“Nor would I,” Nathan agreed.
Trajan shook his head. “Do not take the matter lightly. Frampton knows she is after something that he is not willing to turn over. How is she going to retrieve those letters without his knowing it and coming after her?”
“I don’t know,” Nathan admitted. “But I have every faith she will find a way. Do you think this will be her last assignment? Or is she going to accept more after you are married?”
“It would have to be her last if she married Trajan,” Sebastian mused.
“This assumes she will agree to marry me.” Trajan rubbed his neck in dismay. “I don’t know what she will do.”
“How can she not? Clearly, she is in love with you,” Andrew said, seeming surprised by his comment. “She lights up like a fireworks display whenever she is near you. And surely she would stop her investigative work if you asked. Why would she take on more once she is a duchess? Would you even allow it?”
Trajan set aside the papers he was holding, leaned back in his chair, and folded his hands across the back of his head. “What makes you think Florence will ever listen to me?”
Nathan leaned forward. “But she’ll be your wife and must obey you.”
“Gad, how can you be so naïve? You did graduate from university, did you not? So you must have learned something in all those years.”
“Apparently not enough about women,” Nathan grumbled. “Is it not in the marriage vows? Would she not promise to love, honor, and obey you?”
“I can guarantee you thatobeywill be stricken from her vow,” Trajan said with a wry smile. “Florence, to my endless frustration, is not the sort to bend a knee to anyone. If she cooperates, it is because she has a mind to do so, not because she is commanded to do so.”
Andrew frowned. “But that sounds awful. Should she not be a dutiful wife?”
“I just hope she is asensiblewife. I want her to think for herself, which Florence will do. Would any of you truly want a wife who will mindlessly do whatever you command? We are speaking of marriage here, not military duty.”
Andrew tossed him a wicked grin. “Well, it could be fun having an obedient wife in the bedroom.”
“Discussion of Florence and bedroom matters is off limits.” Trajan rolled his eyes. “I want an intelligent wife, one who will also take my feelings into consideration. In truth, I think Florence will…most of the time.”
“And if she does not?”
“Like now? Then I’ll protect her because it is my duty to keep her safe.”
“Are you sure you are not in love with her yet?” Nathan asked. “Because it sounds an awful lot like you are.”
Trajan did not bother to answer, but perhaps Nathan was right. Was it not too soon to fall in love with Florence? Considering how headstrong and determined to rush into danger she was, should this not give him pause? Cast doubts? But he understood this need to prove herself to her family, even if he disagreed with the perils she was willing to face in order to accomplish it.
He also liked the fact that she neededhim. He had saved her yesterday, actually saved a living soul, and he felt rather good about it,especially since the one he had rescued was Florence.
Trajan put a halt to further discussion of Florence, since his cousins seemed to have taken to her like frogs to a lily pad and were quite fascinated by her. He did not want them encouraging her to pursue Frampton.
When Sebastian suggested they place wagers on whether or not she would succeed in retrieving the letters, Trajan threatened to toss them out of Gull Hall if they persisted.
“Sorry,” Sebastian muttered.
“No more talk of Florence. And no wagers. There’s already a betting book on me, and that is quite enough.” Trajan waited for them all to nod before he renewed their discussion of family business affairs. “Andrew, you seem to have a knack for management.”
Trajan assigned him to run the port of Weymouth warehouses that stored spirits, lace, and tea brought in from France, although the tea originated from China and traveled through Holland before reaching English shores.
“Sebastian will help you until he must return to university,” Trajan said. “It will be no easy task. There’ll be pilfering by the haulers and carters, not to mention the revenue officers cannot be trusted. They’ll have their hands out, and we’ll have to give them something if we want our cargo kept safe.”
“What’s my task?” Nathan asked.
“You’ll be in charge of the Dorset farms and dairy. The old duke,” Trajan said, referring to their granduncle, “hired a good manager to run the farms, but the man is getting on in years and I don’t think he will be up to the task much longer. He’ll train you.”
“What will you handle, Trajan?” Sebastian asked.
“The Lothmere properties that will now be absorbed into the ducal holdings. The banking and investments, the contracts for products we’ll import for resale in England, the pottery works, the brewery. Basically everything else in addition to attending Parliamentwhen it is in session.”
