Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (266 page)

Scott

'That's what has impressed me so much about He's thought of everything. He's in the process of finishing his design on a machine that performs the task of winding rope around a central core of gunpowder, then winding a second strand of rope in the opposite direction to keep the fuse from untwisting. He's already talking about ways to wa-terproof the rope by using a special varnish. He's got the plans with him. He'll be in St Mawes for the rest of the week. We could ride over and see him, Val.'

'I' m free tomorrow. The materials for repairing the retaining wall won't arrive until the day after so there's nothing more I can do. Philippa, would you like to come?' Valerian inquired.

'I would, but the men are coming to hang the silk in the music room tomorrow. I should be here for that.' It would also give her a chance to look around the house to further assuage her fears. Perhaps it was a good sign that she couldn't find anything.

Perhaps his diplomatic work had been as bland as all the reports indicated. Maybe he had spent all his time hosting parties and squiring around delegates'

wives. That might not be all bad.

She was suddenly less jealous of his parade of women if they'd kept him from harm. After all, how busy could he have been? He'd had time to visit Italy and study gardens. He'd mentioned at Lucien's that he'd been actively studying the piano. Those didn't sound like the hobbies of someone who had time to hatch a treasonous plot against the crown.

'You can advise me as to the wisdom of helping this Bickford with his invention, whatever he is calling it.'

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'Safety rods,' Beldon put in.

'Safety rods,'

repeated. 'If you like, you

can write to Lucien and tell him about it. It might be the type of investment

new bank is looking

She made the offer to be helpful. It did indeed seem to do both sides a favour.

would need

funds to build a factory and Lucien needed type of business to make the bank thrive.

But Valerian clearly disagreed. He pushed back his silver-stemmed sorbet dish and all but glared at her down the length of the table.

be very careful

what I sent

way.'

'He has money and good business sense. What could be the problem with that?'

protested,

not so much out of a need to stand up for Lucien, but out of dislike of having her judgement questioned.

'Too good, if you ask me,' Valerian said pointedly.

'Have you ever wondered why the financially savvy Canton has his fingers in so many pies?'

leaned back in her chair and folded her arms, entrenching. 'No, I have not thought about it beyond the simple fact that he understands wealth is based on diversified holdings. Apparently, you think otherwise?'

'I do think otherwise. I suspect he wishes to corner the market, as it were. From there, he could regulate the prices to his whim and squelch any budding competition.'

laughed.

that is theoretically how

such a manoeuvre works, but, realistically, it would be almost impossible to perform such a feat with mining. It wouldn7 t be enough to control the mines,

Scott

you'd need the other industries too, the smelting and the gunpowder. And I don't see how it would be possible to regulate the new mines in South America.

They'll always provide some level of domestic competition to keep the price of ore fair. Valerian, not even Lucien could pull something like that off.'

Valerian quirked an eyebrow. 'Really? Why do you think he was so interested in Danforth's bank?

I rather suspect Danforth's arrival was less spontaneous than you might have been led to believe.'

'You're spinning out of whole cloth now, Val,'

said. 'He'd have to control Cambourne to at least make a start and I am not sure I am interested in the merits of a cartel at this point.'

Valerian pushed back his chair with a rough shove, his eyes glittering like sharp, cutting emeralds. 'Why do you think he wanted to marry you?'

rose out of her chair, horrified. 'Why are you attacking him in this manner?'

'Why are you defending him so vigorously?'

Valerian shot back.

Beldon rose, eyeing each of them charily. 'Let's take some time and think this through,' he said slowly. 'Somewhere along the line we stopped talking about Bickford's safety rods and started talking about something else. I am not convinced we're really talking about Lucien Canton's bid to establish a tin cartel.'

'My apologies,' Valerian said stiffly. 'I'll be in the music room.'

watched him go with a sigh and sat back

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The Viscount Claims His Bride

down, suddenly weary now that the fight was over.

Beldon was right. The fight had been about something else. 'He's upset about the garden wall,'

said by way of a facile explanation for his outburst.

Beldon relaxed into his chair. 'Don't play me for a fool, Phil. Has something happened between the two of you? I

things were going rather well.'

toyed with her spoon, drawing it through the melted remnants of her sorbet. 'Things were going well, but it is to be expected we'll have some rough times. Nine years is a lot of time to account for. We have to learn about each other again.'

Beldon would not be put off. 'Something has happened to make you question him again.' He shook his head. 'Certainly there are events in his life that you do not know about. But you know him and you know how Valerian would handle those events. You know that he can be trusted to act with honour at all times.'

'That does not reassure me,'

said quietly.

'It is what concerns me the most. I had a letter from Lucien today.'

'Does Valerian know? That would explain his pique.'

'He might.'

could see how that would be

possible. Valerian may have asked

if there

was any correspondence and

could have rea-

sonably answered that there had been none but a letter from

for the Duchess. 'I never thought

of Valerian as the jealous sort.'

'Of course not. Valerian is the least covetous man I know. But he's also the most protective. He doesn't