Alana by Barrie Monica

Author:Barrie, Monica [Barrie, Monica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-05-25T07:00:00+00:00

16

May1867

A month after Alana and Crystal had decided the future of Landow Shipping, Alana was in her office opening a letter that had just arrived from Carlton DuPont. When she finished reading, her thoughts took off in a wild fancy of imagination and hope. Forcing a modicum of restraint on herself, she left the office to find Crystal. She didn’t have far to go, as Crystal was already at her own desk in the library.

Alana fairly danced in, released the letter, and watched it float down onto Crystal’s desk. “I think we just got very lucky,” Alana stated.

After reading the letter, Crystal smiled broadly. “It does look that way. I guess this means that you’ll be going to New York sooner than we had planned.”

“But why? If this commission works out, surely we can still run everything from here?”

Crystal shook her head emphatically. “Now it’s even more important to open an office in New York.”

Silence fell while they both thought about the change the letter signified. Carlton DuPont forwarded the commission. The women had decided to keep on as the company’s lawyer, despite his own protestations of having failed Alana once.

The commission was for Landow Shipping to deliver a consignment of goods to New York, where it would then pick up a second consignment of equipment destined for Cape Hope, South Africa. The return shipment would be materials earmarked for Charleston.

It was the largest contract they’d gotten since becoming partners and one that they knew they could not turn down–the profit from this one triangular commission would be too high.

“This will be the start of our becoming a large shipping company,” Crystal prophesied. “It’s the chance we’ve been looking for!”

“Then we’d best go to Charleston.”

“Yes,” Crystal agreed.

An hour later, Alana, Crystal, and Chaco were on the riverboat, heading to Charleston. Lilith, Crystal’s assistant, was taking charge of Riverbend in their absence.

In Charleston, they went directly to DuPont’s office, where they learned the details of the commission and of Carlton DuPont’s doubts.

“I don’t like it at all,” DuPont stated after handing the women the contract. “I’ve never heard of this company, and I must object to their conditions.”

Gazing at DuPont, Alana sensed a change in the older lawyer–a positive change. Carlton DuPont seemed to have shed several years since she’d last seen him. He was more animated and much more like the man she had always remembered–a dispenser of good sense.

“But it is a standard clause,” Crystal stated after glancing at the loss/reimbursement section.

“Yes, for a large shipping company–one that can afford the new maritime insurance–but not for you. If your ship is lost, not even the sale of Riverbend will be sufficient to reimburse the company.”

“Then we mustn’t lose the shipment,” Alana declared.

“Are there any other reasons for you to object to this contract?” Crystal asked DuPont in a level voice.

“A feeling I have. For whatever that may be worth.”

“Is it possible you’re being overcautious because of Ledoque?”

“Of course it is,” DuPont said with an irritated shrug. “But even considering that, can Landow risk the loss of one of its two ships?”

Alana’s looked at Crystal for support.

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