Trade Winds (Choc Lit) (16 page)

‘His job?’ Captain Craig looked puzzled, so Killian filled him in by telling him about the bad blood between himself and his cousin, as well as the task he had set Adair.

‘You should’ve told me before. I’d have posted guards, but I’ll certainly do so from now on. Never occurred to me we’d need to do that. Everyone knows I sleep on board and that’s always been enough in the past to guarantee the safety of the cargo.’

Killian nodded. ‘Yes, I’m sorry. I should have guessed my cousin wouldn’t leave me alone even when I was out of the country.’

‘Why does he hate you so much? If you don’t mind me asking.’

‘I think he wants to take my place as my grandfather’s heir and he’s been putting spokes in my wheel for years. I wasn’t aware he knew about the ship or I’d have warned you. I’d be grateful if you would be watchful from now on though. He won’t be content until he’s destroyed me completely.’

‘Hm, well as to that, he’ll have to find another way. Nothing more is going to happen to the ship, you have my word on that.’

Killian smiled at the man. ‘Thank you, Captain. Thank you for everything.’

‘Not at all. I’ve brought you the profits, and we didn’t do too badly.’ Captain Craig extracted a clinking pouch from his pockets and handed it to Killian. It was a lot heavier than he had expected.

‘I’d say!’ He tipped out the contents and counted the coins, then whistled softly. ‘I guess you were right, there really is money to be made going back and forth between Sweden and Scotland.’

‘Sure there is. As long as you buy the right goods and keep in well with certain merchants. Not to mention avoid the likes of your employer. Far too stingy, that one.’ Craig grinned and Killian couldn’t help but grin back.

‘Have you paid the crew?’ Craig nodded. ‘Good, then tell me how much you need in order to keep the ship in good repair and to buy more merchandise, then we’ll split the rest in half.’

Captain Craig’s eyebrows rose. ‘Half, Mr Kinross? Surely not.’

‘But of course. You’re doing all the hard work, so you deserve to profit from it equally.’

‘Why, thank you. That’s very generous. Very generous, indeed. I hadn’t expected anything like as much.’

‘It’s only fair. Now let’s plan the next trip.’

Killian knew he was being magnanimous towards the captain, giving him far more than he could ever have hoped for. He knew if the man was happy, he had even more of an incentive to make that profit larger. That in turn should make more money for Killian in the long run. At the moment he was pleased with any steady income, apart from the meagre salary Fergusson was paying him. It was much better than worrying about when his next win at the gaming tables would be.

Later, when the captain had gone, Killian added his share of the profits to his growing stash of money in a safe hiding place. A few more trips like that and he might be able to set up in business for himself. Then Mr Fergusson would have to find another clerk and good riddance, he thought.

‘Er, Mr Holm, could I have a word please?’

It was Monday morning, and Killian had come in extra early hoping to catch Holm on his own, which was exactly what had happened. The piece of paper Jess had passed to him at church the previous day was in his pocket and he was itching to discuss it with Holm.

‘Yes, what is it?’ Holm looked up from a ledger he had
been working on and frowned. ‘You here very early. You ill?’

‘No, I’m fine, it’s just, there is a matter I need to discuss with you and I didn’t want an audience.’ He nodded towards the warehouse proper, where soon the manual labourers would start to arrive for the day’s work. ‘It concerns Miss van Sandt.’

Holm’s frown turned into a ferocious scowl. ‘I thought I asked you to forget about her. If it’s about her visit, I told her not to come back and she hasn’t.’

‘No, that’s not what I want to talk to you about. The thing is, we often sit next to each other at church. For some reason she decided to confide in me about how matters stand between herself and Mr Fergusson.’

Holm tut-tutted with impatience and shook his head. ‘Silly girl,’ he muttered, then sighed and looked Killian in the eye. ‘I tell you, is better for you not to get involved. Nothing good can come of it. She will soon accept her stepfather has control over everything and when he’s ready, he will marry her to someone. That is all she can expect. I do feel sorry for her, but her father was foolish to give her hope for more.’

