Kenna bit her lip and remained quiet, hoping Rhys was neither too proud nor too foolish to accept the Clouds’ assistance. She needn’t have worried.
“Then I am not going to turn you away,” said Rhys. “We’ll use patrols of men from Garnet and Canning to watch the wharf. Do you think fire is our biggest worry?”
Tanner nodded. “It is now. Wilson—that was the leader—tried his own method of reasoning with you first. There’s no way to be certain what manner of persuasion he’ll use next, but destroying your fleet by fire is as good a way as any.”
“Can’t we go to the authorities?” asked Kenna, “You know it was Wilson who started the trouble. Can’t we have him arrested?”
“He won’t be easy to locate,” Alexis told her. “And I do not believe for a moment that he is acting on his own. Even if he is arrested there will be someone else to take his place.”
Kenna frowned. “Then who is responsible?”
“Britt, perhaps,” Rhys said.
“Our lawyer?”
“Our former lawyer,” he reminded her. “Or any of his friends. We haven’t enough hours in the day to list all the people I’ve offended of late. Any of them might think I’ve given them just cause for retaliation.”
“It is not so bleak as all that,” said Alexis. “You have your share of supporters also. News of what happened today will spread quickly. The other lines will not stand idly by and wait for Wilson to torch your ships. Self-preservation, if nothing else, will make them want to help you. A fire on the wharf is likely to rage out of control. No one will want to risk that.”
“Alex is right,” Tanner agreed. “You’ve gained more friends than you’ve lost by your actions. Others will offer their assistance.”
Over the course of the next hour the four of them set down the plans that would keep Canning Shipping safe from another attack. Kenna offered suggestions periodically but she acknowledged early in the conversation that she had few strategic skills. This was not the case with the other three. Alexis was as quick as either of the men to point out the particular follies of one plan or the benefits of another. Kenna marveled at Alexis’s command of the situation, her knowledge of the harbor area, and the sharp clarity of her thinking. She could not help but wonder what had prepared this other woman to approach this problem as if she were readying for battle.
A collective sigh of satisfaction was drawn from all of them when the business was at an end.
Alexis laughed at herself, her amber eyes bright with the knowledge that she had met a challenge. “You must believe me, Rhys, when I say I wish it were unnecessary to do all this plotting, but I confess I enjoyed it.”
“I rather enjoyed it, too,” he replied easily, not taking offense.
Tanner glanced at Kenna. “You probably think us quite mad.”
Kenna smiled. “Quite,” she said, but there was no sting in her ready agreement. “It sounds as if it will work.”
“It will,” Rhys said confidently. “You know, Tanner, it was a good piece of luck that you showed up this morning.”
“Not luck. We heard rumors. Alex and I became concerned the moment you began making changes at Canning. We’ve been dealing with Roland’s allies too long not to suspect they wouldn’t do something like this.”
Alexis nodded, securing a tendril of gold hair behind her ear. “We were somewhat surprised by how quickly you discovered what your father was doing.”
“I hope you weren’t surprised that I decided to do something about it,” said Rhys.
Alexis was visibly shocked. “No! I like to think I am a good judge of character. Neither Tanner nor I thought you would do anything but what you did. Still, we did not think you would uncover your father’s dealings so quickly. You had barely taken command of the line.”
“As it happens I was not the one who learned how my father was trying to bankrupt you. Kenna made the discovery. If she had not taken the time to unravel the accounts I would still be without that knowledge.”
Kenna’s cheeks pinkened a bit under the thoughtful regard of Tanner and Alexis. She smoothed the folds of her dress in her lap to give her fingers something to do while her eyes appealed to Rhys.
“You’re too modest by half, Kenna,” Rhys said, taking one of her hands in his.
“Not so modest,” she argued, looking at him askance. “I thought I was splendid earlier, swinging that piece of lumber.”
Tanner and Alexis laughed as Rhys cleared his throat and tried to look stern. “Thatpiece of work is going to be discussed at another time.”
“Before you two take up cudgels,” Alexis said, “there is a small matter I want to bring to your attention. Tanner and I will be entertaining some dear friends who will be visiting in two weeks. It’s been in the planning stages, off and on, for months, but I just received word that their arrival is definite. We’d like you to come to the ball we’re giving on Saturday of that week. It will give you an opportunity to meet some of the friends you didn’t know you had.”
Tanner smiled. “You can be certain Britt, or any of his cronies, is not on the guest list.”
“Not that you would recognize him anyway,” said Alexis. “It’s a masked affair. I want…What’s wrong?” Her face softened with concern as she saw Kenna pale.
