by Abigail Agar
He turned and bumped into someone. He mumbled pardon without looking up. The man in front of him wouldn’t move. He looked up.
A smile lit his face. “Silas,” he said grabbing both his arms. “What a wonderful surprise. It’s so good to see you. Have you come to dip your toe into business?”
Silas smiled too. “I just wanted to see what my big brother was doing. Come, I’ve taken a room next to yours. We’ll sit and decide what to do?”
Phin looked at Silas again and smiled. “It’s so good to see you. I’ve just returned from Burgundy not knowing a soul. It’s been six days since I’ve been here.”
Phin led Silas up to the third-floor rooms. The stairs were wide and carpeted, the trip punctuated with talk of Mercy’s wedding and Elizabeth’s tour of the ton, working to undo the damage she had done.
Silas laughed. “You should see her in action. The words flow out of her mouth effortlessly.”
Phin turned the key and opened the door. Silas sat in one of the two chairs in the room while Phin shut the door. His trunk had been delivered and was against the wall next to the door.
Silas continued to talk, not taking a breath, so amused with his story. He knew Phin would be too. “Your generosity towards Bernard went a long way with Merritt. I really didn’t need to accompany Elizabeth on her outings. Merritt made sure she is making amends. He read the journal, so he knows the truth of it, and his resolve is strong.”
Silas put his hands on his knees. Phin’s silence bothered him. “Things are looking up, big brother. When you get back, the atmosphere around the ton will feel very different to you. You have many people in your corner, helping clear you. And it’s working.”
Silas looked at Phin. He was confused by Phin’s lack of excitement over the turn of events. “Phin, I thought you’d be happy. What’s wrong?”
Phin sighed and sat in the chair next to Silas. He turned and looked into Silas’eyes and sighed again. “It’s quiet and tranquil here. I have stepped back from the ugliness and rejection I faced in London. It hurt. It still hurts.
“I am grateful to you, Everett and John have worked so hard to clear my name. But to what end? So I can socialize with those people who were willing to cast me aside?” He shook his head. “That’s not what I want.
“This country has been so welcoming to me. From every vineyard I entered in the countryside to every bistro in the city, it has been such a pleasure.
“I didn’t fully grasp the pressure I was under every time I entered a ballroom. Or even White’s. I was accosted at White’s. Everett probably told you. I never want to go back.”
Silas nodded.
Phin closed his eyes for a moment then continued, “Silas, it feels so good you are here. How long can you stay? Having you here is incredible. In the twenty minutes we’ve been together, I realized how much I miss you.”
Silas shrugged. “I’ll play it by ear. Let’s see how it goes.” He slapped Phin on the arm. “Dinner, Phin. I need to eat.”
When it was time, Phin moved on to Bordeaux, and Silas tagged along. Phin was thrilled. At Phin’s insistence, Silas remained silent, but after the first two wineries they visited, Silas understood Phin’s style and began jumping into the one-sided negotiations. The first time he did, Silas thought the man would kill him on the spot.
The winery owner, a Monsieur Moreau, was red-faced and rotund. Throughout lunch, he talked incessantly, Phin giving him responses using as few words as possible. Silas watched as if it were a ping-pong match, his head swivelling back and forth between the two.
Towards the end of lunch, Silas put his napkin on the table next to his plate. He pulled out his pocket watch and read the time to himself. He snapped the lid on his watch, returned it to its rightful place, and looked at Phin. “Pardon brother, we must watch the time.”
Phin blandly turned to his brother. If Silas hadn’t known Phin his entire life, he wouldn’t have been able to detect the look in his eyes. Silas shot back a small smile meant for their host, not him.
“I don’t want to hold you gentlemen up, so I think we should get down to business. Monsieur Moreau blustered through three prices per case before Silas pulled out his watch again. He casually returned it and sat back, crossed his legs and continued to listen. Two more price drops later, Phin put the man out of his misery and accepted his proposal.
Both Phin and Silas shook hands with the relieved and happy Monsieur Moreau and climbed into their coach. Phin said nothing for the first few miles, looking out the window at the beautiful countryside.
When he turned to Silas and opened his mouth to speak, Silas said, “Tell me Phin. What was your price goal for a case of wine from Monsieur Moreau?”
Phin reluctantly named his price. Silas slapped his leg and said, “Ha.” He got a piercing look from his brother.
“You know as well as I, we’d still be sitting in front of our plates right now if I hadn’t looked at my watch the second time.”
Phin’s shoulders slumped with his exhale of breath. “You’re right Silas. But I make sure my negotiations are carefully orchestrated. Coming in as the dark horse without my previous knowledge was not welcome.”
Silas crossed his arms. “Would you have given me permission to speak if I asked you?”
Phin let out a loud snort and said, “Of course not.”
