Deception and Desire

Chapter 1Busy on a call and with a tray full of paperwork still to complete before he could leave for the day, Nyles frowned at the tap to on door. I told Miss Braddy I was not to be disturbed. Ending the call, he gave a baleful glance at the ever-growing paperwork and shouted, “Enter!” The door opened, and his secretary popped her head around. One look at her exasperated expression was enough for Nyles to know the cause, and his heart plummeted. “Excuse me disturbing you, Mr. Weatherall, but your aunt is here and wishes to see you. I have explained you have a lot of work, but…well…” “She’s persistent.” Nyles rolled his eyes. His aunt—she was actually his great aunt—was never anything less. If she wished an audience, it was always on her terms. Patting his paperwork into a neat stack, Nyles placed his paperweight on top, smiling as he looked at the solid gold scarab beetle. “Very well, let her in.” There was enough time for Nyles to take a deep breath while his secretary vanished, then the door opened wide, and his aunt strode toward him in a swirl of multiple skirts, generous bustle, and her white hair adorned with a fashionable French hat. Despite her advanced age, Lady Adella Hertman was still a force to be reckoned with. “I can’t believe you are going abroad yet again, Nyles.” Adella’s voice, shrill with anger, made Nyles wince. Adella looked as if she was about to take tea with the queen in her green silks; she’d even worn her best emerald jewellery at her throat and dangling from her ears. Nyles was quite aware she didn’t dress to impress him. This means she’s going to be off somewhere else, so at least this shouldn’t be a long meeting. “Good afternoon, Aunt Adella. A pleasure to see you, as always. Did you call in on your way elsewhere?” Nyles schooled his face into a smile. The ploy worked. Adella’s scowl deepened. “I’m meeting Orpha, who’s taking tea at the moment. Then we are calling upon Major Broun. Their engagement is imminent, you know. It will be the social occasion of the year.” Finally, his aunt’s face lost its sour expression. “Indeed.” Nyles nodded, stifling a bored sigh. Orpha was his cousin, Adella’s granddaughter. A pretty enough young woman, but completely vacuous, much like her wastrel brother Jeptha. Not that you could tell Adella such things. His cousins’ mother had died not long after childbirth. Always a frail woman, as Nyles understood. Their father was a man tied to his mother’s apron strings and had moved back into the family home where Adella had overseen the children’s’ care. His uncle had died falling from his horse during a hunt only a few years ago—drunk as usual, as Nyles had been told. Adella had Orpha and Jeptha under her extremely wealthy wings. But they had to jump to her tune to keep in the lifestyle they enjoyed. A pang of sorrow tugged at Nyles’s heart. Both of his parents had died in his infancy, and he had only aged photographs to remember them by. His maternal grandmother had raised him and the small empire of stores he owned were her legacy. Unfortunately for Adella, some poor investments by Jeptha had heavily hit her wealth. Not that she was poor by any standards, but once Orpha’s engagement was announced, there would naturally be a lavish party, then the wedding, and, if Nyles knew his aunt, she would insist that she pay for all of Orpha’s honeymoon trousseau. The consequences of Adella’s wealth dipping were her increased interest in Nyles’s stores and his personal fortune. His inherited wealth didn’t rival hers—at least it hadn’t—but it was his stores that were really in Adella’s sights. “We are a family of substance, of importance, Nyles.” Adella stamped her foot. “Despite you insisting on presiding personally over these…these shops. It’s an embarrassment. There’s no need. You have independent means enough to live without running a—” “I do not run a shop,” Nyles cut in. He’d heard the same argument too many times before. “I own several luxury stores, which perform extremely well. People buy their jewellery, furnishings, and clothing from me, and, as you well know, I’m sought out first for wedding dresses, unique party favours, and exotic gifts.” “Yes, yes, yes, that’s all very well, but you don’t have to be there.” Adella pointed at his desk. “Doing that.” Her bony finger moved to the pile of papers. “You haven’t even named Jeptha as your successor should anything happen to you. You spend weeks at a time abroad, mixing with those foreign men, and one in particular. Adella sniffed loudly. “You claim he is royalty, but he’s no real king. That tiny country is little more than a dot on an atlas.” “King Kasim is a good friend as well as the main supplier of much that I sell. I have no intention of refusing an invitation to visit. In fact—” Nyles watched Adella through half-closed eyes “—I would have thought the family would be pleased that I am friends with one who’s considered a king, no matter the size of his country. “Anyone would imagine