An Earnest Favour

Epilogue

"In the planning stage of a book, don't plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it." Rose Tremain

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Epilogue

Four Months Later

August 1810

It was a gamble, of course. Jack had never published a novel before. He was a vociferous consumer of the written word, and so when he had read this manuscript, he had been enthralled. By his own taste, he knew it was a worthwhile read.

The paper had been purchased for his printer at great expense. Peter, in his analytical way, had advocated for a thinner, cheaper supply of paper, but Jack knew that the ink would bleed and would make the book illegible. In establishing the publishing house, Jack had burned through a great majority of the capital that his father had left him.

The gamble had been taken on a female author, which made his first run of seven hundred and fifty copies a great risk indeed. It was an unfortunate fact that many people frowned upon female authors, and it being Jack's first project, he was putting Beresford Press at risk before it had even begun.

Whatever the sex of the writer, Jack paid no heed. It was the talent he cared for. Though, he did know that one day, years from now, he would tell his own daughter that the first book he ever published was written by a young woman, just like her.

Jack had wanted a legacy, one of which he could bequeath, and in this act, he was forging one. If she wanted it, Beresford Press would one day be owned and operated by Jackie.

"It is official," remarked Peter, as they watched the printers operate the machine. "We are in print."

Jack smiled, quite in disbelief that in a short while he would be holding the physical copy of a book that beared the Beresford Press name. His name. "Thank you for doing this with me, Peter," Jack said gratefully.

Despite being only nineteen, Peter looked as though he had grown so much older in these four months they had been in London. He carried himself with pride and confidence, and he wore an expression of true happiness and contentment. Jack had not known Claire's younger brother very well before now, but he was consistently impressed by the cleverness of young Peter Denham.

"Thank you for taking me on," replied Peter.

Jim had been gracious in supporting Peter's decision to go to work for Jack. Mrs Denham had been the one to grieve the decision as she was losing Peter without even a wedding to show for it. The pain of the loss was eased slightly by the knowledge that he would be living with Jack and Claire and would not be left to wander the streets of London alone.

"Jack?"

Both Jack and Peter's heads turned at the sound of someone calling his name. Jack recognised the voice instantly, before he saw the rosebud pink silk figure making her way across the printing floor.

Susanna wove around the machine and the workers effortlessly as she made her way to the stairs. She had walked this route many times this summer, and by the way she was striding with purpose, Jack would have wagered that their mother had pushed her one too many times today.

Despite her advanced age in the world of debutantes, Susanna Beresford was still the jewel of the season, a true prize. She was beautiful, accomplished, and fabulously wealthy with perhaps the best connections in all of London. She possessed the most sought-after hand in the country and was never without an invitation.

Cecily was in her element as she meticulously commanded every ballroom she and Susanna entered. She was an expert manipulator in every social scene, and if she was to have her way, Susanna would be engaged in the next few weeks as the season ended.