Chapter Thirteen
Drake tapped the tips of his fingers together as he listened to Edward Gains explain what had been discovered by the accountant who had reviewed the ledgers. Despite his interest, his mind kept shifting. So did his emotions.
When he’d left Meridith yesterday, he’d wanted to head straight over to Chesterfields’s. If a man didn’t have his word, he wasn’t much of a man. The only thing that had stopped him was the fact that he wasn’t holding true to his word any more than Chesterfield.
He hadn’t lied or attempted to deceive the duke. It was just that he’d changed his mind. Marriage no longer seemed to be the death sentence that he’d one assumed. He would marry Meridith, wanted to marry her.
But she didn’t want to marry him.
He’d sent Chesterfield a message that he was no longer interested in a partnership between their shipping companies. Although he’d wanted to include more, about how disgusting it was to include Meridith in any business deal, he hadn’t, because he just needed to walk away. Get back to his own life.
‘…stealing money from you.’
The last bit of Edward’s statement caught his attention. ‘Excuse me?’ Drake asked. ‘Stealing money from who?’
‘You,’ the solicitor stated. ‘It was quite easy for the accountant to find.’ Frowning so deeply his grey brows met over the bridge of his nose, Edward asked, ‘You were aware that your uncle had been ailing for several months before his death?’
‘Yes, I was told that when he passed away. I’d arrived in London the day before that happened, so I hadn’t seen how ill he’d become.
I’d been gone off and on for almost a year, stopping only long enough to unload and reload cargo.
’ The only reason he’d decided to stay longer had been Hugo, and the need to get him settled.
Then he’d been told that his uncle was on his deathbed, and rushed to his side, but had been too late.
Edward nodded. ‘From what was discovered, I’d guess that Archibald had taken over overseeing the shipping ledgers when your uncle first became ill.’
‘You think Archibald was stealing money from the shipping company?’
‘I know he was.’
Drake wouldn’t put anything past his cousin, but there was no need for him to steal money. ‘Archibald has several other ventures. Why would he steal from this one?’
‘To fund the others is my guess,’ Edward replied. ‘You and your uncle were partners. Donald made the same amount that you did, and that has been substantial over the years. Enough to keep the family coffers solvent while other investments failed.’
The company kept Drake’s account flush with money.
Had for years, and he’d known it was profitable for his uncle, but he didn’t know other family investments had failed.
There was no reason for him to, since he wasn’t a part of any of them.
‘If that was the case, that the shipping company was the only one profitable, Archibald wouldn’t want to sell it. ’
‘He would if he planned on buying it under an assumed name. A front company. From what was discovered, more than your uncle’s share started being pilfered over a year ago, which aligns with your uncle’s illness, and it continued to grow.’
‘I’ve received my share.’
‘Not all of it.’
Drake’s stomach sank. There was another thing he hadn’t given his full attention to, one more thing he’d never worried about, because he already had more money in various accounts than he would need in his lifetime.
It was set up for all payments to go directly to his solicitor and be deposited or invested elsewhere, and for the costs of his London home to be paid monthly.
‘Did you notice a difference in my payments?’
‘No, because the payments were always in different amounts and an accounting came with them. I trusted what was delivered, until I matched it up with the ledgers you provided recently. I owe you an apology for not paying closer attention.’
‘There was no reason for you to think anything was amiss,’ Drake said. He wasn’t worried about his money, but was worried about Archibald attempting to buy the company under an assumed name. ‘You really believe Archibald was considering buying the company? That’s why he talked about selling it?’
‘I do. And I think he’s worried that you will discover the pilfering that took place.’
‘He should be.’
Edward leaned back in his chair. ‘I did some investigating after seeing these ledgers, and must tell you, Drake, without receiving your uncle’s funds from the shipping company, your cousin will be destitute.’
‘Destitute? That can’t be.’
‘It’s true.’
Drake found that hard to believe, yet, other than short visits, he’d been gone for over ten years. Still trying to digest all he’d learned, he asked, ‘Has Archibald sent solicitors to contest the will yet?’
‘No. He can’t afford to hire any.’
‘He can’t be that broke.’
Edward nodded. ‘He is.’
Drake let out a long sigh. He’d never gotten along with his cousin, but he’d never harboured ill will towards him. ‘What about Nathaniel Boas? He was my uncle’s solicitor.’
