed his name and left our family business. Adrian has disappeared—not just from the business, but our very family. Penelope…well, I have a daughter who is more son to me than the two I have. Look at her with this mathematics tutoring.”

She tried to listen without judgment, for his tone was wistful, and she bit her tongue against defending Nicholas or championing Pen.

He held out the ship to her, which she took from his hands carefully, balancing it so the stacks of little painted tea chests didn’t tumble.

“That ship saved our lives, and it didn’t come from my family, but Sirena’s. Did you know? My father was a dragoman—a statesman and trusted advisor to the Sultan. Yes, even as a Greek. In fact, for centuries in the Ottoman Empire, Greeks were important advisors and diplomats. Sirena’s father was the trader.”

“She said he traded with the Russians.”

“Among others. A brilliant man. As was my father, but oh, how we clashed.” He poured another glass oftsipouroafter checking that Sirena wasn’t watching. “I’m not so…diplomatic. I didn’t want to be a dragoman like him. That disappointed him.” He grunted, making a realization. “Nicholas is a great deal like my father was.”

Helen couldn’t prevent her eyes from flaring.

“Yes. A great irony, isn’t it? My father was killed by the Sultan before we forgave each other. A great regret in my life. Yet I have two sons and neither wants to be close to me. I don’t want for us to continue this way.” He took a sip before glancing at Nicholas across the room. “He’s closer to me than ever—thanks to you. I know he comes here so much only to be near you. But you’ve built a bridge, and I’m grateful. One day, that ship in your hands will be in your home, and Nicholas will explain to my grandchildren how he came to England aboardHydra.”

Helen’s throat tightened as she looked from the wooden model in her hands to Vassilis, who blinked away the moisture that glistened in his own eyes.

“Alacritywill arrive back in London, and you’ll make my son rich with tea profits, eh? A fortune. Then we can speak of weddings.” He tossed back the remainder of his glass.

“Vassilis!”

Startled by Sirena’s piercing shriek, Helen dropped the ship.

It crashed onto the marble floor and splintered into pieces, scattering the tea chests in every direction.

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