“As if you wish to live amid squalor.”
Luke took a few more puffs and surveyed his surroundings. “Never. And to that end, I allow Helen the money she perceives we can afford to spend on silly notions. But if she thinks she has a hundred pounds, she will buy the most extravagant wallpaper possible for that amount. If she believes she only has twenty, she will find something that serves the purpose just as well—to offer one example.” Luke allowed himself a smug smile. “And you have to admit, I would be a poor man if I gave every distant relative who approached me the grand sum of ten thousand pounds.”
“Every relation?”
“Ha! If anyone found out I had bestowed such a sum on Dorothea, I would soon discover that Helen and I have many distant relatives in dire need of money.”
“So you think she was lying?” Indignation rose in his being.
“No, I do not. But that would not preclude others from developing hard-luck stories that might be embellished to include sympathy, a good dose of guilt, and a request for a healthy sum of money.”
Stratford contemplated Luke’s attitude. Why was exaggeration tolerated by Lunenburg but not by others? Perhaps because Luke could see a gain for himself in the scheme Lunenburg offered but saw nothing for himself by simply giving a poor relative a sum of money. Such an attitude was not surprising although regrettable. Most men were more concerned about themselves than about others. He recalled stories in scripture: Lot’s willingness to choose the best land for himself and the efforts of Jacob’s uncle Laban to cheat his nephew came first to his mind.
“Halifax and Crumpton will be joining us shortly,” Luke said. “And I’m expecting Lunenburg to offer us all the details about the mine. He has promised to provide a map and indepth information about his other investors.”
“You keep mentioning his other investors. Have they formed a company?”
“No. They are an informal bunch. They are a bit selfish, I must admit. They do not wish to let everyone in on this great opportunity. But their self-interested ways serve us well. We, my friend, have the chance to join in before everyone else finds out about it.”
“Hmm.” This new information did nothing to comfort Stratford. The mysterious nature of the alliance made finding out more about the other men involved difficult.
“So am I convincing you?”
“I cannot say that you are.”
Luke twirled the end of his cigar in the ashtray, although he didn’t allow the orange tip to extinguish. “I feel confident that Lunenburg will change your mind.”
Before Stratford could answer, the other men, including Lunenburg, arrived for the meeting.
“Ah, I am surprised to see you here, Brunswick,” Lunenburg blurted.
Stratford looked for signs of vexation in Lunenburg’s expression, but the other man kept his face a blank.
“I should think you would welcome all possible investors,” Stratford observed.
“Indeed. I just did not think you were especially interested in the mine.”
“Luke asked me to join the meeting, and I do admit I will have to be convinced.”
Luke intervened. “I was just telling him I am confident you will change his mind.” He stood. “Might I offer you a glass of port?”
“Thank you. I would enjoy a glass of the fine vintage you serve very much.” Still, the confidence man looked uncomfortable. “You are welcome to stay, Brunswick, since Luke obviously invited you, but this meeting is meant to be confidential and privy only to serious investors.” He took a seat beside Luke, and the other two men sought the comfort of chairs, as well.
The cloak of mystery made Stratford even more determined to remain at the meeting. “I have the money to invest.”
“It is not a question of the amount of money in your accounts but of what you intend to do with it.”
“Come, Lunenburg, let us not argue any longer,” Halifax prodded. “I do not have all night.”
“Relax, old friend.” Luke reached for his humidor and offered each man except Stratford a cigar. Lunenburg and Halifax accepted, although Crumpton declined.
Though he felt grateful for the interlude, Stratford glanced at the mantel clock. Where was Gilbert? If he did not arrive soon, he might be too late.
“Indeed, no one here has all night.” Lunenburg focused his gaze on Stratford. Puffing on his cigar, he looked down his nose at Stratford. “I will need a firm commitment from all of you by the end of this evening. I have promised the team of investors that I will be sending the funds as quickly as I can. Time is of the essence.”
“Such a sense of urgency seems to be a strong tactic when one considers the amount of money you are asking as an investment,” Stratford pointed out. “Ten thousand pounds, is it not?”
“Ten thousand pounds? Has not every man in this room lost as much in one night at a gaming hall?” Lunenburg quipped.
The other men broke out into laughter, but Stratford remained silent. He already felt like an outsider; no need to remind the others that, having witnessed many a gentleman come to financial distress as a result of gaming habits, he had developed a disapproval of such places.
The laughter gave Lunenburg the confidence to turn boastful. “There is such a hefty profit to be gained. I promise you, within a matter of weeks, you will all be thanking me.”
“Just how much do you anticipate we will gain?” Luke asked.
“I estimate at least a doubling of your investment, if not tripling.”
Sparks seemed to fill the room as the men’s excitement grew.
Stratford intervened. “I was told you would be presenting a plan and all the details of the enterprise.”
“Yes.” For a man supposedly prepared to convince others to invest with him, Lunenburg seemed grumpy about the prospect. Nevertheless, he set his cigar down in a nearby ashtray and reached into a black leather valise he had brought along with him. He pulled out a stack of papers. “Our men are working night and day. Here is a list of our expenses.”
