Rhys opened the door, tipping his hat with mocking politeness. “Then I hope you can find other clients, but I will not be among them.”
Rhys managed to pay a visit to three merchants on his list before the closing of the business day. After informing them their contracts with Canning Shipping were void, he told them the new rates and left it up to them to decide if they wanted to continue using the line. He did not wait around to hear their protests or their decisions.
Before returning home Rhys visited the two ironworks that supplied anchors and chains, nails, hooks, and tools, to Canning Shipping. And none to Garnet. Neither of the owners were at the works and Rhys decided against explaining the problem to the foremen, preferring to deal directly with the owners.
When he arrived home Kenna was already dressed for their evening out. She was wearing her lemon gown with the garland of flowers embroidered on the hem and looked achingly lovely to his weary eyes.
Kenna turned from the mirror where she was adjusting the pearl choker around her neck and stood, walking quickly toward Rhys to greet him. She brushed a lock of hair away from his brow, noting the lines of strain, and kissed him on the mouth.
“Would you rather not go this evening?” she asked, concern making her eyes the color of sweet dark chocolate. “We could send the groom with our excuses. Alex and Tanner will understand.”
Rhys shook his head, shrugging out of his coat. “Thank you for asking, but there’s no need to change our plans.” He brushed her cheek with his mouth. “Mm. I like your perfume. Help me out of this shirt. I’d like to wash. I shouldn’t wonder that I feel dirty after this day’s work.”
Kenna loosened the studs on Rhys’s cuffs and shirt front. “Was it difficult for you?”
“I don’t know that I thought about it,” he said as she drew the shirt off his shoulders. “I went through the motions, but I didn’t let myself think.”
Kenna set out his evening clothes while Rhys poured water from the pitcher on the nightstand into a white porcelain bowl. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
Rhys began washing. “I confirmed your suspicions after a few hours. My father and Richard, and later Britt’s clerks, kept excellent records. I spoke with Grant and he cleared himself to my satisfaction. My conversation with Britt was briefer. We will not be doing business with him any longer. I spoke with Franklin Anders, Thomas Hamilton, and Harris Feilding and let them know our rates would be increasing. Neither Brown nor Sampson were at their ironworks so that will have to wait until Monday.”
“What was the response from the men you did speak to?”
“To a man it was the same. Incredulity, sputtering protests, and then resignation.” He threw down his washcloth and turned to Kenna. “On Monday, after word has traveled, I expect the denials of wrongdoing to flow smoothly from glib tongues. I doubt I shall be amused.”
“Can I help in any manner?” she asked.
“Knowing that you are willing to is help enough. Just keep loving me, Kenna.”
Her heart went out to him as he stood there, vulnerable with his open hands at his sides and a pained look in his glistening eyes. She had not suspected that he needed the same reassurances that she did. Lifting his hand to her breast, she held it there a moment, then raised it higher, touching her lips to the center of his palm. “That I should ever stop loving you is the last thing you should worry about.”
Rhys’s eyes closed and he pulled Kenna into his embrace. “I don’t want Tanner to know about what I’ve done today. Let us put business aside this evening.”
“They’re going to find out.”
“But not tonight, please.”
“Of course, Rhys. Whatever you wish.”
Alexis and Tanner were waiting for them at Forrest’s, though they swore they had only arrived minutes before. They were shown to a private booth at the back of the tavern by Forrest himself, a gruff man with an impatient air about him who kept calling Tanner Captain Cloud in spite of Tanner’s objections.
When Forrest left them Alexis patted Tanner’s hand consolingly. “You’ll always be the captain to him, so you may as well save your breath. Besides, you know he was doing it in part to needle you.” She turned to Rhys and Kenna. The delicate silver necklace at her throat sparkled in the candlelight. “We have been promising to come here for over a month and never found the time. Forrest is not about to let it go lightly.”
Kenna looked around her, admiring the tavern’s warmth and nautical decor. “This setting is very attractive,” she said, gazing up at the fisherman’s nets that hung from the ceiling. “Rather like being at sea.”
Tanner rolled his eyes. “Don’t let Forrest hear you say that. He envisioned his tavern becoming a place for rowdy sailors to swap outrageous stories. He hasn’t accustomed himself to the fact that most of his patrons pay for their passage when they sail, and know nothing about trimming canvas or mending split taffrails.”
Their meal arrived from the kitchen a short time later, scarcely interrupting their laughter at the tales Tanner shared with them about his former galley cook. They dined on stuffed flounder, small potatoes dripping with butter and garnished with flakes of parsley, artichoke halves, and sliced tomatoes sprinkled with cheese.
Kenna glanced at Rhys secretly several times throughout the meal, her eyes soft with concern, and each time she was relieved to see him genuinely enjoying himself. His rich laughter made her heart lighter and she was glad she had not talked him out of coming. Even when the conversation accidently took a more serious turn as Napoleon’s name was mentioned, Rhys appeared unperturbed by the discussion.
“It’s hard to credit,” he said, “but Napoleon’s return to power could have been avoided. That is what makes it so difficult for me to comprehend what’s happening in Europe now.”
“Avoided?” asked Alexis. “But how? Who could suspect he would escape Elba?”
Rhys chuckled mirthlessly. “Exactly the skepticism I encountered when I tried to tell the Foreign Office that a plot to release him was beyond the planning stages.”
“Rhys!” Kenna murmured, shocked. “Is this true? You knew of a plot to free Napoleon?”
