Page 49 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

“It was his duty.” Bitterness laced his tone.

“You do not approve?”

He shook his head. “It is not that. We all need to do our part for Trade Wynd to continue to prosper,” he answered. “My grandfather was an only child, but he and his wife had five living children. Uncle Peter was the eldest, thus the heir, and would be the next Earl of Wyndham. Then there was Thomas, who would become the one who managed the Trade Wynd offices.”

“The position you hold,” she said for clarification.

“Yes,” he answered. “My father was the son sent to Cape Colony and Wyndview Farm. However, Uncle Peter’s wife never gave him children before he died. As for Uncle Thomas, he left two living daughters, but his son had died when he was only three. There was still time for his wife to have more children, but Uncle Thomas died before that could happen. Thus, when my grandfather died, my father had to return to England with his wife and five sons. Now, and as the tradition has been for generations, each of us has our assigned duties. As the second born, it fell to me to see to the management of Trade Wynd.”

A somberness settled over Damian as he took a sip of wine and glanced out the window.

He was doing his duty, but she was not certain if it was something he wanted.

Had he never been given a choice?

Did he want to do something else?

Should she ask?

“What if you would have wanted to do something different?”

“I never dared to entertain the possibility,” he answered without looking at her.

Chapter Seventeen

Damian had always been fascinated by his family history, his ancestors had lived an adventure, for the most part, and he hadn’t even told Georgie about everyone.

He also would not have the same opportunity as they did. In fact, the most adventurous thing that he may ever do was ride in a mail coach with Georgie from London to Liverpool, and then he would return to his duties in Southampton.

He’d been content with his life and what was expected of him, but he wanted to be more than content. The only problem was that he wasn’t certain what would make him happy.

He glanced across the coach at Georgie and wondered if perhaps his chosen bachelor state had been shortsighted. Except, he did not have the patience to court anyone, nor the time. His duties required him to be at Trade Wynd and he had not met a woman in Southampton that he had been interested in enough to pay them a call.

Someone like Georgie would make a fine wife. Independent, pretty, and far from simpering nor did she flirt. She was honest and forthright. He would never need to guess what she was thinking or wonder if there was a hidden meaning behind her conversation because if he wanted to know something he could ask and she would tell him directly.

Those were thoughts that he did not want to invade his mind and they probably wouldn’t if he hadn’t just drunk half a bottle of wine. He especially wouldn’t have considered Georgie in the context of the type of wife he would not mind having, especially since he had not even known her a full three days.

This wasn’t the first time he had wondered if it was possible to be more than content either, though those musings had been more recent. About the same time the crack in the protection around his heart appeared.

“Besides your father leaving Ireland and ending up in Carrera, what other adventures has your family had.”

She chuckled. “None. My mother and her family have always lived in Carrera and as for my Irish relatives, I have no idea. My uncles visited when I was young, but I was a child and do not remember them all that well.”

“Well, you stowed away on a ship, so that is a story you can tell your grandchildren.”

This time she snorted. “I will not have grandchildren, Damian. I will not be having any children.”

He frowned. Despite her claiming that she was nearly on the shelf, she certainly was not. “You are only three-and-twenty, Georgie. You will marry one day,” he insisted. In fact, he was rather surprised that she hadn’t already. Maybe there were too few bachelors in Carrera.

“It is unlikely. Besides as the eldest, I will be the one who will take over Accetta Panetteria when my father and grandfather are gone because there is no son. And I may just do what my father wishes and turn it into Accetta Panetteria and Pasticceria if he doesn’t do so after my grandfather passes.” She grinned.

“Is that the reason you want to become a spinster, so that you can own the business? It is also easier in England for an unmarried woman to own a business.”

“That is partially the reason,” she answered. “I can inherit the business from my father but a husband might wish to exert his authority.”

Damian already knew how much Georgie would not appreciate her decisions being challenged or her position usurped.

“What is the other part?”