It was Killian’s turn to shake his head. ‘I don’t think she disputes that, Mr Holm. She does feel Mr Fergusson has been less than truthful though and yesterday she passed me something which appears to confirm her suspicions. Take a look at this.’ He handed Holm the piece of paper and the other man’s eyes narrowed while he glanced at it.

‘This is a copy of a real letter?’

‘Yes. She, uhm, happened to find it in Mr Fergusson’s study.’

‘Happened to find it, eh?’ Holm smiled ruefully. ‘
Envisa flickebarn
,’ he muttered. ‘And she gave you this in church? You sure no one saw her?’

‘No. We “accidentally” swapped hymn books and it was inside hers. I didn’t open it until I was back at my lodgings.’

‘Hmm. Well, it does seem to confirm there’s something going on, but it doesn’t actually prove anything.’

‘She said there was no address, but the letters AM were written on the back. Do you know who that might be?’

‘Could be several people. There’s Axel Månsson, the smith, Adolf Morgren, the merchant, Anders Milner, the magistrate, Arne Mattisson, the …’

‘Hold on a moment, a magistrate? He would be a useful ally to have, surely?’

Holm shrugged. ‘He’s been a friend of the family for a long time. I’m sure he would never do anything to hurt the van Sandts.’

‘Maybe not voluntarily, but what if he was forced?’ Killian had lived long enough with his cousin to know that blackmail was very tempting when everything else failed. He’d lost count of the number of times Farquhar had made servants and others do his bidding because he had spied on them and knew something they didn’t want others to find out.

Holm looked bemused, but shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. There have never been any rumours about him taking bribes or anything. Not like some.’

Killian paced the office. Now that he had become involved with Miss van Sandt’s affairs, he wanted answers. It was frustrating to be shown this tantalisingly small piece of evidence and not be able to go further.

‘Leave it with me,’ Holm said. ‘You should stay out of this or you might lose your position. Jessamijn should never have involved you.’

‘But I want to help. I can’t stand injustice.’ It made him think of his grandfather’s treatment of him and he knew that Miss van Sandt was right to fight her corner. ‘Shall I keep the paper for now? It might be safer.’

‘Very well. Hide it in your rooms and don’t show it to anyone else.’

‘And will you let me know if you find anything? I can tell Miss van Sandt at church.’

‘
Ja
, I will. But warn her not to expect too much. And,
för Guds skull,
tell her no more snooping. It could be very dangerous.’

And with that, Killian had to be satisfied for the present.

Chapter Fourteen

‘Kinross, may I introduce Mr Colin Campbell, a true Scotsman like ourselves.’

Killian had once again been invited to the Fergusson household for supper, but this time it was more of a business occasion. The dreary salon contained a large group of ladies and gentlemen. Killian had seen some of the men around town or at the inn and knew they were all merchants or seafaring men, but he’d never been formally introduced to them. Presumably some were also colleagues of Fergusson’s. Colin Campbell was one of these.

A pair of blue, intelligent eyes looked out from under bushy, greying eyebrows and regarded Killian with interest. Campbell had probably never been handsome even when he was young. His nose was on the large side, with a high bridge and long slightly rosy and bulbous tip, and his mouth, although curved in a pleasant smile, was rather thin. He made up for this with his jovial manner and he was smartly dressed in a russet-coloured velvet coat with matching satin waistcoat and buff breeches. On his head he wore a curled wig that matched his eyebrows, and Killian noticed that his linen was white and starched to perfection.

‘Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir,’ Killian said and bowed, receiving a nod and a smile in return. ‘I hear you have recently returned from Scotland. How are things over there?’

‘Much the same as usual,’ Campbell replied. ‘I’m glad to be back here though, as our great plans are coming to fruition.’

‘Great plans?’ Killian was all ears, although he didn’t want to seem too inquisitive. Fergusson never told him about any of the deals he struck. It was only through Holm that he sometimes learned about planned ventures.

