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Chapter Six
When Gerard was a boy, he developed a strong fascination with chess. His father and mother both supported his interest, for it was the sort of game that seemed suitable for a growing gentleman.
They sought out tutors specifically to build his skill. To teach him new strategies. To ensure he didn’t make beginner’s mistakes, even when he was, in the technical sense, a beginner.
As the second son, such pressure was to be expected if he ever hoped to make anything of himself.
Gerard’s skill for chess was mostly innate. His enjoyment of the game, however, came from two primary sources. Firstly, Thomas wasbadat chess, and that was putting it kindly. While Gerard was enamored with the process of setting up traps, sacrificing pawns in the name of greater victories, and ultimately playing the long game, Thomas grew frustrated and sad if he lost a single piece to Gerard’s tactics, mumbling nonsense about “letting his warriors down.” Additionally, Thomas could never be patient. He always made his move seconds into his turn, when obvious, superior alternatives would have revealed themselves if he’d just stopped to give the game a moment’s thought. Gerard was glad to have a single activity in which he was inarguably better than his brother.
Secondly—and this was the more noble reason for Gerard’s love of the game—he relished cultivating multiple threads of thought at once.
In a chess game, the player had to strategize their own moves, while also anticipating their opponents. They had to wield both theory and action. Patience and opportunism. Wisdom and instinct.
Simply put, Gerard took pleasure the act of calculation.
It was a good thing this was the case, especially recently. Ever since Thomas had returned from the Far East—well, since a few months before that, if Gerard was completely honest with himself—it seemed all he had been doing was playing one giant, sprawling, relentless chess game.
“Lady Evelina is quite lovely,” Gerard said as he and Jerome resumed their journey to Helsbys, the exclusive gentleman’s club where they planned to take afternoon drinks. “Raven hair. Gray eyes. That charming little dimple at the corner of her smile. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she matches the exact description of young woman my brother met the evening of the fireworks. The one he,ahem, managed to lose track of.”
Gerard looked pointedly at Jerome. Jerome fixed his eyes on his feet, guilty. “You caught onto that, did you?”
I suspected you stole her away on purpose, Jerome, but now you’ve just confirmed it. I thank you for that.
“A woman as fine as Lady Evelina would be far better suited to a gentleman such as yourself.” Gerard was an expert at weaving camaraderie into his voice. “You’re well-to-do, and have a much more thorough understanding of the business than my brother. Just because he is higher born does not necessarily mean his financial prospects are the most promising. You should not think less of yourself for shepherding her away to where my brother could not pursue her.”
“I would have thought you would be upset with me for infringing on Thomas’ interests.”
“Thomas’ interests?” Gerard laughed. “Jerome, you are the one who escorted Lady Evelina to the fireworks show, not Thomas. If anything, he is infringing on yours.”
Jerome considered this. “You know, you’re quite right. Please do not take this the wrong way, Gerard, but that brother of yours does have something of an entitled air about him.”
Gerard knew better, of course. Thomas could come off as apathetic or standoffish at times, but only because he grew anxious in large formal gatherings and struggled to remain social. He was never intentionally rude.
Even so, that didn’t change the fact that Thomas had never really had to work for anything. Father’s confidence, least of all.
“You do not need to tell me.” The bitterness in Gerard’s voice did not have to be faked. “I know that better than anyone.”
They arrived at Helsbys, and put their conversation on hold while they were seated at a large corner booth with red velvet seating. The interior of the establishment was dark and filled with heavy smoke, but it was one of the oldest gentlemen’s clubs in the city, and the only people who came here were individuals of the most superior family lineage.
Gerard hadn’t had much interest in gentlemen’s clubs or status symbols until the months leading up to Father’s death. Now, he sought them out all the time, thinking to himself at the top of each visit,I deserve to be here. With each glass of brandy, heavy cigar, and haughty conversation came a strange sense of victory.
At least, that’s what Gerard was determined to call the feeling.
“Because I do so enjoy mixing business with pleasure,” Gerard began, sipping at a glass of brandy. “I can’t help but ask. Do you plan to ask the Duke of Alderleaf for Lady Evelina’s hand in marriage?”
Jerome looked confused. “How does that question mix business and pleasure?”
Gerard made sure his voice sounded kind. Patient. In no way condescending. “Well, think about it, Jerome. The Russells and the Talbots have long been the most significant players in London’s shipping industry. Before you and I agreed on our merger, your family’s shipping business, while smaller, was the fastest growing entity in the region.” He lowered his voice. “Imagine, then, if you were to marry a Talbot daughter. Not only would a substantial dowry be attached—think of the business potential.”
Jerome’s eyes grew wide. “We could create a monopoly.”
Gerard raised his glass. Whether he was toasting the idea itself, Jerome’s slow but ultimately successful journey to understanding, or the first step toward correcting his initial ruinous mistake, he could not say.
When Jerome lowered his own glass, however, he looked conflicted. “But…Gerard. While I appreciate your support of both my romantic and financial endeavors, when it comes to establishing a monopoly, why supportmypursuit of Lady Evelina? Why not your brother’s? Our business interests are one and the same, after all.”
Gerard took another sip of his drink to buy himself time.Careful. Careful, now.“Why, Jerome. Is our friendship not reasoning enough?”