‘Precisely where I received the information that I just shared with you. Archibald owes him money, and Nathaniel refuses to do any more work for him.’
‘Pay him,’ Drake said. ‘And if Nathaniel knows of other outstanding debts owed by the dukedom, pay them. I won’t have Archibald ruining the legacy of the Duke of Rayburn, not my uncle’s good name, nor those of the men who had come before him.
’ Those were not only Archibald’s family ties, they were his family ties, and it was his obligation to defend them.
Hours later, Drake sat in the drawing room of his London home, having done his best to do justice to the meal that Agnes had prepared for him even though he hadn’t been hungry.
With a brandy snifter in hand, that he’d taken a sip from, he stared at the window, seeing nothing.
Not only was it dark outside, which limited the view, his mind was too preoccupied for his eyes to focus on much of anything.
For a man who had lived most of the last ten years outdoors, on the deck of a ship, he’d certainly been inside a lot lately, and ironically, the sea still wasn’t calling him.
Would he even hear if it did? Feel that once familiar draw inside him?
He shook his head. Not with Meridith filling his thoughts and consuming his emotions.
Now he could add Archibald into the mix. He couldn’t help but think about Blanche, Archibald’s wife, and their two children. He barely knew them, but that didn’t matter. They were family.
Thinking about a wife and children made him think about Meridith. His thoughts flowed, throwing up the memory of her plan of restitution for the damage to the park, and bringing his mind right back around to Archibald.
She had come up with a plan that had been right and just for all, whereas Drake hadn’t even been able to come up with a plan that worked out for himself.
Not a single one. Because he’d been too selfish.
All he’d cared about was himself, and where the next trip would take him.
By allowing himself to be consumed with that, he’d failed in so many other aspects.
That was nothing to be proud of. In fact, it made him a damnable rake—caring about no one and nothing, except himself.
He hadn’t learned from it either, because he was still thinking about what he wanted, and that was her. Meridith.
‘Excuse me, sir,’ George said from the doorway. ‘The missus and I will be retiring soon. Is there anything you need before then?’
‘No, George,’ Drake replied. ‘Goodnight, and tell Agnes goodnight for me, too.’
‘Yes, sir.’ George held up an envelope. ‘My apologies, but this letter arrived for you while you were in Bristol. Agnes just remembered that she had put it in the drawer while dusting the other day.’
Since he didn’t receive very much mail, and none of it was ever overly important, Drake gestured to the table by the doorway holding the flickering oil lamp. ‘Just leave it on the table.’
‘Very well. Goodnight, sir.’
‘Goodnight.’
Drake turned back to the window, and his thoughts filtered back to Meridith. ‘Damn, I’m a miserable sort,’ he said aloud. ‘And sitting here is making it worse.’
He rose to his feet, deciding to retire for the night himself.
Sleep wouldn’t help solve his problems, but he didn’t know what would, either, because he doubted that there was anything that would ever get Meridith off his mind.
Even without an agreement with Chesterfield, he couldn’t marry her.
She was a lady. A lady who deserved more than a rake like him.
Furthermore, she didn’t want to marry him. He could understand her reasons.
He just couldn’t get past the pain.
Upon crossing the room, he paused at the table to extinguish the lamp and saw the envelope. The neat penmanship wasn’t familiar, and he leaned down to blow out the wick, but paused and picked up the envelope instead.
He broke the seal, pulled out a single sheet of paper, and unfolding it, began to read. The writer introduced themselves as simply John and said that he was writing for Clem.
Drake cracked a small grin. He’d written Clem a couple of months ago, to let the man know that the Huge One had made it to London and was now living in a fine house at the zoo.
John went on to say that he had read Clem’s letter to him and was now responding for him. Clem was happy to hear about the Huge One, and if the London Star ever sailed near the Gulf of Guinea again, Clem knew of another elephant. An orphaned calf that maybe could live at the zoo, too.
Drake shook his head, doubtful that would happen, until he read the next line explaining that Clem said the animal was destined to live the same life that the Huge One had lived at the docks, and that it needed someone to save it, to love it.
Folding the letter, Drake slid it back into the envelope and tapped the edge of it on the table while blowing out the lamp. Perhaps the sea was calling to him, after all, and he hadn’t heard because he hadn’t been listening.