Chapter 9 #2
“How thoughtful.” He tapped his fingers on the desk. “What did Farnsworth say when you told him you made an offer to purchase the Hollisters’ shipyard?”
Yuri shifted. “I didn’t exactly volunteer that information, and Farnsworth didn’t ask.”
“No. I daresay he didn’t.” Because the last thing the shrewd businessman would have expected was for happy-go-lucky Yuri to buy a shipyard out from under him.
“Laurel seems nice, though,” Yuri added. “Too nice for that household, really. It’s like she doesn’t fit.”
Those had been his exact thoughts when he’d visited San Francisco last summer and decided to start writing her.
“I approve of the marriage.” Yuri sent him a wink.
Alexei just shook his head. “I haven’t proposed yet—and I might not ever be able to, considering what you just did.”
Yuri only grinned again. “A smart businessman will respect everything I just did. If Farnsworth doesn’t, then maybe you’re better off not marrying into the family.”
“Maybe.” Alexei narrowed his eyes at his younger brother. He wasn’t sure whether to thank him or strangle him. Maybe both. “You really should have spoken to me before making an offer on that shipyard.”
“If I had sent a telegram asking if I could buy a shipyard and then waited in San Francisco for your response, would you have let me do it?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Exactly.” Yuri crossed his arms over his chest, looking far too pleased with himself. “That’s why I didn’t ask.”
“How lovely.” Alexei stood. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to pack.”
Mikhail laughed. “Planning to head to San Francisco, are you?”
“Hopefully on the ship Yuri came in on. I’m not going to sign a banknote to purchase a shipyard I haven’t seen with my own eyes.” And he should probably talk to Farnsworth and try to smooth things over so he could still write to Laurel.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Sacha stood.
Alexei eyed his brother. “Do you really want to leave Maggie with her expecting?”
“No, but this won’t be a long trip, will it? And I’m the one who knows how to build and repair wooden ships.”
Alexei bristled. “I’m a naval architect. I know how to build ships.”
Sacha slung an arm around his shoulder. “And when was the last time you picked up a hammer and drove a wooden peg into the hull of a ship?”
“Fine. Come with me, then.” Alexei shrugged him off, then jabbed a finger at Yuri. “I’m in the middle of doing our semiannual audit, making sure the shipping manifests match our warehouse inventory and sales revenue. You should be able to finish it by the time I return.”
Yuri let out a groan.
“You’ll also need to answer as much correspondence as possible while I’m gone,” Alexei continued.
“Perfect. Just what I dreamed of doing after conquering San Francisco. Battling ledgers instead of merchants.”
Alexei sent him a dark look. “I cannot afford to get behind. And if, by some miracle, we do end up purchasing this second shipyard, I’ll expect you to be the one who moves to San Francisco to run it.”
“Me?” Yuri’s eyes widened.
“Who else do you think wants the job?”
“But I—”
“Do you want me to go to the library meeting for you?” Mikhail asked. “The first one is tomorrow night.”
“Library meeting?” Yuri’s brows furrowed. “Since when does Sitka have a library?”
The library. Alexei had forgotten. Drat. “Since Andrew Carnegie decided to donate money for us to start one. Several businesses have also made donations, including ours. I’ve been named the president of the library committee, but you can fill that role for me, too, while I’m gone.”
“Me? Mikhail just offered.” Yuri shoved a hand at Mikhail.
“Yes, but this will be good for you. Think of it as training for when you’re running the new shipyard.”
“But . . .” Yuri opened his mouth, likely about to protest, but the outside door to the office banged open, and a trio of light footsteps rushed up the stairs.
“Yuri!” Freya Eriksson was the first to reach the top of the steps, followed by Jane Henshaw and Millicent Duret.
“They told me you were back, but I didn’t believe it.” Freya rushed toward him, whisps of golden hair flying from her bun. “Rosalind said you’d be gone for several weeks.”
“The most marvelous thing has happened.” Jane practically skipped across the room toward Yuri, a wide smile plastered across her face. “The town is going to have a library!”
“Yes, Alexei was just telling me about it.” Yuri sent Alexei a glare over the top of Jane’s head.
“Mr. Carnegie himself donated some of the money.” Millicent came to a stop beside Yuri.
“So I’ve heard,” Yuri muttered.
“And the Caldwells also made a large donation!” Freya clasped her hands together and tucked them beneath her chin. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
“It certainly sounds wonderful.” Yuri sent Freya a wink. “Sitka has needed a library for years. Alexei was just telling me that I’m to have a spot on the committee.”
“You are?” Millicent beamed. “That’s so wonderful. Rosalind is going to be on the committee too.”
Yuri stilled. “She is?”
“Yes,” Millicent nodded. “Her father got her the position, but it’s perfect for her. You know how much she likes to read.”
“I’m glad to hear she’ll like the job.”
“Where do you think the library will be built?” Freya asked.
“Do you think it will be big?” This from Jane, who had sidled between Millicent and Yuri.
“I hope it has large windows to let in the light for people who want to sit there and read,” Millicent said.
Alexei shook his head. The library committee position had gone from something Yuri despised to something he seemed genuinely happy about, and all because he’d seen how excited his friends were about the idea.
“You all right?” Sacha’s meaty hand landed on his shoulder. “I thought you wanted to see about leaving on the ship that just came in.”
“I do.” Alexei exhaled slowly, dragging a hand over his face. “I just—” He shook his head, watching as Yuri leaned in to catch every word the women said.
Alexei didn’t understand it. He never had. But somehow Yuri could navigate a room full of people with effortless charm and make himself useful in ways that had nothing to do with ciphering numbers on a ledger or drawing blueprints.
Or rather, he was useful when he wasn’t burning bridges with a shipbuilder as significant as Harold Farnsworth and getting them tangled up purchasing a shipyard that might be more trouble than it was worth.