Page 23 of Glasgow Rogue

“Why cannae any of ye understand how important this job is to me?” Annie glared at Niall, Aidan, and Owen. Aidan had joined them since a room had been vacated in the boardinghouse. Now all three were sitting at the dining table, stone-faced as Puritans about to execute judgment.

“’Tis nae that we doona understand,” Aidan replied with the patient tone one might use on a balkish bairn. “’Tis the risk of danger ye put yourself in.”

“Aidan said James wanted to threaten ye,” Niall added.

If Aidan had been within reachable distance from where she sat, she would have kicked him. Niall was critical enough of her job. She didn’t need his brother giving him any more ammunition.

“But he dinnae,” Annie replied. “He thought better of it.”

“Only because my brother was there.” Niall set his jaw. “Did ye think on what might have happened otherwise?”

Annie gave an exasperated sigh. “Nothing would have happened. Mr. Haines would have intervened.”

“How do ye ken?” Niall asked.

“I just do.” She folded her arms.

Niall made a growling sound. “Stubborn lass.”

“Obstinate man,” Annie shot back.

Owen looked from one to the other and shook his head. “If I might make an observation?” They both frowned at him, but he ignored the looks. “I do not think Annie is in any danger at the office—”

“Aha!” Annie glowered at Niall. “There. Ye see? Owen agrees with me.”

“Only to a point,” Owen said quickly before Niall could reply. “I think the danger lies when you move about on the streets.”

“There!” Niall gave her a smug smile. “Ye see?”

Annie drew her brows together. “I doona—”

“Perhaps it would be best if we hear what Owen has to say,” Aidan interjected.

“Yes. Hear me out,” Owen said. “Haines strikes me as the sort who does not want trouble. He has Kingsley to handle the inventory and supervise the warehousemen. Haines can deal with customer disputes. As long as Annie sticks to processing the paperwork, she should be all right.”

Annie opened her mouth to protest, but Owen held up his hand.

“Wait. I understand you do not want to be held back, but it is the best compromise at this time. If you cause too much disruption, he will simply dismiss you.”

Annie started to retort, then snapped her mouth shut. She knew very well her position was tenuous. She refused to look at Niall. He was probably smirking.

“I agree that Annie will be safe at work,” Aidan said. “I doona care much for Kingsley, but ’twas easy to see he was in charge of the men who work there. My concern is for what ye have left unsaid. What about the streets?”

“That is another matter.” Owen grimaced. “I spent the morning at the Merchants House and Trades Hall, speaking with owners and proprietors of the textile mills, and the afternoon in taverns listening to talk. Men are not happy with what took place Sunday, even if they were not directly involved.”

“We had a right to stand in front of the church.” Annie lifted her chin. “We also have a right to expect to earn decent wages.”

“Perhaps you do,” Owen replied, “but the men are angry about it.”

“And ye have seen what angry men do,” Niall said to Annie. “Ye need to stay off the streets.”

Annie scowled. “Doona tell me what to do.”

“’Tis for your own good, lass.”

She rolled her eyes. “There ye go, insulting me again.”

Niall shook his head. “I am nae insulting ye.”

“Ye are. Ye think I doona ken what is good for me?”

“I dinna say that.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “How many times do ye need to be accosted to understand the danger ye put yourself in?”

“How…many…” Annie started to sputter. “I am nae daft—”

“Nae. Ye are just stubborn.”

“Ye are arrogant.”

“Enough,” Aidan said. “Sparring like bairns will nae solve the problem.” He looked at Owen and then Niall.

“We all need to keep our eyes and ears open for more discord.” He turned back to Annie.

“Meanwhile, at least one of us will be your escort whenever ye leave the house. Niall is right. ’Tis for your own safety.

It matters nae how smart ye are, lass. A woman is nae match for a man’s fist. Ye do ken that? ”

As much as she hated to admit it, Aidan—and Niall—were both right. Reluctantly, she nodded. “All right. I will agree to an escort.” Annie focused on Niall. “But nae more hovering over me once I get to the office. I want Mr. Haines to respect me. Agreed?”

Niall looked as if he wanted to disagree, but instead he nodded. “Agreed. Ye drive a hard bargain, lass.”

Annie shrugged. “’Tis because I am stubborn.”

Niall’s eyes widened and then he grinned. “That, too.”

****

When Annie got to the office the next morning—Niall had left her at the door like he promised—she found Kingsley sitting at the desk, looking over the ledgers. She hung her coat on the rack and walked over to him. “What are ye looking for?”

“Nothing in particular. The warehouse has received several shipments as well as sent some out, and I haven’t had a chance to double-check the accuracy of the entries.” Kingsley closed the book and smiled at Annie. “Not that I find many errors. You are very accurate.”

