Page 98 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

“Laces from Brussels, Alençon, Argentan, and Chantilly, as well as from Venice. Olive oils from Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece. Cork from Portugal and Spain. Sugar, molasses, tobacco, and cotton from the Caribbean and America…”

The corner of his mouth tipped. “I am boring you.”

“I am fascinated,” she insisted. “I assume those are not the only imports.”

“No.” He chuckled.

“What do you export, besides Wynd Wine?”

“Nothing of importance,” he claimed as he turned to face her fully. “You have suffered enough with trading, imports, exports, and shipbuilding for one day.”

“I have learned about what is important to you.”

“And my family,” he added. “Our wealth may have been built on wine but the other items are necessary as well, but we will talk of it no further.”

Georgie suspected that Damian could talk of trade and ships for many more hours since that was his life. He had claimed that he spent all waking hours at the Trade Wynd offices so it wasn’t any wonder why he took so much interest in Greenock.

And today she may have fallen a little bit more in love with him, and it was because of the serious and intense side of him that allowed her to witness his sense of responsibility to his family and business. He was a man to be respected, and one whom she loved, for what little good it would do.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Damian knew that he should not have spent the entire day discovering the imports and exports of Greenock, or the shipbuilding, the refinery…yet he did not stop himself either, and poor Georgie had been right by his side.

She must have been bored yet she uttered not one complaint.

Georgie had done that for him when she could have asked to be entertained in some other manner, such as…Well, with another woman it would have been shopping, but he already knew that she had no interest in doing so. In fact, the only times that they weren’t visiting various industries around Greenock was when they visited Dutch Gable House, a coaching inn, because that was the only place that he and Georgie could take meals without question.

“You may not have wanted to leave Southampton, and you were forced to whether you admit it or not,” she teased, “but at least you benefited from a visit to Greenock.”

“Yes, I did,” he admitted.

“Maybe you did so from Liverpool as well?”

Except, he hadn’t spent as much time studying the harbor, docks, and trades. Still, there were things that he had noticed that were different from how he managed the ships at Trade Wynd. “Yes,” he finally answered.

“And, no doubt, you will take in all the Dublin ports have to offer.”

He gazed down at Georgie. “My study of Dublin will also wait until you are safely with family. I will not make you endure another day such as today.”

As he would be leaving from the Dublin port, there was no reason why he could not take time to learn more after he had seen Georgie safely delivered to her family. It would be something to take his mind off what he was leaving behind. An amazing woman who would no longer be his and never really had been.

“Then you should thank me.” Georgie grinned up at him.

Damian frowned. “For what?”

“For stowing away on your ship, which caused you to catch me and then follow me to places that you likely should have visited long before. Therefore, you are welcome.”

“So, everything that we have endured and incurred was all for my sake?”

“Yes. Again, you are welcome.”

Damian couldn’t help but chuckle. While that had never been the intention, Damian did learn much after he left Southampton and he had benefited in many ways. Not only from visiting the ports he had not seen before, but he hadn’t realized how much he needed to be away from the responsibilities that were Trade Wynd—the only thing of importance in his life outside of family.

It had been a lonely existence and Damian had not even realized how much until he experienced what could almost now be considered a holiday with Georgie. He also realized that despite how he had been raised and told by his father, his life should not begin and end with Trade Wynd alone.

“Then I should properly thank you.” He knew exactly how he would go about that once they were in the cabin where they would sleep.

“You already did. I have a new reticule, a bonnet, three books, and have not had to pay for a meal, mail coach, or a chamber at a coaching inn, or passage on a ship. It is I who owe you.”