silent for a long moment.
"Which goddess?" he asked eventually.
"Well, one can never go wrong likening a lady to Venus."
"Venus. That is absolute rubbish. Lavinia would laugh in my face."
"I don't think so," Anthony said softly. "I do not think that any lady would laugh at finding herself compared to Venus in the morning."
"Huh."
He had done all he could for the moment, Anthony thought. It was time to shift the subject back to the more pressing topic.
"If I could come up with the necessary blunt," he said casually, "perhaps Crackenburne would allow me to purchase a share in one of his shipping ventures also."
"You will not find the money you need for an investment in those infernal clubs where fools seek their fortunes with hazard and cards," Tobias said. "There is a reason they call them hells."
The somber shadows lengthened in the carriage.
Tobias's mouth thinned. "I have told you often enough that you could make an excellent career as a man of business. You have a head for figures and details. Crackenburne would be happy to recommend you to one of his friends."
"I have no interest in that profession."
Silence fell.
"I do have another suggestion," Anthony said. He was cautious now, feeling his way as he slipped closer to his ultimate goal.
Tobias looked wary. "What is it?"
"You could take me on as your assistant."
"You already perform that function on occasion."
"But only in the most informal manner." Anthony warmed to his topic. The notion had been brewing in the back of his mind all afternoon. "I mean to assume a post as your official assistant. A sort of man of affairs for you, as it were. In return, you will teach me the fine points of making private inquiries and conducting investigations."
"And what do you expect to gain?"
"An income," Anthony said.
"Instead of an allowance, do you mean?" Tobias asked dryly.
"Precisely. And occasional bonuses would be nice."
"Wouldn't they, though? Nothing like an occasional bonus, I always say."
Anthony sucked in a deep breath. "Will you at least think about my proposition?"
Tobias met his eyes. "You're serious, are you not?"
"Never more so. I believe that I have a flair for the profession."
"I'm not sure that there is any such thing as a flair for this line of work," Tobias said. "In my experience, one falls into this business when other, more respectable alternatives fail to produce an income that is sufficient to keep one out of the workhouse. Rather like the career of streetwalking."
Chapter Five
Emeline looked at Lavinia across the width of the breakfast table. "You are quite certain that this business of seeing Oscar Pelling in the street yesterday has not disturbed you unduly?"
"I admit I was somewhat jolted initially by the sight of him." Lavinia opened her newspaper. "But I have recovered nicely, thank you."
Thanks to the fact that she no longer had to conceal her dark secret from Tobias, she added silently.
"You always do."
"Always do what?"
Emeline smiled. "Recover nicely. Indeed, you have a talent for bouncing back, my dear aunt."
"Yes, well, one really has no alternative, does one?" Lavinia took a sip of coffee. "And as I said, it was likely that sooner or later I would come across Pelling now that we are back in London. Even gentlemen who prefer their estates, as Pelling does, must come to Town once in a while to tend to their business affairs. At least he did not appear to notice me."
"I suppose so." Emeline made a face. "Dreadful man. I trust he will soon return to his estates."
"I'm sure he will. He was not one to enjoy the pleasures of Society, as I recall." Lavinia turned a page of the newspaper. And who cared a fig about Pelling, anyway, now that Tobias knew the truth and did not count it against her? Life certainly seemed a good bit lighter and brighter this morning.
Emeline helped herself to some jam from the little pot in the center of the table. "I want to talk to you, if you don't mind."
"You are talking to me."
"I
"Which goddess?" he asked eventually.
"Well, one can never go wrong likening a lady to Venus."
"Venus. That is absolute rubbish. Lavinia would laugh in my face."
"I don't think so," Anthony said softly. "I do not think that any lady would laugh at finding herself compared to Venus in the morning."
"Huh."
He had done all he could for the moment, Anthony thought. It was time to shift the subject back to the more pressing topic.
"If I could come up with the necessary blunt," he said casually, "perhaps Crackenburne would allow me to purchase a share in one of his shipping ventures also."
"You will not find the money you need for an investment in those infernal clubs where fools seek their fortunes with hazard and cards," Tobias said. "There is a reason they call them hells."
The somber shadows lengthened in the carriage.
Tobias's mouth thinned. "I have told you often enough that you could make an excellent career as a man of business. You have a head for figures and details. Crackenburne would be happy to recommend you to one of his friends."
"I have no interest in that profession."
Silence fell.
"I do have another suggestion," Anthony said. He was cautious now, feeling his way as he slipped closer to his ultimate goal.
Tobias looked wary. "What is it?"
"You could take me on as your assistant."
"You already perform that function on occasion."
"But only in the most informal manner." Anthony warmed to his topic. The notion had been brewing in the back of his mind all afternoon. "I mean to assume a post as your official assistant. A sort of man of affairs for you, as it were. In return, you will teach me the fine points of making private inquiries and conducting investigations."
"And what do you expect to gain?"
"An income," Anthony said.
"Instead of an allowance, do you mean?" Tobias asked dryly.
"Precisely. And occasional bonuses would be nice."
"Wouldn't they, though? Nothing like an occasional bonus, I always say."
Anthony sucked in a deep breath. "Will you at least think about my proposition?"
Tobias met his eyes. "You're serious, are you not?"
"Never more so. I believe that I have a flair for the profession."
"I'm not sure that there is any such thing as a flair for this line of work," Tobias said. "In my experience, one falls into this business when other, more respectable alternatives fail to produce an income that is sufficient to keep one out of the workhouse. Rather like the career of streetwalking."
Chapter Five
Emeline looked at Lavinia across the width of the breakfast table. "You are quite certain that this business of seeing Oscar Pelling in the street yesterday has not disturbed you unduly?"
"I admit I was somewhat jolted initially by the sight of him." Lavinia opened her newspaper. "But I have recovered nicely, thank you."
Thanks to the fact that she no longer had to conceal her dark secret from Tobias, she added silently.
"You always do."
"Always do what?"
Emeline smiled. "Recover nicely. Indeed, you have a talent for bouncing back, my dear aunt."
"Yes, well, one really has no alternative, does one?" Lavinia took a sip of coffee. "And as I said, it was likely that sooner or later I would come across Pelling now that we are back in London. Even gentlemen who prefer their estates, as Pelling does, must come to Town once in a while to tend to their business affairs. At least he did not appear to notice me."
"I suppose so." Emeline made a face. "Dreadful man. I trust he will soon return to his estates."
"I'm sure he will. He was not one to enjoy the pleasures of Society, as I recall." Lavinia turned a page of the newspaper. And who cared a fig about Pelling, anyway, now that Tobias knew the truth and did not count it against her? Life certainly seemed a good bit lighter and brighter this morning.
Emeline helped herself to some jam from the little pot in the center of the table. "I want to talk to you, if you don't mind."
"You are talking to me."
"I
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