Each time he caught sight of her across the room, his breath caught in his throat, and when he saw another man hovering over her, he felt anger building inside. Karli kept him moving among the guests, only pausing to speak with the Duke and his family, forgetting for the time she socialized with nobility that moments before she was furious with Roo for his behavior around Sylvia. Twice she left to nurse Abigail, and when she returned she found her husband watching Estherbrook’s daughter.
At some point the crowd began to depart and bade their hosts good-bye. While Roo and Karli were standing at the door, Jacob came and took Roo’s hand. “My thanks for inviting us to the celebration of your new company, Rupert.” He smiled at Karli. “Mrs. Avery, it’s been a pleasure to meet you.”
Karli smiled but glanced around and said, “Where is your daughter, Mr. Estherbrook?”
Jacob smiled. “Oh, she’s somewhere in there.” He took his cloak when the doorman presented it to him, folding it over his arm while waiting for his coach to be brought up from where it was waiting. “I have no doubt at least a half dozen of those young lads have agreed to escort her home. I am not able to keep late hours any more.”
“Indeed,” said Karli coolly. The coach arrived and Estherbrook departed. A little while later, Duke James and his wife and their son and his wife left, again setting Karli nearly glowing with pride. While many rich and powerful men had visited her father in his modest home, no noble had ever passed through their portal. And in the first evening of entertaining in the new house, the most powerful man in the Kingdom after the royal family had come calling.
Seeing that neither Jimmy nor Dash had accompanied their parents, Roo said, “Excuse me a moment, please,” to his wife and left.
He found Jimmy talking to the very pretty daughter of a miller who now worked for the Bitter Sea Company and took him by the elbow, moving him away without even an apology. “Where’s Dash?”
Jimmy glanced over his shoulder and made an expression of regret to the young woman, mouthing that he would be back in a moment. “He’s over there.” Jimmy pointed across the room.
Sylvia Estherbrook commanded a portion of the main salon, with a circle of admirers around her. At her side stood Duncan, his most charming smile on display as he told some story of his adventures, to Sylvia’s amusement and the irritation of the other young men. Dash stood a short way beyond, watching in a very observant fashion. “It’s his turn,” said Jimmy.
“His turn for what?” said Roo.
Jimmy whispered, “We’re taking turns to make sure no one gets fingermarks on your young Miss Estherbrook.” He glanced back at the young woman he had been speaking with and said, “That particular young lady is . . . very interesting, and as I am really not in your employ and Dashel is, he thought it the brotherly thing to do to watch over your friend for you, while I . . . take advantage of the opportunity to become . . . better acquainted with that sweet girl there.”
“’Your young Miss Estherbrook’? ‘Watch over your friend’?” repeated Roo, his expression darkening.
Jimmy whispered, “It wouldn’t do if one of these young gentlemen got a little too much to drink and made a fool of himself over such an unusually pretty woman, would it? Given Mr. Estherbrook’s importance in the community, I mean?”
Roo said, “I guess not. Is Dash seeing her home?”
“Either he or Duncan,” said Jimmy.
Roo nodded and said, “Get back to your young lady.” He moved through the party until he found Luis, who was sitting as if at home, his bad hand kept in a large pocket on the side of his new jacket.
Luis raised his good hand, holding a drink. “Se?or,” he greeted Roo in his native Rodezian dialect. “You are a man of consequence, to all appearances.”
“Thank you,” said Roo. “Who’s at the shop?”
“Bruno, Jack, and I believe Manuel. Why?”
“Just thinking.” He glanced around. “I would like you and Duncan to stop by there on your way back to your house. Just to check up on things.”
Luis glanced past Roo and caught sight of Roo’s cousin and Sylvia. After a second, he said, “I understand.” He stood. “But that leads me to another matter.”
“What?” asked Roo, still distracted.
“I would like to find other quarters.”
“Why?” asked Roo, his attention suddenly focused upon Luis.
Luis shrugged. “I am a man of simple needs, and your cousin, well . . . Duncan has many friends calling. I enjoy my work, and find little time to rest given his .. . late hours.”
Roo thought of it a moment and realized that with the money he was now paying Duncan, he was probably bringing a different barmaid or whore home every night. The house he and Luis shared was tiny, and it had to be difficult for the solitary Rodezian. “Find yourself new quarters tomorrow. I’ll raise your pay to whatever is necessary to cover the extra expense. Make it a nice, quiet place.”
“Thank you,” said Luis with one of his rare smiles. “Now I will explain to Duncan we need to check up on the shop on our way home.”