Stratford looked at the list and then passed the paper to the others. Indeed, Lunenburg had put together a convincing plan. If the company was real, it should be turning a nice profit soon. No wonder his friends, smart even as they all were, had been fooled. If Stratford hadn’t known better, he might have been taking a second look at the prospect himself.
“So what do you say?” Lunenburg looked at each man. “Are you ready to go in with me?”
“And just how much money of your own do you have committed to this enterprise?” Stratford wondered aloud.
Where is Gilbert? his mind screamed.
“I have invested fifty thousand pounds of my own fortune,” Lunenburg proclaimed.
“Well, you must think the venture will pay handsome dividends,” Crumpton said.
“If I did not, gentlemen, I would not ask you to invest along with me.”
“Might we be allowed to invest even more, then?” Halifax wanted to know.
“If only I could allow it. But my partners have asked me to limit the amount that others might invest. I have tried and tried to convince them otherwise, especially to make allowances for my personal friends, but they refuse to budge. I am so sorry, gentlemen.” He lifted a forefinger. “Although, perhaps once you make the initial investment, I might try again.”
“I am more than ready to issue a bank draft. Shall I write it to your company?”
“No, just my name. I am sure we will soon establish a formal alliance, but for now, we are operating as individuals.”
“And just who are the other individuals?” Stratford asked.
Lunenburg didn’t pause. “Their names must be kept confidential for the moment.”
“And no wonder.”
A voice interrupted from near the doorway. “Good evening, gentlemen.”
They turned to see Gilbert.
Thirteen
Stratford breathed an inward sigh of relief when Gilbert interrupted the meeting. Praise the Lord! Finally!
Luke ros
e from his seat. “I beg your pardon. This is a private meeting.”
The butler entered, exhaling with a bit of effort. “I beg your forgiveness, sir, but this man refused to wait for your meeting to end. He rushed here before I could catch up with him and inform him you were not to be disturbed. I am afraid he was given directions by one of the maids so he could find you, sir.”
My guess would not be a maid, but Dorothea. Stratford tried not to smile.
“That is quite all right. You are excused.”
He bowed. “Yes, sir.”
Though he had exercised lenience with the butler, Luke looked none too pleased as he studied Gilbert. “This is a private meeting, Meara.”
“I invited him,” Stratford said.
Luke folded his arms. “I beg your pardon, but I told you it was a private meeting. For investors only.”
“That is precisely why I invited my friend to join us. He has something to contribute to this meeting. Something that will be of great interest to you all.” Stratford looked at Lunenburg. Instead of fear or dread, he saw hope in the man’s face. Apparently he didn’t recognize Gilbert and believed him to be another eager investor. He leaned back in his chair and set his fingertips against his chin. The show could prove to be interesting indeed.
Gilbert stepped forward. “I beg your pardon for the interruption, gentlemen, but I would not have rushed into a private business meeting if what I had to say did not have the potential to impact its outcome. I believe that before the evening draws to a close, you will be glad you granted me an audience.” He didn’t take a seat but remained standing. “I am wondering how many of you gentlemen had met Baron Hans von Lunenburg before he took up residence in this parish.”
Silence filled the room.
“With as fine a title and great wealth as Baron von Lunenburg is purported to possess,” Gilbert said, and then set his gaze on the confidence man, “and because of your relative youth and bachelor status, you should have been cornered by every aristocratic mother in town with an eligible daughter to marry.”
A round of knowing chuckles floated into the air, joining the growing cloud of grayish white tobacco smoke. Lunenburg squirmed.
“Indeed, I do know firsthand the horrors of being singled out by wily matrons eager to match you with their daughters, some less, shall we say—appealing—than others?” Lunenburg assured them.
Since every man in the room had been in that situation at one time or another, an appreciative round of laughter ensued.
Their chuckles seemed to soothe the conniver. “Why do you ask?”
Gilbert wasn’t at a loss for an answer. “I ask because apparently no one has ever before seen you. This is in spite of the fact that most of the men in this room, I would venture to say, are quite well traveled.”
“Indeed,” Halifax boasted.
“Then does it not seem likely that someone would have encountered you at a party, a dinner, a Christmas feast, or aboard ship or train at some point in time?”
“I have been rather reclusive, as you know.”
“Yes, that is the rumor,” Gilbert admitted. “But judging from what I have learned secondhand and what I have witnessed since my arrival here, you never turn down a dinner or party invitation. So why the sudden change?”
“Perhaps our ladies out here in the country are much more charming than those in London,” Halifax offered.
“Hear, hear!” Crumpton agreed.
“Yes, your ladies are charming indeed.” Lunenburg let his gaze flicker on Stratford, who cringed with the realization that Dorothea was never far from the schemer’s mind.
Lunenburg puffed out his chest. The opportunity for flattery seemed to fortify him. “But Meara leaves out an important reason for my absences. You see, I have been traveling extensively to set up my business in Africa. Though I possess many talents, regrettably the ability to appear in Africa, London, and the Continent simultaneously is not one of them.”
“Touché.” Gilbert’s manner of speaking, practiced often in the courtroom, remained glib among the chuckles of the others. “So tell me, how is your business progressing?”
