Lady in Demand by Wendy Vella

before they started bickering in the streets. He was also more than happy to move the conversation away from Phoebe.  
    “I have it under control. Thank you, Finn.”
    Alex smiled up at him and then nodded his head to a lady passing by.
    “I think you should take my advice on this, Alex. The locomotive industry is on the cusp of booming and now is the time to invest.”
    “I have a few things I am looking into, Finn. You shall have to trust me.”
    Finn stopped. “What things?” He felt a chill at his bother’s words. “The last time you invested without my advice, it did not go well for you.”
    “Tis hardly my fault that man was a fraudster. Those diamonds looked real,” Alex protested.
    “Alex, you should have asked me to look into it for you,” Finn added. “I would have told you it was not a sound investment, like this one is.”
    “Ben and I have since made several sound ones with good yields, haven’t we, Ben?”  
    Finn watched his other brother nod but add nothing further. He was happy not to have Finn’s attention and more than happy for it to be focused on his twin.
    “I’m twenty-two, Finneous. For pity’s sake, let me live or fall on my own sword, not yours.”
    Finn felt protective of the twins, and perhaps he came across heavy-handed at times, but he had their best interests at heart, and he was damned if he’d stand by and see some unscrupulous bastard lure them into another unsound investment.  
    “Tell me of these investments and I will check them out for you.”
    Alex turned to face Finn, folding his arms in a defensive gesture; he then narrowed his eyes before speaking. “I can look after myself, brother. There is no need for you to meddle.”
    “Meddle!” Finn snapped. “Had I not meddled in your life at least a dozen times you would probably be on a ship bound for the colonies, shackled to your brother.”
    “That’s harsh,” Ben said, moving to Alex’s side.  
    “Everyone makes mistakes, Finn, and those of us with a modicum of intelligence learn from them,” Alex snapped back. “So leave me alone to make my choices.”
    They stood in the street glaring at each other. Arguing with them wasn’t anything new, but usually Finn remained in control; however, at that moment he would have happily thumped some sense into his brother.  
    “So shall Alex slice you to pieces or knock some sense into your head, Finn?”  
    Inhaling deeply as Ben spoke, Finn pulled his eyes from Alex and looked up at the Boxing Saloon and then to where Angelo’s Fencing Academy was located. Finn thought that some exercise would do him good and taking his brother apart with a blade would be just the thing. He seemed to be filled with a great deal of pent up anger and frustration today.
    “Usually the maker of such sweeping statements ends up on his ass, and I may be just the man to put you there, brother,” Finn said, taking the change in conversation.  
    He would talk with Alex again tomorrow, make him see reason. Yes, he had assured they would never go without in their lives and their futures were financially secure, yet he would not have them being idle noblemen with little or no purpose in life other than self-indulgence. He’d raised them better than that. He’d also be damned if he would let some fraudster take them for their money again.
    “You should lend me your new rapier,” Alex said, apparently his humors were now restored.
            Walking through the doors to Angelo’s, Finn shook his head. “The discussion of your investments is not over, Alex. And why would I lend you my new rapier if I am trying to beat you?”
    “Yes, it is over and it would be quite a coup to beat me with your old foil, don’t you think?”
    “I could beat you with my hair brush, Alex. However, I wish to use my new rapier and that is the end of the matter.”
    Alex made a clucking noise to which Finn refused to comment.  
    “Ben has gone to talk with Thompson. You remember him, Finn. We