“Thank ye. I doona want Mr. Haines to be disappointed in my work.”

“Neither do I, which is why two pairs of eyes are definitely better than one. We want to make sure nothing has been missed.” Kingsley stood. “I think Mr. Haines said he was expecting another load of tobacco to come in, so I’d better go clear some space in the warehouse.”

“He’s expecting more barley to come in too, so be sure ye keep the area clear where he likes to store it.” She frowned slightly. “I thought the barley had all been harvested already. I am nae sure where this is coming from.”

Kingsley gestured to a sheaf of papers on the desk. “What does the invoice say?”

Annie picked up the stack and thumbed through it. “From Galson, south of Kilmarnock. I guess some of the crofters are probably having a late season.”

“That is what it sounds like.”

“I wonder if the tobacco shipments will slow down when barley is done.”

Kingsley gave her a sharp look. “Why do you say that?”

“Because the tobacco is coming from the port of Norfolk, Virginia, the same place the barley is shipped to.” Annie rifled through the papers. “The invoices match one-for-one on shipments going out and shipments received.”

“May I see those?” He held out his hand.

She turned the items over. “Aye.”

“You are correct,” Kingsley said after he’d separated several invoices and laid them side by side, “although the number of barrels varies.”

“More tobacco comes in than barley goes out, but the prices reflect that.” She looked at Kingsley, feeling a bit anxious. “I make sure I put the exact amount of money paid and the amount received.”

“I am sure you do,” he said reassuringly. “I did not mean to imply otherwise.” He handed the papers back. “It is not surprising larger quantities of tobacco are being imported. After all, the tobacco trade made a number of Glasgow businessmen quite wealthy.”

Annie nodded. “Virginia is much warmer than Scotland, and the planting season is longer.”

Kingsley gestured to the watercolor on the wall. “Plus, those plantations are a lot larger than the plots the crofters tend.”

Annie looked at the painting. “It looks like a beautiful place. I am sure Mr. Haines wishes he still owned part of it.”

Kingsley gave her another sharp glance. “Did he indicate that he would?”

“Nae. At least, I doona think he did.”

His gaze turned to the picture, his look thoughtful. Then he abruptly turned and went through the door to the warehouse.

Annie stared after him, perplexed. Then she shrugged and sat down at the desk. Sometimes men didn’t make sense at all.

****

“Do ye think the turmoil over the Sunday protest has died down?” Niall asked Aidan several days later as they stood on the dock, supervising the loading of the barley barrels from the warehouse onto one of Henderson’s ships bound for Virginia.

“Probably,” Aidan replied. “It’s been nigh unto two weeks. From what MacLean says, talk in the tavern is now centering on rising food costs due to the Corn Laws imposing a high tariff on grain imports.”

Niall gestured toward the ship being loaded. “And yet, Haines manages to export barley, which keeps the prices higher too. A wee bit ironical, nae?”

Aidan nodded. “The landowners keep getting wealthier while the industrial and manufacturing workers are barely scraping by.”

Watching as the last barrels were carried up the gangplank, Niall shook his head. “’Tis surprising the trade unions are nae calling for Haines’ head.”

“Unlikely. The tradesmen are too fond of their tobacco to lose one of its best distributors.” Aidan said. “Besides, he keeps the prices low for storing their wool and linen.”

“Aye, he is shrewd in that.” Niall turned his attention from the ship to Aidan. “Do ye really think Annie is safe working there?”

“Things seem to have quieted down,” Aidan replied.

“Seem?” Niall frowned. “Do ye sense something is nae quite right?”

“I am nae Lachlan.” Aidan shrugged. “I did nae see anything amiss when I was there.”

“I wish I had nae agreed to leave Annie at the door in the mornings.”

Aidan gave his brother a pensive look. “Ye are doing all ye can to protect her.”

“I am nae sure,” Niall responded. “I have an uneasy feel for all of this.”

“We are all keeping our ears alert,” Aidan said. “The lass has agreed to nae wander about without one of us as escort.”

“Unless she decides to sneak out again.” Niall frowned again. “’Twould be just like Annie to think the danger is past and she can do as she wishes.”

“I agree that Annie is a bit headstrong—”

“A bit?” Niall asked incredulously. “I have nae met a more stubborn, willful woman.”

Aidan smiled. “So ye’ve said. But she does nae strike me as someone who will go back on her word. At any rate, ’tis nae much more we can do. As long as Annie does nae stir up the workers again, she should be fine.”

His brother was probably right. If Annie didn’t stir up the workers again…but that was the real question. How long would she be content to remain docile?