Evening Star (Star Quartet 1)

“When his wife’s father died some seven years ago,” Thomas continued, “Saxton sold the Nielson shipyard in Boston and moved the entire operation to New York. Since that time, he has made a series of risky, but very imaginative moves—”

“Like what, Thomas?” Giana asked.

“Well, he managed—how, I do not know—to gain a stake in the ferry business controlled by Vanderbilt. It has brought him a goodly income without much outlay. Today Saxton, at the age of thirty-one, is one of the wealthiest shipbuilders in New York, and one of the ablest. Certainly he is possessed of the Americans’ peculiar breed of arrogance and brashness, but his judgement seems sound enough.”

“He sounds like a boy marvel,” Giana said dryly. “What does he want from us, Thomas?”

“He wants a merger with Van Cleve. He proposes to build six new ships for the Van Cleve line—at a savings for us, because he also owns very productive lumber and steel mills—so that we can take better advantage of the increasing demand for cargo shipping to India.”

Giana interrupted him. “But why does he need us, Thomas? If he builds the ships, why does he not just create his own shipping line?”

“It seems some years ago he directly involved some of his own ships in the India trade. Write it up to his youth, I suppose. In any case, he had great hopes, only to discover that the existing British trade agreements, including our own, did not allow for interlopers. By allying himself to an established shipping line that already has guaranteed contracts, he is removing a good deal of the risk to himself.” Thomas paused a moment before continuing. “Of course, to realize his profit, Saxton must buy into us. He wants fifty percent ownership, making us the Van Cleve/ Saxton ship lines.”

Aurora herself answered Giana’s outraged gasp. “Saxton undoubtedly knows that the Van Cleve shipyards in Plymouth are not what they were twenty years ago. Profits are low because we must compete with the Americans’ abundant raw materials and labor, and we ourselves haven’t the capital needed to bring the shipyards up to snuff. Saxton would bring us quite a sum, and build the ships we need more quickly than we ourselves can. He knows the loss of the Constant hurt us badly, and that we are in danger of losing some of our most profitable trade contracts. The truth is that we need Saxton more than he needs us, and he knows it. Thus his outrageous demand for equal ownership.”

“You believe he knows how much the loss of the Constant hurt us?” Giana asked.

“Certainly he knows. A man of his acumen would not have less information about our business than we do about him. He doubtless is quite aware of all our commitments, commitments that will not be met if he or someone else isn’t brought in quickly to rescue our hides.”

“How I wish we could divert funds from our other holdings, and tell all these vultures to go to the devil.”

“As much as we all would like that, Giana,” Thomas said, “we must reserve our capital for Aurora’s partnership with Mr. Cook. With the masses of people who are traveling by rail as part of Mr. Cook’s tours, from all parts of England to the exhibition, that is likely to be our proverbial golden goose.”

“Would you like to study Mr. Saxton’s proposal in detail now, Giana?” Aurora asked.

“I suppose so,” Giana said, taking the sheaf of papers from Drew. “I just wish we didn’t have to bring in an outsider, and an American of all people. This Mr. Saxton sounds dangerous.”

Thomas laughed heartily. “It will be our job to remove his teeth. You and your mother will probably enjoy just that, since our Mr. Saxton is reputed to be something of a ladies’ man.”

“A lecher?” Giana asked.

“Not that, Giana. His wife died some five years ago, supposedly in a boating accident at the Saxton summer estate in Connecticut. He has one daughter from his marriage, Leah, a houseful of servants, and a young man’s need for pleasure. He cuts a wide swath with the ladies, so I hear.”

Giana snorted. “Why did you say ‘supposedly,’ Thomas? You are not hinting that he did away with his wife, are you?”

“Certainly not. The American newspapermen are a sensational lot, and with Saxton being young and quite wealthy, and his wife something of a recluse, they blew the tragedy out of all proportion. No, our Mr. Saxton is not a man to murder his wife. He appears to enjoy his work and his ladies. No harm in that, certainly.”

“None at all,” Aurora agreed, standing. “Giana, my dear,” she continued to her daughter, “I understand that you and Drew are going to the exhibition again today.”

Giana nodded, her eyes brightening. “I promise you, Mother, it’s worth being squeezed by all the crowds.”

Drew said, “To be honest, Mrs. Van Cleve, there aren’t too terribly many people interested in McCormick’s mechanical reaper, besides Giana. She shows little interest in the other thirteen thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine exhibits.”

“Strive for a bit more enthusiasm, Drew, if you please. There is money to be made with his invention. I understand he has moved his company to Chicago, and is beginning production of his reaper on a grand scale.” She smiled and added, “Drew has told me of an expert machinist here in London. Perhaps we could consider sending the man to America to learn how to build the reaper, then patent the process ourselves here in England.”

Aurora chuckled and said to Thomas Hardesty, “I cannot imagine where Giana got this unscrupulous streak.”

“Come, Mother, you know that I am jesting, I think. At least we could consider marketing his reaper here in England.”

“Perhaps Mr. Saxton would have something to offer you in such a proposition,” Thomas said.

“Maybe so, Thomas. Mr. Saxton will come to London for the negotiations, will he not?”

“We shall insist upon it.” Thomas shot Aurora a droll look. “His London business associate, Hammett Engles, would perhaps be a bit apprehensive about dealing with Aurora by himself again.”

Giana gave a crow of laughter. “I remember Mr. Engles and his shipping stocks. Such a conceited man.”

“Perhaps he is,” Aurora agreed in a mild voice. “Getting him to sell short to a buffleheaded female like me was gratifying.” What she did not mention was that Mr. Hammett Engles was no longer an adversary, but rather, she supposed, something in the nature of a suitor. She found, perversely, that she enjoyed his boundless conceit, if only for one evening a month at the opera.