Page 40 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

Damian turned his face to the window, a clear indication that he did not want to speak with her.

Well, she had no interest in conversing with him.

With a sniff, Georgie turned her attention to the window beside her and beyond. Rows of houses, similar to Wyndham’s London home, gave way to busy streets filled with hackneys, carriages and horses. People walked along the street, both gentry and commoners but what was most noticeable was the noise. Voices, bells, carriage wheels on the street, vendors selling their wares. Everyone was going about their daily activities while she rode by.

It was a bit overwhelming. Then again, she had never been in a city this large and wasn’t certain she could even walk from one end to the other in a single day. She was also certain that she would not want to live in such a place.

“How do you even know where to look?” she asked as they neared the port. The scenery had changed, water was near and ships could be glimpsed in the distance.

“We have a warehouse that Trade Wynd uses when we must bring cargo to London. We prefer Southampton but sometimes London cannot be avoided. That is where we will go first since we have two employees who may be able to provide direction.”

He answered her question, explained, all without looking at her.

Damian was not only unpleasant but rude as well.

When the carriage came to a halt, Damian stepped out and assisted her before escorting her inside a building with no windows except for those above the first floor. The door they had entered simply had the words Trade Wynd on a sign hanging above.

What was beyond was an empty, cavernous warehouse. On the far wall there appeared to be wide doors, not currently open. She assumed the River Thames was on the other side and that this was where the ships unloaded whatever exports they brought in. To the right was a set of wooden stairs that Damian climbed and she followed. It opened to a platform that apparently held the London offices since two men were present, both seated at desks beside the windows. The room was sparse and the men were relaxed, reading newssheets, not working. Was there nothing for them to do since the warehouse was rarely used? She would hate to have a position that she was required to be at every day, or most days, but with nothing to keep her occupied.

When one of them glanced up to note her and Damian, he folded the newssheet and stood. “Mr. Wynd, we were not expecting you.”

“Is a shipment expected?” The other man asked as he stood. “If so, we will need to make other arrangements.”

“No. Whatever agreement you have made for use of the warehouse is of no consequence.” Damian waved away his concern. “I am here on another matter. Which passenger ships are bound for America and will be sailing soon or may have already, within the last sennight.”

The two men frowned. “We have a list, including the other ships and cargos you have asked us to track.” One man said as he opened a cabinet and withdrew a ledger. There were several others stacked within.

“Why is America so important?” the other man asked. “Fisher was here the other day asking for the same information.”

Hope rose in Georgie’s breast. “Was he with anyone?”

“A woman who kept close to him.”

“What was her name?” Georgie asked.

“He never said,” the man with the ledger answered.

“What did she look like?”

“Brown hair, brown eyes, about the same height as you.”

It was the same description she had received from everyone and it also described Grace. They would find her today she just knew it.

“Did Fisher tell you why he needed a passenger ship?” Damian asked.

An explanation had been offered from the man Fisher had shared a set of rooms in Southampton, but she couldn’t believe it was an accurate reason, and perhaps Damian hadn’t believed it either or he wouldn’t be asking a question for which he already knew the answer.

“Fisher and the woman were determined to sail to America but they only had enough funds for one passenger ticket. Fisher hoped to be hired on a ship that would also take the woman.”

The destination hadn’t changed. “Why America?” Georgie asked. She could not understand why the two would want to sail so far away.

“He did not tell us,” the man with the ledger answered. “Nor did we ask.”

“Young love,” the other man scoffed. “Likely with dreams of setting out and finding their fortune in distant lands.”

Oh, Grace would be susceptible to such a romantic notion. Georgie just hoped they found her before she set out on such a foolish journey.

“But none would hire him on,” the man with the ledger said.