Silas grinned, “Where to now? Another vineyard? Another Monsieur Moreau to meet?”
Phin looked at Silas and shook his head. “You’re having fun. Admit it. I’ve been watching you. This business we are doing isn’t so boring, is it?”
“No Silas. We’re headed back to Paris for one or two days then headed to the Loire Valley then the port of Nantes.
“Just three vineyards per province. Do you want to run a winery by in the Loire?”
“Yes,” Silas answered quickly, “I do. I’ve watched you carefully over the last few days. I can do this. Of course, my style is different from yours.”
“Of course,” Phin said, his lips curling up on the ends. “The only cardinal rule is we don’t leave a winery with an agreement for a case of wine higher than our bottom-line price. Understood? Never. We walk away from the deal.”
Silas nodded and grinned.
Phin could tell Silas was excited by the idea. Good. Maybe he could take over the wine import business. Phin still wished Silas would join with him and Everett.
***
Phin and Silas made it back to Paris the next evening. Phin always became contemplative during coach rides, Silas restless. That was about the only drawback Phin had with working with his brother.
They would take two days in Paris then head to the Loire and take a boat to London when their business was done. He wouldn’t see Paris again, not sure when he would return.
When the carriage was about an hour outside of Paris, awake after sleeping during the middle leg of the journey, Phin started telling Silas about Marielle.
He wanted Silas to meet her and for the three of them to dine together.
Silas had a secret smile on his face that made Phin believe he had been fully apprised of Marielle. That was probably true since Phin had written Everett about her.
Silas nodded. “I look forward to meeting her.” Phin knew he did.
“How much of your visit here is to check up on me and not let me elope?”
Silas feigned surprise, “What do you mean?”
Phin rolled his eyes. “I wrote to Ev about Marielle. You come visit me, asking questions about her. I’m surprised you and Ev would think I could be serious with someone so quickly after Charlotte.”
Silas grimaced. “I think Everett was concerned you were on the rebound and might make questionable decisions while in that state.”
Phin smiled broadly. “When you meet her, you will understand why I am so taken with her. She is beautiful and smart. She is a very talented dress designer. She is always smiling. I love being around her.”
Silas leaned forward in the carriage, resting his forearms on
his knees. “Phin. She sounds too good to be true. As Everett tells it, she just walked into the bistro you were in and sat next to you. She could have been a pickpocket. Don’t you find that odd?”
Phin shook his head and smiled. “No. Not from her. She lives in the moment and doesn’t spend her time wondering what she should do next. For her, sitting down next to me in a bistro seemed fine. When you meet her, you’ll understand.”
“Phin, I am so interested in meeting Marielle. She sounds like no other woman I’ve ever known.”
They returned to their rooms, ordered baths, and dressed in clean clothes. They sat on comfortable chairs in the lobby and had a drink. Silas looked around the first floor of the club.
The seating area was to the right of the entrance, the front desk to the left. Big, fat pillars formed an aisle down the middle of the lobby, rising three floors high.
The seating area smelled of cigar smoke. It boasted at least twenty tufted leather seats with tables next to each one. Newspapers were scattered throughout.
“Are we members of this club?”
Phin nodded, then stretched his legs in front of him. “Yes, I joined when I returned from India. You must come back. Men only, I’m afraid.”
Silas swatted the air. “Minor impediment, Phin. Nothing to worry about.”
Phin smiled. “Finish your drink. We’re walking to Marielle’s shop.”
Phin was just as charmed by the cobblestone streets as he had been with his visits before. He turned onto her street and had to halt to wait for Silas.
“Everything all right?”
Silas nodded, but his eyes were trying to take in everything there was to see. “I’ve been to Paris many times, but not this area. This is a charming street,” he said.
Phin agreed. “Isn’t it?”
The street Marielle’s shop was on boasted more dress shops as well as milliners, shoe shops, a tearoom, and a chocolate shop. Coloured flags with pictures of dresses or hats or shoes flapped in front of the entrance to each shop giving a bright, festive feel to the street.
Silas couldn’t help thinking Marielle lived in a small, well-defined universe that existed outside reality. Phin might find that charming, but it wouldn’t take long for the restrictions of that world to close in on his far-flung interests.
Phin reached Marielle’s and leaned into the window to see if she was in her shop. She came out from behind the screen. Phin knocked on the window.
She smiled and clasped her hands together at her breast before hurrying to the door and opening it.
“Phin, what a wonderful surprise. You must come see the shipment I received,” she said.
Phin saw she was looking at Silas. “Marielle, may I present my brother, Silas. Silas, Marielle.”
Silas took her hand and kissed the back of it, “Enchanted, Mademoiselle.”
She smiled. “Please come in.”
She shut the door behind her and locked it. “Phin, you must see what your business partner sent me.” She waved her hand forward, beckoning him behind the screen.
