Business was tricky, especially when you took on something that wasn't yours. Thomas saw the list of names every day of people who were associated with his father and especially those he probed, somehow old Anthony was trying to create his personal network of connections, but the old kiss of death seemed to have prevented him from conceiving such an act.

After thoroughly studying each name and understanding how his father approached them and what kind of things they exported, the man understood that he could use this to continue to benefit his company and maintain his connections as a form of visibility and to do this, he took a day, a single day to visit notable members of the list and understand their thoughts and especially how he could prove himself as good as his father had been.

Thomas walked along being guided by a woman with impressive clothes for a maid, he had never been used to anything more than his social class, so everything around him impressed him somehow. He looked down noticing that he was probably not dressed nicely but his clothes were of quality nonetheless, he removed his hat and rested it under his left arm and all he did was wait for the sudden appearance of the woman who was on old Anthony's list.

The passing of a beloved friend was hard no matter who it was, but Aurore felt different when it came to Anthony. In so many ways the entire row of the business district felt so very empty without him, but that did not keep the whispers from coming. Like sharks to blood in the water, The Dwyer Trading Company was to be picked apart until it was just bones. 

Aurore prayed the heir would be enough, but many times before she witnessed so many sons fail. England may still have a crown but here on these waters against that horizon there was no rules or regulations to protect a man’s (or woman’s) hold in the market. 

De Costentin & Company wasn’t built on a foundation of what one would consider proper, but the hidden missives and double meaning of little symbols in her ledger spoke of a language older than the one they spoke. It was a code long lost from a war fought in the shadows. 

Large windows of a bohemian import cast eerie vine-like shadows across the stones of the streets but the designer swore that it was the latest fashion and eventually everyone would be building in the new art style. Frankly, she was far too practical for something so elaborate and the whole thing reminded her far too much of Prague. 

Behind her large desk a manifest was being combed over, as well the list of the women she wanted to invite to tea, and if one were to truly look…her guilty pleasure was there as well, the latest issue of Vogue. Paris’ obsession with the peacock jewel tones certainly wouldn’t end anytime soon; but she was here for it. 

Fintan would just have to turn his eye to the latest diamond to grace her wrist. 

“Madame,” her secretary began, “A Mr. Dwyer is here to see you.” 

Aurore closed the magazine inside the manifest and stood so that she could great her guest. She was nobility now by title only, but old habits died hard. She would expect him to show his respect.

Waiting seemed like an eternity, but deep down he knew who he was dealing with and that's why he needed to understand his position there. Thomas was just a tiny speck in a place like that and he was slowly accepting it, deep down for him the nobility was the greatest machine that the vanity of men invented. But somehow over the years he had to learn to respect his social position because before he became Anthony Dwyer's successor, he was only the son of the beautiful Margaret Dutton, a singer that everyone had their heart set on.

It was with her that Anthony realized that there were various forms of respect and that he should understand his own place, his eyes that had previously admired the beautiful structure of the place turned to the figure that approached, stunning and dressed strictly even at that time of day.

"Madame!" He said with his American accent accentuating the word, the bow he made was simple and subtle but showed that again....He respected the position that he was in the moment.

"Forgive me for taking your time deliberately, I believe you are a busy woman." He was still bowing but adjusted his posture keeping it upright. "I have come on behalf of the Dwyer Trading Company, as I could ascertain you were very close to my father, and as I am carrying on with his business." Thomas was willing to uphold the old man's legacy and try to erase his father's old bohemian reputation, but deep down he knew that Anthony was respected when it came to business and the Dwyer heir still had a long way to go.

"I decided to make those visits to his associates. I want to keep the brotherhood they had with my father strengthened and especially to show that I am willing to keep everything as it always was."