Page 103 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

Everything came back to Trade Wynd, their land, the grapes. Did any of the sons have an outside interest?

“As for Elliot, I have been told that he is a rake to his bones. He can charm every woman, no matter her age, and will never be able to commit to one for the rest of his life. Whereas I am not even certain Avery would notice if a woman was in the room.”

“A rake? You have a brother who is a rake?” So had been the man who had seduced her and Georgie wasn’t so certain if she like the way that Damian described his brother as if there were nothing wrong with his behavior.

“I assure you that Elliot would have no interest in an innocent. His letters have assured me of that. Mistresses and widows, yes, but he avoids innocent misses.”

As did most men, she supposed. Only the lowest of the low would do what had been done to her.

“You say that you have been told. Have you not witnessed his behavior?”

“Elliot has written of his relationships, though not in detail and cousins have reported to me after they have visited.”

“Where does he live?”

“In Madeira. He was the one that Father sent to manage our vineyard. I have not seen Elliot since he sailed in 1812.”

She blinked at Damian. “You have not seen your brother in five years!”

“He has not returned home and I could not find the time to visit him.”

How could he go so long without visiting a sibling?

However, that wasn’t the question that bothered her the most. He claimed that it was what his father had wanted.

She then remembered the conversation they’d had in the mail coach to Liverpool.

“I did think to visit, when I was younger, but my father prohibited it, and then, when he was gone, the duty of running Trade Wynd fell to me.” They had been discussing Wyndview Farm in the Cape Colony.

She recalled wondering why would a father prohibit a son from visiting the home of his birth, or a vineyard that they owned?

She had not been comfortable asking such a personal question, yet her curiosity remained.

She then recalled what he had later said:

Thus, when my grandfather died, my father had to return to England with his wife and five sons. Now, each of us has our assigned duties, and as I am the second born, it is seeing to the management of Trade Wynd.”

“You have done what your father wanted and have not had a choice in your destiny likely from the moment you were told to pack and board a ship to sail back to England.”

Chapter Forty-Two

His irritation rose. Georgie did not understand. “We each must take on the duty of a former ancestor. My father had only two living siblings, a brother and a sister who had already married, so everything from the vineyard in the Cape Colony, Trade Wynd, and the earldom became his responsibility, while his younger brother managed the vineyard in Madeira.” His voice rose, which he tried to control, but he did not appreciate the harsh judgment of his father. “And, since Uncle David never fathered any children, one of my brothers had to be trained to take over those responsibilities. It should not all fall to one person, but be shared equally, so that Trade Wynd could become even more successful.” To shirk one’s duty would be unfair to the rest of the family.

“I understand the reasoning and why your father would want his sons to take over the various aspects of the Trade Wynd empire,” she offered calmly and Damian relaxed, knowing that she understood.

“However, that also does not change the fact that you were never given a choice but to run Trade Wynd.”

The stiffness began in his shoulders and spread to his neck but instead of arguing, Damian looked down, pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out a sigh. It was the fact that Georgie spoke the truth that bothered him so much.

She wasn’t even using a confrontational tone. She was simply stating a fact and if he were to be honest, he could well understand her disapproval. He and his brothers should have been given choices, as all younger sons were, but they hadn’t been and were told that it was for the best because they would have reliable incomes and not need to be concerned with quarterlies or going into other forms of trade.

Maybe his resentment was not so much directed at her but his father. Damian had just never been allowed to express it previously.

“Were you ever asked if you wanted to do something different?” The softness…gentleness in how she asked the question, bathed him with warmth. Maybe because it was the first time someone seemed to care about what he may have wanted, even if he did not know fully what that was.

“We were not,” Damian finally answered. “We were also too afraid of father to go against him. By the time he died, I was already managing Trade Wynd and Elliot had already sailed for Madeira.”

“You asked me what I would like to do if I had a choice. I now ask you the same question.”