Page 49 of A Match of Misfortune (Bachelors of Blackstone’s #7)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

O n his way to the East India Docks, Nash’s mind churned over everything Cecily had relayed to him.

Why Lord Chatting would so fully turn on him made little sense.

Nor could he think of a justifiable reason Johnathan would offer to buy the man’s shares in his investment without first telling Nash of it.

A fact that did not bode well for the forthcoming conversation they were about to have.

Johnathan’s hired guard stood outside the office door, his sharp gaze settling on Nash when he approached.

“Might I speak with Mr. Steele?”

His gaze moved across Nash. “Your coat?”

Nash unbuttoned his coat, showing the guard he had no weapons on his person before the man gave a brisk nod and gestured him inside.

The dimming afternoon light made the room appear even smaller than he remembered, but just as with his last visit, Johnathan sat at his desk, a ledger before him.

Johnathan glanced up. “Markham. What can I do for you?”

Nash stepped to the edge of the desk between them. “I expect you well know why I am here. ”

Johnathan returned his quill to its tray. “Ah. You have spoken to Lord Chatting.”

Nash’s silence was response enough.

“Truly, Markham, it is not personal. It is business.”

Nash’s gaze roved over Johnathan’s sharp features.

He had his theories as to why Johnathan would betray their friendship, but he intended to find out which was correct.

“You’ve heard news of my ship. That is why you have offered to buy out my investors.

You wish to take advantage of their doubt and steal these men’s profits. ”

Johnathan did not so much as blink an eye at the accusation. “I have always admired your optimism, and it is no less impressive now, considering your downward turn of luck these past few weeks. But if you think I care about a few thousand pounds of profits, you’re less astute than I had believed.”

And just as swiftly as the hope had come that Johnathan had word of his ship, it deflated. A man as wealthy as Johnathan would not care about such a seemingly small sum. “Then you hope to win Lord Chatting’s good favor by it?”

Johnathan gave a wry laugh. “Do not insult me.”

If those were not his reasons, there was only one last one Nash could think of. This was about him. “So you’re attempting to undermine me now that the chance has presented itself? Because I refused your offer?”

“Had you accepted, it certainly would have saved me some trouble.”

“If you think this will change my mind?—”

“Not at all. The day I made you the offer, I said it was a onetime proposition—a way to give someone with your caliber of talent a future in the industry.”

“I intend to make my own future.”

Though Johnathan was not particularly large in stature, his icy blue eyes, when trained on him with such intensity, made Nash uneasy.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. If you think my father and I, or any of the other shipping company owners, are going to permit an upstart like you to weaken our position, you’re grossly mistaken.

We’ve seen the trouble your friend , Mr. Crauford, has caused the merchants—an outsider who was never part of the East India Trading Company—and we will not allow it to be repeated.

The riches of the East Indies may now be open to private citizens, but that does not mean they are welcome there, nor that we will make it easy for them.

Just as we have no intention of making it easy for you. ”

“That sounds like a threat.”

“It very much is.”

Indignation roiled in Nash’s chest. “So you mean to sabotage me?”

“I don’t mean to. The sabotaging is well underway.

I have already spoken with every shipbuilder in London to ensure that, if they hope to maintain contracts with my family’s company or contracts with the others, it would be wise for them to forego working with you.

You will come across a similar situation should you attempt to buy a retired ship.

Several merchants have been warned against forming a relationship with you, and I think you will find it rather difficult to secure a loan from any reputable bank. ”

Nash stared at him, attempting to wrap his mind around all that Johnathan had done to ensure he would fail.

“Do not look so shocked. I did advise you, on several occasions, not to go into the shipping business. To be content in your small corner of the merchant world. It is not my fault you would not heed my counsel.”

“I counted you my friend.”

“I’m sorry you ever got that impression.”

Johnathan’s words were a punch to the gut. Nash had known the man for years. They’d spent countless hours together during their voyage home. “Not more than I am.”

“If that is all, there is much I must see to.” Johnathan lifted his quill again. “Good luck to you. I’m fairly certain you shall need it. Perhaps your father as well.”

Nash’s feet stilled. “My father?”

Johnathan wore an expression of mock innocence. “He gathered the investors for you from his clientele at the bank, correct? Some of his most wealthy patrons?”

Nash narrowed his eyes. “What of it?”

Johnathan shrugged. “Only that his part in encouraging them toward your failed venture might make some lose confidence in his ability to keep their money secure. It is so easy for a bank to go under these days, particularly when it is already suffering from last year’s losses.”

Nash’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. He had been the one to tell Johnathan of his father’s situation. What a fool he’d been to trust him. “Your quarrel with me has nothing to do with my father. Leave him out of it.”

“I would have liked to, truly,” he said, with not a hint of sincerity. “But I fear it might be too late.”

Nash was around the desk and taking hold of Johnathan’s lapels before the man could react. “How dare you!” Nash pinned him against the back of the chair, ignoring the pain radiating through his bandaged hand. “You cowardly serpent.”

Johnathan held his gaze, a pleased smirk on his face. “Nathaniel!”

His guard stepped through his door and aimed a double-barreled flintlock at Nash.

Reluctantly, Nash removed his grip on Johnathan and lifted his hands.

Johnathan straightened in his chair, smoothing out the fabric of his coat.

“Nathanial, see that Mr. Markham is not only extricated from the East India Docks at once, but that he is henceforth banned from returning.” His icy stare met Nash’s with purpose.