you had a secret wife over there. Although we, your family, know that cannot be so. As far as royalty goes, we do not know this man’s pedigree.” “Indeed.” Nyles leaned back in his chair, his expression one of bored neutrality. I’ve never once spoken openly of my preference for male company. It remains assumption and insinuation by my remaining family. That they were right irritated Nyles; that they could prove nothing irked Adella. Therefore, they remained in an uneasy standoff. Nyles was perfectly well aware that there was no real familial love for him. He was a milk cow—or would be, if they could engineer it. Adella repeatedly harangued him to take distant cousins into the business and, naturally enough from her perspective, ensure his will left everything to her immediate family. “Marchant says you have not visited him.” Adella snapped open her fan, rapidly waving it in front of her. “If I was in need of a solicitor, it does not follow I would go to Marchant,” Nyles said and fought to keep the annoyance from his tone. “His firm have been our family’s solicitors for two generations. Where else would you go?” Adella stared at him in disbelief. “Somewhere that you wouldn’t think of and where my business would remain just that, my business,” Nyles stood and leaned over his desk. “I am not so old that I need to worry. And of course, if you had your way, I would be selling up anyway.” “Of course. Mr. Bart Bagnall made an excellent offer for the firm. I have no idea why you insist on tying yourself to such menial tasks. Consider this, Nyles—you are nearly thirty-three years old and still unmarried. With not even a potential fiancée on the horizon. Do you even care about the constant questions we are asked about your remaining single?” Adella didn’t wait for an answer, pacing around the room. “No, I don’t expect you do. You care nothing for our family’s reputation. Your age is irrelevant in regards making your will. You travel to that God-forsaken place, into a…a desert, to spend more time with those…those heathens than your own family. There are any number of accidents that could befall you travelling there and back, untold diseases, not to mention what those savages might do if they turn against you.” “King Kasim is the ruler of his kingdom and a powerful and intelligent man. I am quite safe in his care, Aunt Adella.” A most unladylike snort issued from his aunt. She then fixed Nyles with a cold, hard stare. “You put far too much trust in those people. If you have any consideration for your family, you will sort out your affairs before you travel again.” “As a matter of fact, I have an airship flight booked for tomorrow. My affairs will remain as they are. Good day, Aunt Adella.” A tut of fury and a swirl of green heralded his aunt turning her back on Nyles and leaving without another word. As the door closed, Nyles rubbed at his eyes. Not that he would ever admit it to Adella, but sometimes he did wonder about selling his businesses and retiring, but he knew he would still get no peace. Reaching into an inner pocket of his waistcoat, Nyles drew out a letter and carefully unfolded it. Dear Nyles, I do so enjoy our correspondence and sometimes feel as if you are here with me when I read your letters. I wish it were so. Your words are so warm and yet you are so far away. I have been told you are to visit again soon, and I count the hours until I see you. May you come back safely to me. Your Jewel “I count the hours, too, Jewel,” Nyles murmured, as he scanned the letter for those words that he kept close to his heart. I truly feel as if Jewel and I have been courting. He pressed the letter to his chest. Now I’m ready and, more importantly, I think Jewel is ready for us to move beyond the chaste friendship and affection we’ve shared. He could only hope and pray that his host, King Kasim, would look favourably on his petition for the young concubine. What would you think if you knew I was hoping to make a courtesan my life companion, Aunt Adella? It’s not forbidden any more to have a male companion, although I doubt I could continue to live here. Nyles shivered, his office suddenly feeling as cold as his meeting with his aunt. Diligently returning to his work, he worked his way through what needed to be done before he could leave the stores in his vice president’s hands. After filing away his paperwork, Nyles left his office, pausing at his secretary’s desk. “I have a lot of packing to do, Miss Braddy and have decided to finish early today. If anything urgent should come up, pass it to Mr. Glenning.” “Of course, Mr. Weatherall. Will you be back tomorrow?” “I think not. I’ll speak to Mr. Glenning from home. He can take over from now. There’s nothing lined up he need worry about. I could do with a little extra time before my trip.” “Very good, sir. Good luck in your trading.” “Thank you, Miss Braddy.” Nyles nodded and left. His heart lifted as he strode out of the building, feeling as if he was leaving his cares behind him.