Peter Bacomb Quotes
Lakshmi turned to him. “Who is Peter Bascombe?”
“He’s the person who told Lord Huntley about us. Last time he came, he brought a letter of introduction from Mr. Bascombe. Apparently, they went to school together and have known each other since they were young.”
“What has his childhood friend got to do with us?”
“Mr. Bascombe is the representative from the East India Company Baba works with. They know each other quite well. It’s why Lord Huntley came here to us to buy his merchandise rather than going to some other merchant.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I believe Lord Huntley even said he was staying with Mr. Bascombe while he was here in Calcutta,” her brother added.
“Can Mr. Bascombe lend him the money, then?”
Ganesh shook his head. “I’m sure if he could …show more content…
Well, that was a little hard since Lakshmi was not a man and didn’t know anything about business. What would be the advantage of lending money in the form of goods to Lord Huntley? Their father would need some sort of enticement to take such a chance. He would need to earn more… She jumped off the bed. “What if he wasn’t a one-time client?”
Her brother sat up again.
“What if Lord Huntley’s business does well, with our help of course. Then he won’t be a one-time client. He’ll keep coming back to us again and again.”
“But why would we help him? Yes, it’s good for his business to do well. But how would it help us?”
Lakshmi thought about this some more. “If Lord Huntley pays for half of the goods now…”
“And then the other half later, yes, we’ve already been through this. There is no reason why Baba would do that for someone he doesn’t know.”
“Would you please just listen to me?” Lakshmi asked, trying to keep her patience.
Her brother pursed his lips but stayed silent.
“Baba would need some sort of incentive to lend Lord Huntley so much money, right?”
Her brother nodded.
“What if, instead of merely paying Baba the half that he owes him for the goods, he gives him half of what he earns selling …show more content…
“It’s from Ganesh Rai. He says his father wishes to meet me,” James said.
“Excellent! I knew he would want to do so eventually,” Peter said with a smile. “Shall we celebrate with a drink?”
He led the way into the drawing room. It was barely four, but James didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t have a spot of wine, and this did seem like it might be something to celebrate after all.
“How has your business building been going?” Peter asked. “Is that where you’re coming from now?” He handed James a glass of wine.
“It’s stalled just at the moment thanks to my cash flow problem, but maybe Mr. Rai is willing to work with me on that.”
“Which would explain the invitation,” Peter agreed.
“Yes. But as for right now, I was out on a social call.”
“Oh, really? Who, might I ask, have you been seeing? There aren’t very many Englishwomen here, I’m afraid,” Peter said. “Not that I’m interested,” he added quickly.
“No, you’ve got your Suzanne back home, don’t you?” James gave his friend a smile.
“Yes. She’s a dear for agreeing to wait for me. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before I can return and marry her. I just want a bit more of a cushion so that she can live in the manner she
“He’s the person who told Lord Huntley about us. Last time he came, he brought a letter of introduction from Mr. Bascombe. Apparently, they went to school together and have known each other since they were young.”
“What has his childhood friend got to do with us?”
“Mr. Bascombe is the representative from the East India Company Baba works with. They know each other quite well. It’s why Lord Huntley came here to us to buy his merchandise rather than going to some other merchant.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I believe Lord Huntley even said he was staying with Mr. Bascombe while he was here in Calcutta,” her brother added.
“Can Mr. Bascombe lend him the money, then?”
Ganesh shook his head. “I’m sure if he could …show more content…
Well, that was a little hard since Lakshmi was not a man and didn’t know anything about business. What would be the advantage of lending money in the form of goods to Lord Huntley? Their father would need some sort of enticement to take such a chance. He would need to earn more… She jumped off the bed. “What if he wasn’t a one-time client?”
Her brother sat up again.
“What if Lord Huntley’s business does well, with our help of course. Then he won’t be a one-time client. He’ll keep coming back to us again and again.”
“But why would we help him? Yes, it’s good for his business to do well. But how would it help us?”
Lakshmi thought about this some more. “If Lord Huntley pays for half of the goods now…”
“And then the other half later, yes, we’ve already been through this. There is no reason why Baba would do that for someone he doesn’t know.”
“Would you please just listen to me?” Lakshmi asked, trying to keep her patience.
Her brother pursed his lips but stayed silent.
“Baba would need some sort of incentive to lend Lord Huntley so much money, right?”
Her brother nodded.
“What if, instead of merely paying Baba the half that he owes him for the goods, he gives him half of what he earns selling …show more content…
“It’s from Ganesh Rai. He says his father wishes to meet me,” James said.
“Excellent! I knew he would want to do so eventually,” Peter said with a smile. “Shall we celebrate with a drink?”
He led the way into the drawing room. It was barely four, but James didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t have a spot of wine, and this did seem like it might be something to celebrate after all.
“How has your business building been going?” Peter asked. “Is that where you’re coming from now?” He handed James a glass of wine.
“It’s stalled just at the moment thanks to my cash flow problem, but maybe Mr. Rai is willing to work with me on that.”
“Which would explain the invitation,” Peter agreed.
“Yes. But as for right now, I was out on a social call.”
“Oh, really? Who, might I ask, have you been seeing? There aren’t very many Englishwomen here, I’m afraid,” Peter said. “Not that I’m interested,” he added quickly.
“No, you’ve got your Suzanne back home, don’t you?” James gave his friend a smile.
“Yes. She’s a dear for agreeing to wait for me. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before I can return and marry her. I just want a bit more of a cushion so that she can live in the manner she