Free Virginia Henley by Enticed

asked Jeffrey to call at two o’clock and was pleased to see the butler usher him into the library at precisely that hour. Julia was in a fit of pique because when she had hinted to her father about a house in London for a wedding present, he had told her flatly they could live at Cadogen Square; he had been adamant about not wanting the expense of another household in London. Patrick poured them both a glass of Scotch and water, sat behind the library desk and indicated a seat for his future brother-in-law.
    “Jeff, I hope you won’t take me wrong, but I feel I have to speak. I would hate to see you set off on the wrong foot with Julia.”
    Jeffrey held himself stiffly, not knowing what to expect.
    Patrick drank half his glassful in one swallow and continued, “You should start out as you mean to carry on, and that’s to take the upper hand.”
    Jeffrey was surprised at the words.
    “Julia is used to dealing with two very strong-willed men, and yet she is able to get her own way most of the time. If she were to come up against anything softer than an iron will, she would walk all over you; worse, she would devour you,” Patrick emphasized.
    Jeffrey said carefully, “It would be nice to be master in my house, but it will not be my own house, will it? Julia will control the purse strings.”
    “Wrong! Father will control the purse strings and you can only avoid that in the way I myself did; make yourself financially independent of him.”
    Jeff opened his mouth to speak.
    “Ah, don’t object before you hear me out. I realize England’s ruling classes haven’t soiled their hands with trade in the past. The Regency saw to that, but we are coming into anew era now that Victoria is on the throne. England owes its strength to manufacturing.”
    Jeffrey said quietly, “I wasn’t going to object. I would jump at the opportunity to prove myself, in spite of my family’s objections.”
    “Excellent! Now, I’ve been giving some thought to you and I believe that the one occupation that wouldn’t put you beyond the pale is that of wine merchant. You have the entree to society and you could introduce and promote new brands of wine, especially champagne. I am about to acquire part interest in such a company, Stowils of Chelsea. Your help will be invaluable. What do you say?”
    “I should be honored to join you in any endeavor you have in mind. I’d be a fool to refuse; you are always such a resounding success.”
    “Thanks for your confidence. I abhor snobbery. It’s like cutting off your nose to spite your face. I remember at Oxford I was the best damned oarsman they’d ever had, but I was barred from entering the Royal Henley Regatta because I’d worked with my hands. I had the satisfaction of seeing my school defeated because they dispensed with my services.”
    Jeffrey thought, I wouldn’t want Patrick O’Reilly for my enemy. “So let’s shake on it, and I’ll be in touch with you. Don’t forget my advice concerning Julia,” he said with a wink.

Chapter 6
    Jonathan O’Reilly was expecting a shipment of wine and liquor from the distillery to replenish his stock. When it arrived he looked over the invoices, signed the receipt and told the two delivery men to put the cases in the cellar.
    An angry Kitty had been sent down for coal. She vowed that she would never do this degrading chore again, promising herself she would appeal to Patrick if there were any repercussions. The men stacked the cases of wine at the top of the cellar steps and as Kitty hauled the heavy coal scuttle through the door she collided with the wine and sent eight cases crashing to the floor. The girl was rooted to the spot with horror. “How many’s broken?” she finally whispered.
    “All of ’um! Eight dozen, that’s ninety-six bottles, you clumsy bitch!”
    She stood in a wine-red pool with shards of glass stretching clear across the kitchen floor.
    “Oh, my God, whatever shall I do?” she asked piteously, and the tears ran