Lisbeth frowned. “Do I need to be there as well?”
They both shook their heads.
*
Augustus stood onthe platform outside his office at his warehouse, watching his men carrying two new crates of goods. They weren’t antiquities but spices that were all the rage right now. While his passion was antiquities, he dealt in everything.
Juliet and Richard Sampson smiled at him as they followed behind the crates, beaming. They were two of his most successful buyers regarding consumable goods. He’d stolen them from another import business on the cusp of going under. They’d been considering opening their own business, upset with the shady business practices their boss had expected from them.
He’d convinced them to work for him and given them free rein to negotiate prices. That is what they’d really wanted. He suspected they would someday open a spice shop, ending hisforay into exotic seasonings. Augustus would happily support them. His heart wasn’t in the market the way theirs was.
He stepped back into his office, knowing they would join him eventually. Henry sat at a smaller desk, working on financial figures for another shipment. He looked up when he re-entered. “Shall I take over the inventory for the Sampsons? I imagine they would like to speak with you.”
“Yes, I would appreciate that.”
Henry nodded. “Of course.”
Augustus needed to give his assistant a raise. He didn’t know what he would do without him. The man ran the place whenever Augustus was away from the warehouse for days. It wasn’t often, but sometimes, his ducal responsibilities required all of his attention.
Juliet Sampson burst through the door smiling, followed by her husband. “You’re in for a treat, Sinclair. We traveled the Orient, finding you some very unique spices. They will be the talk of London.”
“I’m already jealous of the places you’ve visited over the last four months, even though I don’t know where you’ve been yet.”
The Sampsons joined him in his small sitting area. The married couple were indeed two of his favorite buyers. They beamed at him. Richard said, “You should join us soon.”
His desire to travel flared in him. Long ago, when he started his import business, he’d hoped that holding and seeing all these goods from abroad would curb his interest in travel, but it backfired. Instead, for every new item Augustus saw, he wanted to learn how it fit into a region—something he would never understand unless he traveled.
“I wish I had the time.”
Juliet rolled her eyes. “Henry would ensure everything is taken care of. The man is completely dedicated to you.”
“This place wouldn’t survive without him. I wish my other obligations didn’t detract from my work here.”
They nodded, going serious. Everyone did when he referenced the dukedom. He didn’t blame them. Changing the subject, he asked, “So, how long do you plan to be in London?”
The Sampsons looked at each other, and Richard nodded at his wife. Juliet turned back to Augustus. “We wanted to propose a different business opportunity.”
Dread filled him. They were already going to leave his business. “I will double your salary if you stay.”
They both looked at him wide-eyed before bursting into laughter. Richard said, “We aren’t leaving.”
Relief coursed through him. Juliet smiled at him reassuringly. “We would like to explore partnering with you to create a spice shop. We have the location selected, but the actual building must be designed and built.”
He silently considered it. Augustus knew he paid them enough that they could do this on their own. Richard added, as if reading his mind, “We value working for you and don’t want to leave, but having a spice shop is our long-term plan. We hope to partner with you rather than departing your business entirely.”
Augustus nodded. “There is no replacement for the two of you when it comes to procuring exotic spices. If moving into a partnership is what will allow me to work with you, I will gladly take it.”
Juliet beamed, and Richard’s face filled with relief. Augustus grinned back at them. “Do you have a business plan?”
“We are drafting one now,” Richard stated.
Augustus nodded. “Once I have that, we will negotiate numbers.”
They all rose, and Juliet said, “You won’t regret this, Sinclair.”
He smiled back at her and then watched as they left. He was glad they weren’t cutting ties with him. A partnership sounded like a fantastic idea. He sat back in his chair, somewhat jealous of the lives the Sampsons lived. His mind flitted to Rose. She should want a marriage like theirs. Why did he hate that he could never be that man?
Whatever they decided to pursue was only temporary, he reminded himself. Still, he couldn’t stop the thoughts that appeared, wondering what it would be like to see the world by Rose’s side.
