Chapter 1
London, December 1888
The ticking clock in the corner of the waiting area counted down the seconds toward Oliver Conway’s doom. Each second sounded like a hammer fall in the interminable silence. He clenched his worn black gloves in one hand and held his hat in the other as he waited to be summoned. Finally, the door to the bank president’s office opened, and a portly man with kind eyes glanced down the hall to find him.
“Lord Conway, I will see you now.”
Oliver swallowed and stood, then straightened his shoulders and entered the office of Mr. Kelly, president of Drummonds Bank.
“Please, sit, Lord Conway.” Mr. Kelly waved at the pair of leather chairs facing the desk.
Oliver sat, his hands trembling a little. At the grown age of one and thirty he had few reasons to be afrai
