Candice Hern Read Free

and allowed herself a brief moment of pride that she’d steered another issue to completion. Once the printing was done, there was still the business of coloring, binding, and distributing, but she had others to rely on for those aspects of production. Edwina’s main concern was the content, and she took pains to include high-quality essays, poetry, reviews, and short fiction. She wrote many of the book reviews herself, under the pen name Arbiter Literaria.
    “The Edgeworths should be pleased with your review,” Nicholas said. “Especially after the venom spewed by the Monthly Mirror .”
    Edwina stretched her legs beneath the desk. “I pray that for once in his life, Uncle Victor does not happen to pick up a copy of the Cabinet . Though I did not, of course, refer to the article in the Mirror , anyone who’s read it will understand that mine is an attack on their review.”
    “Uncle Victor is too busy with the Mirror and all his other publications to give you or the Cabinet asecond thought.” Nicholas gave a wicked little chuckle. “The poor man has no idea what you’ve done to his mother’s little magazine.”
    And it must stay that way. “So long as he sees a decent profit, he will keep his nose out of it.”
    “Speaking of profits, shall we take a look at the books tonight? I’d like to see if we can afford another pamphlet for Thurgood. His by-election is less than two months away.”
    “I think we can manage it. Pru brought in two new advertisers this week.”
    His brows lifted with interest. “Did she, by God? A good girl, Pru. Are they logged in the ledgers yet?”
    “No.”
    “Good. Let’s first see if there’s a way to skim off some of the income for a new pamphlet.”
    There was always some cause or other needing their help, but they had little money of their own to spend. Their father was a bit of a scatterbrain where financial matters were concerned, and they could rely on him for nothing more than the town house. It was a shame there was not more, because Nicholas had plans—such magnificent, idealistic plans—but they required money. He made a little by writing articles for various journals, but not much. He’d taken almost everything he had and put it into a couple of speculative investments that he hoped would bring him a welcome windfall. Buthe never spoke of them, and Edwina suspected he’d lost a great deal. She knew their circumstances pained him much more than they did her.
    The magazine was profitable, but those profits went directly to Uncle Victor. He provided Edwina a small salary as editor, and also allowed her to manage the books and to incur any minor expenditures she thought fit. Any major expense, though, such as hiring artists and engravers, had to be approved.
    Since she kept the books, however, she could generally insure that Uncle Victor was aware of only those profits she was willing to document—so long as he didn’t actually happen to pick up a copy of the Cabinet and notice an advertiser or two not logged in the ledgers. He had never yet questioned anything in regard to her running of the business, but Edwina never let down her guard.
    “Is the pamphlet ready?” she asked.
    “Not quite. I’m still working on it. The language needs some toning down.” Nicholas gave her a sheepish grin. “You know how I am. I tend to get too passionate about these things, and that often serves to drive people away.”
    “Perhaps you ought to have Simon take a look. He has a way with words.”
    “Yes, and he’s pouring them all into Eleanor’s ears at the moment. He’s too besotted to think clearly. Besides, he’s still up at Tandy Hill baskingin his newly wedded bliss. It would take too long to get something to him and back again.”
    “Well, I will take a look at it, then. You could probably use a feminine perspective. It might be a good thing to appeal to a female audience. Educate the women on the issues and they will in turn influence their men.”
    Nicholas