Emeline for her hand."
He would never get a better opening, Anthony thought. It was time to shift to the second phase of his carefully calculated plan.
"On the contrary," he said smoothly. "You are not in such dire straits. In fact, I envy you. After all, it is not as if you are totally lacking in resources. You make fat commissions from time to time in the course of your career as an investigator."
"My profession is a highly erratic and unpredictable means of making a living and well you know it."
"Mrs. Dove certainly paid you handsomely for the inquiries you made on her behalf in the affair of the waxwork murders. You came away with sufficient funds to enable you to invest in one of Crackenburne's ships, did you not?"
"I was able to afford only a single share in that venture. Furthermore, I will have no way of knowing whether or not it will be successful, let alone to what extent, until the bloody ship returns from the East. That will not happen for several months."
"And in the meantime, you must bide your time and hope that Mrs. Lake does not get swept off her feet by some other gentleman who can afford to support a wife," Anthony said.
"As you can see, I am not unsympathetic to your plight."
Anthony shrugged. "If it is any comfort, I very much doubt that Mrs. Lake would ever marry for money."
Tobias said nothing. He went back to gazing out the window.
"Emeline has discussed her aunt's feelings on the subject of marriage with me," Anthony said.
That information got Tobias's attention. "What did Miss Emeline tell you?"
"She is quite certain that, although Mrs. Lake is always going on about the importance of finances, she secretly possesses a deeply romantic nature."
"Lavinia? Romantic? Where in Hades did Emeline get that notion?"
"I expect it is Mrs. Lake's taste for romantic poetry that gave her the notion."
Tobias brooded on that for a moment. Then he shook his head. "Devil take it, there is no denying that Lavinia is very fond of poetry. But she is far too pragmatic to allow it to influence her personal decisions."
Anthony sighed inwardly. He reminded himself that, while Tobias possessed any number of excellent qualities, his brother-in-law had no patience with romantic or sentimental gestures, nor had he ever bothered to hone the fine art of charming the ladies.
"Emeline seems absolutely certain that, because of her romantical sensibilities, Mrs. Lake would never be able to give herself in a loveless marriage," he said patiently. "No matter how financially secure the arrangement promised to be."
"Hmm."
Tobias's air of gloom would have been almost humorous under other circumstances, Anthony thought. But in truth, he actually felt rather sorry for his brother-in-law.
Tobias had indulged in occasional affairs in the past, Anthony reflected, but since they had lost Ann and the babe all those years ago, he had never known his brother-in-law to care enough about a lady to allow himself to be brought to this sort of impasse. The business with Mrs. Lake was serious. Tobias required guidance.
Anthony cleared his throat. "It strikes me that you would do well to take a more romantical approach with Mrs. Lake. I cannot help but notice that you seem to be quite brusque with her on occasion."
"No doubt because she insists upon arguing with me at every turn. I have never met a more stubborn female."
"I expect she grows weary of listening to you issue orders."
Tobias's jaw clenched. "Bloody hell. I can hardly be expected to transform myself into an imitation of Byron and his ilk. For one thing, I am too old to play the romantic poet. For another, I cannot write verse worth a damn."
"I am not suggesting that you become a poet. Just that you might try the odd poetical turn of phrase."
Tobias narrowed his eyes. "Such as?"
"Well, upon first greeting her in the morning, you could compare her to a goddess."
"A goddess? Have you gone mad?"
"Just a suggestion."
Tobias started to massage his left thigh. He fell
He would never get a better opening, Anthony thought. It was time to shift to the second phase of his carefully calculated plan.
"On the contrary," he said smoothly. "You are not in such dire straits. In fact, I envy you. After all, it is not as if you are totally lacking in resources. You make fat commissions from time to time in the course of your career as an investigator."
"My profession is a highly erratic and unpredictable means of making a living and well you know it."
"Mrs. Dove certainly paid you handsomely for the inquiries you made on her behalf in the affair of the waxwork murders. You came away with sufficient funds to enable you to invest in one of Crackenburne's ships, did you not?"
"I was able to afford only a single share in that venture. Furthermore, I will have no way of knowing whether or not it will be successful, let alone to what extent, until the bloody ship returns from the East. That will not happen for several months."
"And in the meantime, you must bide your time and hope that Mrs. Lake does not get swept off her feet by some other gentleman who can afford to support a wife," Anthony said.
"As you can see, I am not unsympathetic to your plight."
Anthony shrugged. "If it is any comfort, I very much doubt that Mrs. Lake would ever marry for money."
Tobias said nothing. He went back to gazing out the window.
"Emeline has discussed her aunt's feelings on the subject of marriage with me," Anthony said.
That information got Tobias's attention. "What did Miss Emeline tell you?"
"She is quite certain that, although Mrs. Lake is always going on about the importance of finances, she secretly possesses a deeply romantic nature."
"Lavinia? Romantic? Where in Hades did Emeline get that notion?"
"I expect it is Mrs. Lake's taste for romantic poetry that gave her the notion."
Tobias brooded on that for a moment. Then he shook his head. "Devil take it, there is no denying that Lavinia is very fond of poetry. But she is far too pragmatic to allow it to influence her personal decisions."
Anthony sighed inwardly. He reminded himself that, while Tobias possessed any number of excellent qualities, his brother-in-law had no patience with romantic or sentimental gestures, nor had he ever bothered to hone the fine art of charming the ladies.
"Emeline seems absolutely certain that, because of her romantical sensibilities, Mrs. Lake would never be able to give herself in a loveless marriage," he said patiently. "No matter how financially secure the arrangement promised to be."
"Hmm."
Tobias's air of gloom would have been almost humorous under other circumstances, Anthony thought. But in truth, he actually felt rather sorry for his brother-in-law.
Tobias had indulged in occasional affairs in the past, Anthony reflected, but since they had lost Ann and the babe all those years ago, he had never known his brother-in-law to care enough about a lady to allow himself to be brought to this sort of impasse. The business with Mrs. Lake was serious. Tobias required guidance.
Anthony cleared his throat. "It strikes me that you would do well to take a more romantical approach with Mrs. Lake. I cannot help but notice that you seem to be quite brusque with her on occasion."
"No doubt because she insists upon arguing with me at every turn. I have never met a more stubborn female."
"I expect she grows weary of listening to you issue orders."
Tobias's jaw clenched. "Bloody hell. I can hardly be expected to transform myself into an imitation of Byron and his ilk. For one thing, I am too old to play the romantic poet. For another, I cannot write verse worth a damn."
"I am not suggesting that you become a poet. Just that you might try the odd poetical turn of phrase."
Tobias narrowed his eyes. "Such as?"
"Well, upon first greeting her in the morning, you could compare her to a goddess."
"A goddess? Have you gone mad?"
"Just a suggestion."
Tobias started to massage his left thigh. He fell
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