‘Those gentlemen over there,’ Campbell nodded towards two others who were now talking to Fergusson and his wife, ‘are Henrik König and Niclas Sahlgren, both well-to-do merchants. In June they received permission from His Majesty the King to form a Swedish East India Company. Since I have some experience of these things, I’ve been asked to act as advisor and supercargo on the first journey. I’m really looking forward to it.’

Killian knew by now that a supercargo was the person responsible for an expedition to foreign ports. He would be the one in charge of selling the cargo and negotiating a better one for the return journey. It was a position that required experience and a sharp brain. Mr Campbell seemed to have both. ‘You’ve travelled a lot then, Mr Campbell? That must have been fascinating.’

‘Oh, yes, I’ve had quite a few adventures, lad. Sailed for some years with the Ostend Company, although that’s being abolished now. I know my way round foreign parts, indeed I do.’ Campbell went on to talk about some of his journeys abroad, and Killian listened with rapt attention. An idea had taken root in his mind, and at the first opportunity he dared to ask some leading questions.

‘Do you have a ship for the first trip yet?’

‘There’s one being made ready in Stockholm as we speak. It’s called the
Friedericus Rex Sueciae
named after Sweden’s King Fredrik I. It had to be either built or fitted out in this country. That was one of the conditions the company has to adhere to, otherwise we could have bought a suitable one.’

‘That makes sense, I suppose,’ Killian commented.

‘Yes, it will benefit the Swedes, and he’s been very magnanimous in other ways, His Majesty. Any foreigner sailing with us will be given Swedish nationality to protect them on the journey. The company also has sole and exclusive rights to trade for fifteen years.’

‘That does sound incredibly generous.’ Killian wondered what the Swedish King would get out of this deal, but didn’t dare ask. He was sure some incentive had been put forward in order to obtain such concessions.

‘Indeed it is, but that’s not all. There are also benefits with regard to duty and excise charges, as long as we depart from and come back to Gothenburg. Not sure that will go down too well with the locals since they still have to pay, but that’s not our problem. And of course they’ll profit from it as well in the end. We’ll be selling their goods abroad, won’t we, and bringing merchandise back.’

‘And will it be very profitable, do you think?’

‘My dear young man, you have no idea! Staggering sums can be made in the East India trade, take my word for it. And lost, as I know to my cost. Yes, a risky business, but when a venture succeeds, the gains are enormous.’

‘Really? And will it be possible to invest in this particular one, do you think Mr Campbell?’

‘But of course. Anyone is welcome to contribute, so long as they have a minimum of five hundred silver
daler
. There’s already been considerable interest. Why, are you thinking of investing? Didn’t think young clerks had the resources for that.’ Campbell chuckled, obviously not intending any insult by his words.

Killian smiled back. ‘No, of course not, but my grandfather is Lord Rosyth and he can well afford it. If there’s a profit to be had, he might be interested. Or I might persuade him to lend me the required sum against interest.’

This was an outright lie, since Killian had no intention of involving his grandfather. He still hadn’t told anyone he was the owner of the
Lady Madeleine
, so he thought it best to hedge for now. Besides, his grandfather’s title usually made people sit up and take notice, and Campbell proved this point.

‘You’re related to Lord Rosyth, are you?’ he said, looking as if he found Killian much more interesting because of this connection. ‘I’ve met him on occasion. A fair man and canny with it.’

‘That he is.’ Killian didn’t mention that the old curmudgeon had been anything but fair to him.

‘Well, if you can get money out of him, there will be profit aplenty,’ Campbell promised. ‘As long as the ship returns intact, any investment will pay for itself tenfold at least.’

‘As much as that?’ Killian felt excitement building up inside him. ‘In that case I’d be very grateful if you could keep me informed about this venture.’ He told Campbell where he lived, and the man promised to send word of any developments. Then another thought occurred to Killian. ‘I don’t suppose it would be possible to come along on this voyage, would it? Only, I’m trying to learn as much about trade as I can and it strikes me that this is an opportunity not to be missed. That is, if Mr Fergusson can spare me.’