dealings with Northwich?”
Max shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”
He glanced at the letter again. Read it. Frowned. “I don’t know all his concerns but I’d be very surprised if Russell were doing business with these people.”
He was reading about a consortium led by the Duke of Northwich, more political than anything else. “He wouldn’t ally himself to a cause. Apart from all other concerns, it’s not good business.”
“I thought so.” Julius returned the document to the bureau and turned the key. “From my research into Russell, I believe he’s as honest as a businessman can be.”
Max chose to take offence. After all, he was a businessman himself. He raised a haughty brow. “By which you are implying…?”
Julius barked a laugh. “That he has more integrity than the average politician. You can’t go through life without getting a little dirty. Some are dirtier than others, that’s all.”
“Russell was grooming Hayes as his heir, but after Hayes’s attack on Sophia, Russell dismissed him. Was the letter dated?”
Julius shook his head regretfully. “Unfortunately not.”
“So he could have written it before or after his association with Thomas Russell.” Max’s frown deepened. “I’ll speak to him about it.”
Julius’s chin jutted out. “Can you trust him?”
“Absolutely.” He paused. “Treason isn’t profitable, and it doesn’t work with Russell’s character.”
“He would be a useful ally.”
Max knew that tone. Julius’s special area of business concerned the feud with the Dankworths and the connotations opposing the highly political family held. Julius was the conduit for the rest of the family, collecting information about the family that had plagued the Emperors of London for so long.
Their support for the Jacobites had nearly finished the powerful family of the Duke of Northwich. The Dankworths had been slowly rebuilding their fortunes after sacrificing a few of their number to justice after the Forty-five had dashed their hopes of a Stuart monarchy and power. After working slowly and surely for a decade, Northwich had become a power to be reckoned with once more.
Although nominally at least Protestant and loyal to the Crown, the Dankworths were still Jacobite to the last one of them. That was where their power lay. They would not give that up easily.
Max swore. Then used a few more words for good measure. “So what can I do about it? I’m as sure as I can be without seeing absolute proof that Russell isn’t involved. But Hayes has connected with Dankworth at some point, either with or without his then master’s permission. What does that mean?”
Julius bit his lip. And then took a quick breath. “You know war is coming. The Peace of Aix was a breathing-space, that’s all.” He shot Max a perceptive glance, his blue eyes sharp. “War is good for the economy, is it not?”
“Sometimes.” Max hated to admit it, but he was a realist and he couldn’t deny the truth. Commercially, war meant a full-time army and the supplies it needed, a national sense of optimism and patriotism, among other things. “Not that that’s any reason to promote it.”
“True, but some unscrupulous people might do so.” Julius paused. “You know what happened to Alex?”
Another cousin, another Emperor. “I know he’s blissfully happy with his new bride.”
“But not without interference from the Dankworths.” Julius grimaced and took a few paces from the window to the fireplace and back. Behind him the clock tinkled the half-hour. “The trouble with his wife, the brothel, the auction, that was all financed by Northwich. He was the mystery backer of the place that nearly proved Connie’s downfall. I believe that was an opening salvo. A test, if you like, of how strong we are. Dankworth discovered we will hold together if we need to. He would have picked us off singly otherwise.”
“Why would he set himself against us?” Max asked, genuinely perplexed. He shoved
Max shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”
He glanced at the letter again. Read it. Frowned. “I don’t know all his concerns but I’d be very surprised if Russell were doing business with these people.”
He was reading about a consortium led by the Duke of Northwich, more political than anything else. “He wouldn’t ally himself to a cause. Apart from all other concerns, it’s not good business.”
“I thought so.” Julius returned the document to the bureau and turned the key. “From my research into Russell, I believe he’s as honest as a businessman can be.”
Max chose to take offence. After all, he was a businessman himself. He raised a haughty brow. “By which you are implying…?”
Julius barked a laugh. “That he has more integrity than the average politician. You can’t go through life without getting a little dirty. Some are dirtier than others, that’s all.”
“Russell was grooming Hayes as his heir, but after Hayes’s attack on Sophia, Russell dismissed him. Was the letter dated?”
Julius shook his head regretfully. “Unfortunately not.”
“So he could have written it before or after his association with Thomas Russell.” Max’s frown deepened. “I’ll speak to him about it.”
Julius’s chin jutted out. “Can you trust him?”
“Absolutely.” He paused. “Treason isn’t profitable, and it doesn’t work with Russell’s character.”
“He would be a useful ally.”
Max knew that tone. Julius’s special area of business concerned the feud with the Dankworths and the connotations opposing the highly political family held. Julius was the conduit for the rest of the family, collecting information about the family that had plagued the Emperors of London for so long.
Their support for the Jacobites had nearly finished the powerful family of the Duke of Northwich. The Dankworths had been slowly rebuilding their fortunes after sacrificing a few of their number to justice after the Forty-five had dashed their hopes of a Stuart monarchy and power. After working slowly and surely for a decade, Northwich had become a power to be reckoned with once more.
Although nominally at least Protestant and loyal to the Crown, the Dankworths were still Jacobite to the last one of them. That was where their power lay. They would not give that up easily.
Max swore. Then used a few more words for good measure. “So what can I do about it? I’m as sure as I can be without seeing absolute proof that Russell isn’t involved. But Hayes has connected with Dankworth at some point, either with or without his then master’s permission. What does that mean?”
Julius bit his lip. And then took a quick breath. “You know war is coming. The Peace of Aix was a breathing-space, that’s all.” He shot Max a perceptive glance, his blue eyes sharp. “War is good for the economy, is it not?”
“Sometimes.” Max hated to admit it, but he was a realist and he couldn’t deny the truth. Commercially, war meant a full-time army and the supplies it needed, a national sense of optimism and patriotism, among other things. “Not that that’s any reason to promote it.”
“True, but some unscrupulous people might do so.” Julius paused. “You know what happened to Alex?”
Another cousin, another Emperor. “I know he’s blissfully happy with his new bride.”
“But not without interference from the Dankworths.” Julius grimaced and took a few paces from the window to the fireplace and back. Behind him the clock tinkled the half-hour. “The trouble with his wife, the brothel, the auction, that was all financed by Northwich. He was the mystery backer of the place that nearly proved Connie’s downfall. I believe that was an opening salvo. A test, if you like, of how strong we are. Dankworth discovered we will hold together if we need to. He would have picked us off singly otherwise.”
“Why would he set himself against us?” Max asked, genuinely perplexed. He shoved
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