“Mrs. Logan!” Samantha’s smile widened and her blue eyes filled with a mischievous expression. “He is younger indeed.”
They both laughed aloud at all the inferences and innuendos of her words, for her tone spoke of the more carnal implications of a younger, enthusiastic man.
“I wish you happy, Sam,” she said.
“You are not angry then? I so worried about telling you or not. Peter... Mr. MacLaurin wanted to ask your permission to court me.”
The maid arrived just then, forestalling any other admissions for several minutes as Clare served the tea. When the door closed, Clare shook her head.
“I cannot believe I missed it.”
“Well, you have been busy lately,” Sam said. “Which is why I should not take up more of your time.” She lifted her cup and drank from it as though hesitating to get to her purpose here.
“So, you did not visit for atête-à-têtethen?” She could not help but tease now, for this now-shared secret gave her great joy. Sam placed her cup on the tray and straightened in her seat.
“I come with an offer for you.” Sam cleared her throat and looked extremely uncomfortable now. That only happened when Sam was pressed to do something—
“What did Caro ask you to do?” Her teacup found its place on the tray, too. “Do not dissemble—tell me plainly.” Too many years and too much meddling made it easy to spot when Caro decided to step in the middle of Clare’s life.
“Caro suggested I might accompany you when you meet with Sir Iain. She thought it might be more supportive to have another woman in a chamber full of—” She paused. “A chamber full of argumentative and controlling men who think they know what a woman should do.”
“Her exact words?” Clare asked.
“Aye. Exactly. I have her note if you would like to see the rest of it, but that explains it.” Sam reached for her reticule and retrieved a folded paper.
“No need. It sounded just as if she spoke the words herself.” And as much as Clare would like to refuse, she could not argue that it might be the best thing to do.
She’d planned to bring along both her man of business and her solicitor; having Samantha would give her a silent ally in the room. Worse, her sister was not wrong about how men generally behaved while dealing with business matters with a woman. They usually got caught up in discussing details with the other men present and would seem to forget her presence and involvement. If nothing else, Samantha could be an impartial observer of the discussions.
“Are you at ease with such a task?”
“It might prove interesting at the least,” Sam said.
“And at the worst?” Clare asked.
“A few wasted hours.” Sam stood. “Speaking of which, I should not waste anymore of yours.”
“I am planning to send word in the morning that we will arrive at Sir Iain’s office at the docks at two. Will that be acceptable?” They walked to the door. “Or is there a more convenient time for you, since this is for my benefit?”
“That is fine.”
“We can sort these details out at dinner,” Clare said. Sam shook her head and smiled.
“I will not be joining you for dinner this evening,” she said. Sam blushed again. “If you send the carriage for me at half-one, I will be ready.” Just before Sam left, she turned back to Clare. “I do have one question for you.”
“Of course.”
“Is he as devastatingly handsome as Caro says?”
Clare choked as both a laugh and a gasp tried to escape at the same moment. By the time, she could respond, Sam was out the door, leaving only the echoing sound of her laughter in her wake.
God help her now that Caro had the bit between her teeth over the matter, and appearance, of Sir Iain Buchanan.
Clare called heradvisors together in her office well before noon so they might make final preparations for the meeting. Over the weeks since his invasion of her office, she’d learned more about the whirlwind called Sir Iain Buchanan.
Or as much as her men could discover.
The man came from Glasgow where his first business success had been in the processing and transport of sea kelp, of all things. His fortunes soared since other sources of the valuable chemicals in the kelp were blocked for years by the war on the continent. From there and with the money he’d stockpiled, he expanded, building his fleet of transport ships that eventually helped in the efforts to supply the British troops in that very war. Hence, the king’s knighting and his entry into society.
