Page 64 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

He chuckled. “They allow others to use it for a nominal fee that I supposedly know nothing about.”

“Yet you do.”

“Of course, it helps…” he paused and stared into her eyes as if weighing what he should tell her, “increase their income.”

That was not the reason or he would not have paused to consider his response.

“Then should you not pay them more so that they do not need to supplement their income?” It was a rather bold statement, and judgmental, but maybe if they were paid sufficiently enough…

“It is so that they can spy for me. But you must never breathe a word of it.”

This was not at all what she had expected. “Who would I tell?” she countered. It wasn’t as if she knew anyone well enough in England to share a confidence.

“Both men used to sail for Trade Wynd but can no longer because of injuries. Instead of pensioning them off, they took positions to manage the warehouse in London, which is rarely used,” he began to explain. “They complain about me being a penny pincher and sticking them in London instead of offering a pension that did not leave them destitute. Because of that, they allow other merchant companies, when they are in temporary need of a warehouse, to use mine and they pocket the money. It is all a ruse, of course. Or, I assume they have no complaints about me or their position with Trade Wynd.”

“You do not mind that they speak so poorly about you?”

“Whenever they have been successful in earning the extra wages, they will visit the tavern, buy ale for others, and in the process gather information of what goods were being brought into the country and the prices they were being sold for, where the goods came from, what was being exported, and what was in demand and what wasn’t. That information is then forwarded to me, which I have used to continue to be competitive. Because it is believed that those two men have no loyalty to me, others speak freely around them.”

“So, you aren’t paying them too little?” she asked.

He chuckled again. “They are paid very well and also keep whatever they pocket.”

“What of your reputation?”

He shrugged. “If the other merchants think me a fool, then I do not care since it will mean that they will also underestimate me. It is to our benefit because Trade Wynd has few rivals outside of the East India Company, which no company will ever be able to best, and I would like it to remain so.”

Georgie wasn’t certain that she would want anyone to think of her as a fool. Then again, Damian carried enough confidence for himself, that it likely didn’t matter. He actually appeared proud of this deception.

However, what happened in London was not her concern. What they discovered tomorrow, in Liverpool, was far more important. “Who is your contact?”

“Which contact?”

“You said you had a few contacts in Liverpool who will be able to offer assistance.”

“It is my hope that Ewan Chisholm, whom I knew from school, will be available. His family has a home here and in Scotland, and shipping offices in both locations.”

“Are they passenger ships or merchant ships?”

“Both,” he answered. “The Chisholm family found a way to build passenger compartments on the merchant vessels and when they sail, they carry both.”

“Then Fisher may be more successful in gaining a position on one of the Chisholm ships.”

Damian grimaced, which meant that she was correct and the fear that they may be too late settled into her belly.

Chapter Twenty-Four

After they had both completed their meal, he placed the tray and dishes out in the hall, then locked the door to their chamber.

It was dark outside, neither had slept much in the past twenty-four hours, so he could only hope that Georgie crawled in the bed and fell fast asleep.

He was exhausted, but Damian knew that he would not be able to sleep while Georgie was awake and even then, it might be difficult. He also knew that he would drink no more this evening because poor decisions were made while a person was deep in their cups.

“I find it a shame that with your access to ships that you don’t board one and go somewhere fascinating. It might be the saddest thing I have ever heard. You are a man and should take advantage of your position.”

“I do not have time to be away from Trade Wynd for an extended period of time,” Damian explained even though her words tugged at something inside.

There were many times that he had stood atop Trade Wynd offices and watched ships sail away and wondered what it would be like to just once sail away from England.