Chapter 23

Vander started with his own father.

He was fully prepared for his father to argue with him. But once Vander finished laying out his conditions for joining Beauclerk Marine Casualty, his father fell silent, steepling his fingers and staring sightlessly at the wall behind Vander's shoulder.

After a few minutes, Vander could take the suspense no longer. "Well, Father?"

"I think," his father said slowly, "it's a brilliant idea."

Vander almost fell off his chair. "You… you do?"

His father nodded crisply, suddenly certain. "I do. The truth is, Evander, the business has stagnated these last few years. I have a certain way I like to do things, but I believe that I have carried the company as far as it can go doing things my way. I'll be honest—your proposals seem odd to me. But I think it might be akin to your suggestion that we form a high-risk pool for the Cape Horn route. I think perhaps it is time I tried something different, and you are just the person to help me with that."

Vander smiled. "Thank you, Father."

His next stop was at his parents' London mansion. "Maman," he said as he strode into the morning room, "will you come with me to Rundell and Bridge?"

His mother looked up from the letter she had been penning, her eyes keen at the mention of London's most prominent jeweler. "Just what do you wish to purchase at Rundell and Bridge?"

He braced himself. "A ring. I've decided to propose to Let—"

Somehow, she was up from her chair and across the room, framing his face before he could finish saying her name. "I knew my son was not the stupidest man in all of London! This is the best news, Vander, the very best!"

He smiled softly. "I'm glad you approve. I was hoping you could help me pick something. You know a thousand times more about jewelry than I do."

"Yes, it is fortunate that you came to me first." His mother wrinkled her nose. "They will have nothing at Rundell and Bridge. Nothing at all."

Vander's lips twitched. Being from India, his mother tended to find the selection of gemstones available in Europe uninspiring, to say the least. "The jeweler to His Majesty the King doesn't have a single ring?"

She was already striding toward the door. "Not one we would ever consider, and what they will have ready-made will be even worse. But don't worry." She cast him a brilliant smile. "I have just the thing."

His mother was right—they didn't have anything ready-made at Rundell and Bridge that was up to Vander's standards. But his mother donated some gems from her personal collection, and the jewelers were able to set them on short notice. In the end, Vander was quite happy with the resulting ring. He was confident Letty was going to love it, and he couldn't wait to give it to her.

But before he could, the most significant obstacle of all remained.

He arrived at Daughtrey House at noon. The family butler, Henderson, personally took his hat. "I'm afraid Lord Trundley has not yet returned from his travels."

"I'm actually here to see Lord and Lady Baldridge, if they will receive me." Vander dropped his voice to a whisper. "It is imperative that Lady Leticia not know that I am here."

"Conveniently, she is out with Miss Arbuthnot," Henderson said. "Let me see if the earl and countess are available."

They were, and they received him in the morning room. "Vander," Lord Baldridge said, coming over to shake his hand. He gestured for Vander to take a seat on the yellow silk sofa. He and Lady Baldridge settled into the chairs opposite him. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Vander shifted his weight around, although, in truth, no change of position would render him comfortable. He'd stayed up most of the night, trying to figure out what he could say to convince the earl and countess to allow him to marry Letty.

He'd only been able to come up with one approach that had even a prayer of success. It was unpalatable.

But it was his only shot.

Steeling himself, he said, "I'll just come out and say it. The reason I have called upon you today is to inform you that I have ruined your daughter."

Lady Baldridge made a sound that was half gasp and half shriek, one hand flying to her heart.

Beside her, Lord Baldridge surged to his feet. "What is the meaning of this?"

Vander held out his hands. "I'm sorry to have shocked you. But it's important that you know the unvarnished truth. Letty is ruined. Completely and irrevocably."

Lady Baldridge looked horrified. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because I know that, under normal circumstances, you would never allow Letty to marry someone like me. What I am trying to communicate is that these are not normal circumstances. You must give your blessing to the match. There is no other way."

The fist Lord Baldridge had been shaking at him suddenly sagged. "You mean… you want to marry her?"

"I do," Vander said firmly. "I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I know you will have trouble believing it, but I will be a good husband to her."

The earl's anger and the countess's panic had evaporated. "Well, then," Lord Baldridge said, resuming his seat. "That's all right. Not quite the order I would've wanted you to take things in. But it all comes out right in the end, I suppose."

Lady Baldridge looked positively giddy. "I can't believe it. Letty will be delighted!"

Vander studied them, looking for any sign of second thoughts. "I am pleased to see that you have resigned yourself to the match. You must not think of changing your mind. You see, I have not merely compromised your daughter. When I say that she is ruined, I mean—"

The earl held a hand out and gave an awkward chuckle. "That—that's all right, son. We don't need to hear the details."

"Oh, dear!" Lady Baldridge exclaimed. "Letty is expected to announce her decision tonight at the Sunderland ball. You'll need to ask her before then."

"I will," Vander agreed. "In fact, I have something particular in mind. And I'm going to need your help."