The smile vanished from Lunenburg’s countenance. “As I was telling these gentlemen before you so rudely interrupted us, very well. I expect the workers to reach the ore within the month.”
Gilbert crossed his arms and stared straight at Lunenburg. “And just where is this mine?”
“If only I had a diagram so I could show you.” Lunenburg took a sip of port.
“I thought you planned to bring us a map,” Stratford said.
“Never mind.” Luke rose. “I believe I have a current one here. I refer to it often to plan trips.” He retrieved a piece of rolled-up paper from a table drawer. Stratford could feel the crackle of anticipation as he watched Luke unroll the paper and study it. “Ah, yes. This is the one.” He handed the drawing to Lunenburg. “Now, show us where the mine is, and put this man’s mind to rest.”
“Yes, do,” Crumpton encouraged. “I was curious myself as to the exact location.”
“But gentlemen, this meeting is confidential, and not everyone in this room has agreed to become my investor. Suppose one of us should leave tonight and pass on this valuable information to someone unscrupulous and beat us in our own game.” He eyed Stratford.
“Since you believe yourself to be so close to discovery, I think we can risk it,” Luke said. “Besides, I am willing to vouch for Brunswick.”
“And I, in turn, vouch for Gilbert,” Stratford assured them.
“Are the rest of you agreeable?” Luke asked.
Halifax didn’t hesitate to offer his opinion. “Your word is your bond with me.”
“As it is with me.” Crumpton exhaled a stream of cigar smoke.
“If you insist.” Lunenburg eyed the map a moment before settling his index finger on a spot. “There. This is the vicinity of the mine.”
The men looked at the map.
“There?” Crumpton said. “But that is nowhere near Cape Town. I thought the southernmost region of Africa was the location of the mine.”
Lunenburg picked up his glass of port and drained the burgundy liquid. “I gave that location initially to throw off curiosity seekers. Everyone knows of the mines in southern Africa. Only serious investors are privy to the correct information.”
“In this day and age, such deception is no doubt wise,” Luke said. “Based on the figures and other information you have provided us, I am still more than willing to invest.”
Stratford couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Had Luke’s greed expanded to the point that he was willing to throw in his lot with a professed liar?
“So you are more than willing to invest,” Gilbert said without missing a beat. “More than willing to invest with whom?”
“With whom?” Halifax asked.
Stratford watched the other men regard Gilbert with their mouths open, not unlike one might look at a candidate for admission to Bedlam.
Crumpton answered. “Why, with Lunenburg, of course.”
“So you are willing to invest your money with Baron Hans von Lunenburg.”
“Yes.” Luke crossed his arms and exhaled. “Come on, man, what is this about?”
“What if I were to tell you that the man you know as Baron Hans von Lunenburg had a very good reason for not attending any society events of which we were aware last season—or the five seasons before that?”
“He has already explained himself to my satisfaction, and I venture the satisfaction of the others in this room,” Halifax answered. “As he said, he has been spending the bulk of his time in the wilds of Africa.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” Gilbert regarded Lunenburg with an unflinching eye. “Tell me, how do you like life in Africa?”
He shrugged. “Life there has its moments, I suppose.”
“And the countryside there?”
Lunenburg stalled. “Uh, it is pretty.”
“Pretty?” Crumpton asked. “Why, Africa has some
of the most beautiful country in the world. Everyone who goes there remarks about it. One cannot help but rave over such wonder and beauty. God’s creation unspoiled. Skies the color of a robin’s egg, water blue as sapphires rushing against the rocks. And the hunting! You have not seen Africa unless you have been on a hunting expedition. I have the elephant trophy in my den to prove it.”
“If only I could have found the time to enjoy such an expedition,” Lunenburg lamented.
“Yes, it is difficult to find time for hunting when one is locked in Newgate,” Gilbert pointed out.
“What?” Luke gasped.
Except for that expression of surprise, silence enveloped the room. Stratford watched Lunenburg allow the ashes from the tip of his cigar to fall to the floor.
Halifax was the first to regain his composure. “Newgate? I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me correctly.” Gilbert pointed to Lunenburg. “This man has not been in Africa setting up a business as he has told you. In fact, as the answers to Crumpton’s inquiries would lead us to believe, I doubt he has ever been to Africa at all.”
“This is all too much,” Crumpton said. “Newgate? Is this true? Did you serve time for a crime?”
“This is preposterous. I think you should think carefully before slandering a man,” Lunenburg said to Gilbert.
“As a solicitor, I agree. I am fully aware of the dangers of slander. In fact, I have won many a defamation case based on one fact and one fact alone,” Gilbert said. “That the statements made were true.”
“And I believe Gilbert Meara speaks the truth,” Stratford said. “In fact, I went with him to London to discover the facts for myself.”
“London? What did you hope to find there?” Lunenburg asked, still putting on a show of confidence.
“Perhaps you can tell me.” Stratford crossed his arms and faced Lunenburg.
“Everyone in this room knows that you are jealous of the time I spend with Lady Dorothea,” Lunenburg countered.
“Any personal dispute I may or may not have with you does not alter the facts of the matter,” Stratford said.
“I have to agree,” Crumpton said.
Journeys Page 13