Phin saw around twenty bolts of different fabric in different colours. He smiled at Marielle. “Your talents now have a wider palette,” he said, his eyes on her face.
She looked so happy, her face glowed. “Tell me, do the other shop owners know you have this stash?”
She nodded. “Yes. All it took was to have one patron see it then go to another shop.” She shrugged.
“You were right. My shop is flooded with ladies wanting the watered silk in red or the tulle in white for weddings. The quality of the fabric is excellent. Thank you.”
Phin stood in front of her and laid his hands on her shoulders. He squeezed. “Your advantage won’t last long if we decide to open our warehouse near the others.”
She nodded but then laughed. “They are all so beautiful, we will all benefit.”
Silas stood behind Phin taking in Marielle. Phin could feel him over his left shoulder. He was uncharacteristically quiet. Could the same girl smite them both?
Silas knew he was being uncharacteristically quiet. Each time he tried to emerge from his fog, he’d wander right back into it again. One time, it was her smile. Another time, it was the way she tilted her head when she listened.
His mind was reeling. It was not one thing about her that intrigued him, it was everything. Her pale blue eyes were exquisite when they sparkled. And they sparkled every time she smiled.
Phin turned to Marielle. “We’ll dine?”
“Let me get my wrap.” She smiled and rushed up the stairs.
Silas turned to Phin. “Her smile alone is mesmerizing. She’s beautiful, and she’s kind. She always like this?”
Phin laughed. “Always.”
Silas was about to say something else when he heard Marielle coming down the stairs.
She put her wrap around her shoulders. “Shall we?”
Phin walked to Marielle’s left, Silas to her right. “If you don’t mind, Marielle, I would love to go back to that bistro we tried last time I was in Paris.”
Marielle let out something like a squeal, but she wasn’t the kind of woman to squeal, so Phin didn’t know what just happened.
He laughed. “Is that a yes?”
She nodded.
Silas still hadn’t said a word. Phin was beginning to worry about him. Silas was never, ever at a loss for words.
Silas knew he was sitting next to Marielle like a man unable to speak. He couldn’t speak. There were too many things going through his mind.
She would be a great partner when he threw a house party. They could have so much fun planning it together.
She could open a shop in London and use the family fabric business to be very successful. Of course, she didn’t need to work. She could live at Collinswood with him.
Silas couldn’t believe he was thinking this way. Where had these thoughts come from? Why hadn’t he pushed them down when they came?
Whenever Silas was with a woman, or more likely, a mistress, he knew he wasn’t in love. He never cared enough for any one of them to be in love. He told himself he most likely would never be in love.
Now, he knew he was in love. He looked around the bistro. Everyone was talking, laughing, eating, drinking, enjoying themselves. They hadn’t noticed. They couldn’t tell. He was in love.
But how? He had just met her. He knew nothing about her except she made dresses. How could he be in love? He didn’t believe in love at first sight. Hell, until now, he hadn’t believed in love. But she was his. He knew it. He just had to make sure she knew it too.
Silas almost laughed out loud, but he hadn’t spoken to her yet. She might not exactly feel like she was his.
At dinner, Marielle picked up her wine glass and drank. She turned to Silas, “You know, Silas, Phin has spoken of you often. Everett this, Silas that. He said you were outgoing and fun to be around.” Marielle looked over at Phin with a smile. “Did my friend Phin lie to me?”
Phin raised an eyebrow at Silas. Silas was caught off guard. He turned to Marielle and said, “Everything Phin has said about me is true. I am never rendered speechless. I’ll always have a quick and sometimes biting retort to something said to me.
“But forgive me tonight. My mind is racing. I’m calculating in my head where the dressmaker shops are in London compared to where the docks are compared to where our townhouse is. Marielle, will you marry me?”
Phin didn’t know who gasped louder, him or Marielle. They looked at each other then at Silas.
Phin’s throat emitted a low growl. He cleared his throat. “That’s not funny, Silas. In fact, it’s downright cruel to make such a joke. Apologize to Marielle now.”
Silas looked from Marielle to Phin back to Marielle. They both looked distressed. Phin could tell Silas didn’t understand why.
Silas moved his chair so he was facing Marielle, knees touching. “I apologize if you thought I was joking or playing with your emotions. I wasn’t.” Silas took a deep breath, “Marielle, will
you marry me?”
Marielle moved her chair back so she was facing the table. She didn’t say anything for a long time, but during that time, she never broke eye contact with him. “Silas, you know nothing about me. We were introduced two hours ago. You don’t know my last name, you don’t know if I am married, if I have children, if I have an elderly parent in my care. You know nothing.”
“I know you are kind, you have a love of life, and you are beautiful inside and out. Tell me, what else about you do I need to know?”
