Chapter 2
Jameson took a deep breath before pushing the door to the study open. It had been five long years since their family had fallen prey to an embezzlement scandal, yet his father still lived in the hopes that he would someday uncover the identity of the man who had brought ruin upon them all. The constant meetings his father arranged were tiring at times but necessary for the family.
The study that the duke preferred to conduct his business in was smaller than all the other rooms in the mansion. Some would even say it appeared cramped, with one desk nestled at one end between the shelves. There was only room enough for two comfortable chairs and a table for tea.
His father kept the room dimly lit in an attempt to create a better atmosphere in which to conduct business. Although Jameson could not say that he agreed with his father’s methods, he humoured him nonetheless out of respect.
“Ah, there you are.”
Laurence Sinclair stood and welcomed his son into the room with open arms. His light brown hair was neatly slicked back with a fair amount of brill that left its oily mark on the strands. Both father and son were tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and handsome features. The only difference in appearance was the colour of hair and eyes and possibly the fine wrinkles around the older man’s eyes and mouth.
While his father was of a darker complexion, Jameson had dark blond hair and bright blue eyes that shone with passion whenever he spoke of anything dear to his heart.
“I apologize for being late, Father; there was a spot of bother with one of our affiliates, but that has all been taken care of.”
He gave his father a reassuring smile before coming into the room and noticing the man in front of his father’s desk. The study door had partially been obscuring his presence from view, undoubtedly another tact that his father had developed in handling business.
“You must be the shining star of the Sinclair family that I have heard so much about.” The man stood and held his hand out to Jameson in a warm greeting. Jameson placed the man in his late fifties, judging by the round belly and weather-worn skin.
Laurence’s chest swelled with pride as he lifted his head. “This is my son, Jameson. Havish, as you can see, he is everything I made him out to be. Jameson, this is Mr Havish McArthur, the esteemed business partner I was telling you about.”
“I’m afraid that my father embellishes my contributions to our family; you must forgive his fatherly pride in my works. I merely help wherever I can,” Jameson said humbly.
He liked the look of the slightly chubby man in his brown suit. His dark brown eyes were slightly beady but seemed to match his black hair, which had been slicked back in the same manner as his father’s. There was an air of sophistication about him that spoke of a wealth of knowledge.
“Nonsense, the family’s restoration is largely thanks to my son’s efforts. We would still have been in ruin if it hadn’t been for his sheer determination and dedication to see us in the right standing once again.”
Laurence chuckled heartily and gestured for Jameson to have a seat beside their guest before shifting his heavy wooden chair back into place.
“Now that we are all here, we can go over the proposed contracts and finalize the details before anything is signed,” the duke began confidently and reached for the stack of papers in the middle of his desk, smacking the bottom of the pile against the polished surface of his mahogany desk.
Jameson’s mind wandered to the past as he watched his father shuffle through the stack of documents. Their dealings with a charlatan in the past had left their reputation shattered in the eyes of the ton, severely damaging years of trust and ties.
Although they had been able to repay the lost investments after quite a bit of effort, the family was still left with the tiresome task of rebuilding the broken bonds and mending the fences.
While their father applauded his dedication to the family business and restoring their reputation, his mother, on the other hand, fussed over his future and happiness. The duchess wanted nothing more than for her son to find a young woman that would make him happy, and if that happiness included a few grandchildren for her to love, all the better.
Jameson smiled to himself despite the seriousness of the discussions held in his father’s study. It had been a while since his mother had brought up the matter of children; he just knew that a lecture was imminent.
It wasn’t that he didn’t think himself capable of love; he just hadn’t found a woman he felt he could trust for the rest of his life. All the willing and eager young women of the ton seemed to be fortune-seeking ladies who acted on the behest of their overbearing mamas or guardians. If he were ever to bring anyone into his life, she would have to be unlike any other woman he’d ever met, outshining all others in dignity, grace, and above all else, honesty.
He listened with half an ear as he thought of all the possibilities his future could hold.
***
The meeting had gone on for hours, leaving Jameson with a depleted sense of energy once he’d left the study. Things had gone well with the new businessman. He didn’t feel as if he were quite at the point where he was willing to trust anyone again, but at least his father was making new connections. He made a mental note to thoroughly investigate Mr Havish McArthur before anything was set in stone.
Making his way down the corridor, he walked towards the grand hall where the pianoforte was kept. The only thing that would set his mind at ease after a tiring day was playing the songs he’d composed in the early hours of the morning when he couldn’t sleep. His mother had often commented on the dark circles beneath his eyes after sleepless nights where his mind wandered to the past.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
Helena Sinclair’s sweet voice stopped him in his tracks as he looked up to see his mother smiling at him. Her light-yellow dress complemented the flecks of gold in her amber eyes.
The duchess was an elegant woman with long blonde hair and fair skin that had only just begun to show the tell-tale signs of ageing. A tall and thin woman in stature, she always drew attention at balls with her modest gowns that somehow still managed to steal the show. Her husband maintained that it was the way she carried herself that made her stand out above the rest.
“I was just on my way to play a bit after the meeting with Father.” He gave her the same kind of reassuring smile that he used on both of his parents. The embezzlement scandal had left him with a deep sense of protection towards his parents, never allowing him to show his true feelings to either of them willingly.
Coming forward with her hands clasped in front of her abdomen, his mother smiled at him before lovingly patting his cheek with a white-gloved hand. “You do not have to pretend in front of me; you know I can always tell when you’re worn out.”