“We cannot have a volatile man threatening the order of things here. ”

Anger coursed through Nash, but before he could so much as utter a word, the cocking of the guard’s pistol filled the strained silence.

“This way, Mr. Markham.”

Nash glanced around the group of men seated at the large rectangular table, attempting to not let his encounter with Johnathan weigh too heavily upon him.

It was critical that he presented himself well.

That he did not give his investors reason to doubt him.

There were six of them, including his father.

Even Lord Chatting had somehow gotten word of it and was in attendance, which Nash hoped would not prove to be to his detriment.

Nash leaned forward, his elbows on the table, so that he could look each investor in the eye. “As I said at our last meeting, there is no proof that the Dawn of India has run aground. We cannot allow hearsay to dictate our actions.”

Mr. Townsend cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the other gentlemen. “And yet Mr. Steele confirmed an Indiaman has run aground off the Cape Verde Islands. What else are we to conclude?”

Nash released an indiscernible breath, more certain than ever that Johnathan had received no such confirmation. But without proof, what good would it do him to say as much? “We don’t know if it’s the Dawn of India .”

“Fairly confident?” Lord Chatting tapped his fingers on the table in a way that raked upon Nash’s patience.

Of all the investors, it had been Lord Chatting who had been the most enthusiastic.

The most supportive. Heavens, he had been the one to propose Nash’s name at White’s without Nash asking him to.

He was the one who had extended the invitation to him for the Darlingtons’ ball.

Perhaps that was why the man was so vexed?

He’d offered a very vocal support for Nash, and it had not turned out well for either of them.

“Since we don’t have evidence to the contrary, it only makes sense for us to ensure our investment is protected.

Something you are not willing to do, but Mr. Steele is. ”

“I have protected each of your investments in the cargo, along with my own, by securing maritime insurance. Having looked through the underwriting, I see no reason it should not pay out if the ship has indeed wrecked.”

“A year from now, perhaps.” Lord Chatting’s murmured words were loud enough for all to hear. “And likely not the whole of it.”

Clearly, Nash had not been Johnathan’s only audience for such concerns. “Lord Chatting, if you sell your shares to Mr. Steele and the Indiaman comes in, he will be the one to receive every pound of profit on your investment. Is that alone not worth the risk of seeing this through?”

Lord Chatting guffawed. “A share of five thousand pounds may not be a significant sum for a nabob , but for the rest of us, it is. I’d far prefer having the whole of my original investment recovered now than place my hopes on a sunken ship.”

Nash barely refrained from slamming his fist down on the table.

He had no patience for this. “If that is how you feel, then so be it,” Nash said, unable to repress his growing frustration.

“But don’t complain to me when the Dawn of India makes port and you are out nearly fifteen hundred pounds of profit. ”

“That ship will not arrive at port.” Lord Chatting’s gaze shifted to the other gentlemen.

“So to those of you who are relying on Mr. Markham’s unfounded hope and false promises, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

” He paused, his gaze shifting to Nash’s father.

“Which brings me to another matter. I shall be withdrawing my funds from your bank.”

Nash shot to his feet, his legs shaking beneath him. “Whatever for? None of this is his doing! ”

Lord Chatting also stood, meeting Nash’s glare with a look of satisfaction, as though he’d finally managed to get the reaction he’d been hoping for.

“On the contrary, he was the one who recommended we invest in your venture. Clearly, his judgment is both biased and flawed. I will no longer trust either of you with so much as a shilling of my money.” His gaze shifted to the other four gentlemen. “And I advise you do not either.”

His reasoning was a parroted version of Johnathan’s, and Nash’s anger boiled inside of him.

He made to move toward the despicable specimen of a man, but Father put a staying hand on his arm.

“I am sorry that is how you feel, Lord Chatting,” his father said.

“Come by tomorrow, and I shall certainly assist you in withdrawing your funds.”

Lord Chatting glanced between the two men with smugness, then looked at the others expectantly.

Mr. Stevens rose to his feet. “I would be interested in speaking with Mr. Steele.”

Father’s gaze met Nash’s briefly, but it was long enough to glimpse his alarm.

“Any others?” Lord Chatting’s gaze singled in on each of the last three men, and Nash saw indecision in their faces.

“I will guarantee your investments personally,” Nash said, desperation flooding over him.

It was one thing for him to lose investors, but he could not let them speak with Johnathan.

To be convinced that they should also remove their funds from his father’s bank.

Upon Nash’s arrival earlier, after explaining to his father all that had occurred with Johnathan, his father had admitted several gentlemen had visited him over the last week or two, each requesting their funds be removed and their accounts closed.

The bank was on the brink of failing, but Nash would not allow that to happen.

His father would not take more of a financial hit on his account.

“And a guaranteed ten percent on top of it, to compensate for the potential loss of profits.”

The collective gaze sat heavily upon Nash .

“Are you good for your word?” Mr. Townsend asked.

“I am.” He wasn’t exactly sure how he’d get the money, but he was absolutely determined. At whatever cost.

Mr. Stevens gave Lord Chatting an apologetic look, then resumed his seat at the table. “Can we have that in writing, Mr. Markham?”

“Certainly,” Nash said, feeling equal parts relief and dread as he resumed his own seat.

With a disgruntled huff, Lord Chatting stormed from the room.

Nash met his father’s questioning stare, and Nash gave him a nod of reassurance—as though he had a plan.

However, thus far, his only plan comprised of not asking his father for the loan he required.

But where else could someone with his current reputation find a loan for such a large sum of money?

He had not a clue. But he knew a man who most likely would.