But mentioning it would be
premature, and it would certainly hamper her plan, whatever that might be.
“The solution needs only be temporary. We have to survive until the end of the Newport Season. For purposes of my plan, I have defined survive for me as
escaping an engagement and for you as remaining unmarried but in possession of enough money to save Camberly. To this end, I propose the following solution. First,
you court me intently and exclusively. Let my parents and
everyone else assume there will be an offer at the end of
August. This will assuage my parents’ need to find me a
suitor, protect me from any unwanted proposals, and ensure my freedom when we publicly break things off at
summer’s end.”
“And my money?” Gannon asked, more for form’s
sake than anything else. He’d willingly squire this multifaceted girl around just for the pleasure of her company if he hadn’t been faced with a disastrous situation
of his own. Being with Audrey provided surprises at
every turn.
“Tut-tut, my impatient one, I am not finished yet,”
she scolded him with a coy look. “In exchange for your
exclusive attentions, I will see to it that you’re provided
with the opportunity to make investments of the safest
and highest order. I will show you how to do business in
America.”
Gannon shook his head. She wasn’t the only one
who could drive a bargain. “I need numbers. What are
we talking about here? I need twenty-five thousand additional pounds a year to keep the estate debt free” He
rather thought the number would swamp her. He personally found the sum staggering.
Audrey cocked her head to one side, considering. “You’ll need more than that. We’ll want to have something left to invest for the future. You need more than
one year’s bankroll,” she said thoughtfully. “I can make
you a hundred thousand British pounds.”
Gannon hardly dared to breathe. “Are you sure?”
Audrey smiled broadly. “Well, you’re going to have to
work for it. I am counting on your charm. I can only open
the doors for you and coach you a bit. But I am a mere
woman, and there are limits to what I can do”
Gannon laughed. “I don’t believe that for a minute.”
Audrey extended her hand in the American gesture.
“Shake on it? Partners?”
“Partners,” Gannon affirmed, taking her hand. After
all, he’d already lost everything else. He would be no
worse off if her gambit failed than he was now. And he
had a backup plan. He could still marry-although the
idea was becoming more and more unpalatable to him
by the day, and it was all Audrey’s fault.
Audrey shook Gannon’s hand with a confidence she
didn’t necessarily feel on the inside. If things went awry,
it would be all her fault. The plan made sense, but it
was one thing drafting it on paper and another actually
launching it. Her freedom and his fortune were at risk.
If the plan backfired, she could find herself betrothed to
this man and toted off to England.
She wondered if Gannon realized the risk she took in
trusting him to act his part. And she was trusting him. Maybe not with money and an estate, which were very
real things to weigh in the balance of their scheme, but
she was trusting him with something just as valuable. If
he chose to trap her at the end of the summer and refuse
to cry off as they’d agreed, she’d have no recourse. After a summer of courting, it would be impossible to persuade her mother to back down. Violet would force the
courtship to its logical conclusion if Gannon didn’t
play the jilt. Oh, yes, she didn’t have money involved,
but her risk was just as real.
Still, she didn’t relish failing Gannon. The money he
had available to stake on their venture was not replaceable. If she made a misstep, his funds would disappear
and not be replenished.
“So, we’re partners,” Gannon said, releasing her hand
after a brief squeeze. “What next?”
Audrey drew a deep breath.
premature, and it would certainly hamper her plan, whatever that might be.
“The solution needs only be temporary. We have to survive until the end of the Newport Season. For purposes of my plan, I have defined survive for me as
escaping an engagement and for you as remaining unmarried but in possession of enough money to save Camberly. To this end, I propose the following solution. First,
you court me intently and exclusively. Let my parents and
everyone else assume there will be an offer at the end of
August. This will assuage my parents’ need to find me a
suitor, protect me from any unwanted proposals, and ensure my freedom when we publicly break things off at
summer’s end.”
“And my money?” Gannon asked, more for form’s
sake than anything else. He’d willingly squire this multifaceted girl around just for the pleasure of her company if he hadn’t been faced with a disastrous situation
of his own. Being with Audrey provided surprises at
every turn.
“Tut-tut, my impatient one, I am not finished yet,”
she scolded him with a coy look. “In exchange for your
exclusive attentions, I will see to it that you’re provided
with the opportunity to make investments of the safest
and highest order. I will show you how to do business in
America.”
Gannon shook his head. She wasn’t the only one
who could drive a bargain. “I need numbers. What are
we talking about here? I need twenty-five thousand additional pounds a year to keep the estate debt free” He
rather thought the number would swamp her. He personally found the sum staggering.
Audrey cocked her head to one side, considering. “You’ll need more than that. We’ll want to have something left to invest for the future. You need more than
one year’s bankroll,” she said thoughtfully. “I can make
you a hundred thousand British pounds.”
Gannon hardly dared to breathe. “Are you sure?”
Audrey smiled broadly. “Well, you’re going to have to
work for it. I am counting on your charm. I can only open
the doors for you and coach you a bit. But I am a mere
woman, and there are limits to what I can do”
Gannon laughed. “I don’t believe that for a minute.”
Audrey extended her hand in the American gesture.
“Shake on it? Partners?”
“Partners,” Gannon affirmed, taking her hand. After
all, he’d already lost everything else. He would be no
worse off if her gambit failed than he was now. And he
had a backup plan. He could still marry-although the
idea was becoming more and more unpalatable to him
by the day, and it was all Audrey’s fault.
Audrey shook Gannon’s hand with a confidence she
didn’t necessarily feel on the inside. If things went awry,
it would be all her fault. The plan made sense, but it
was one thing drafting it on paper and another actually
launching it. Her freedom and his fortune were at risk.
If the plan backfired, she could find herself betrothed to
this man and toted off to England.
She wondered if Gannon realized the risk she took in
trusting him to act his part. And she was trusting him. Maybe not with money and an estate, which were very
real things to weigh in the balance of their scheme, but
she was trusting him with something just as valuable. If
he chose to trap her at the end of the summer and refuse
to cry off as they’d agreed, she’d have no recourse. After a summer of courting, it would be impossible to persuade her mother to back down. Violet would force the
courtship to its logical conclusion if Gannon didn’t
play the jilt. Oh, yes, she didn’t have money involved,
but her risk was just as real.
Still, she didn’t relish failing Gannon. The money he
had available to stake on their venture was not replaceable. If she made a misstep, his funds would disappear
and not be replenished.
“So, we’re partners,” Gannon said, releasing her hand
after a brief squeeze. “What next?”
Audrey drew a deep breath.
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