Elias’s interest had been pledged.
The company was genuinely near collapse.
His repayment arrived and was genuinely used to save the business.
The partnership agreement did require reconveyance.
Charles did not do it.
After Elias died, Charles treated disputed liabilities aggressively against the Mercer estate while treating later recoveries as belonging mostly to the surviving firm.
He paid Abigail nothing from partnership profits.
Charlotte privately sent small amounts from her own money.
By 1818, any reasonable accounting should have shown the Mercer estate with substantial value.
Charles knew enough to keep a reserve note.
Then, in 1820, the reserve disappeared.
Josiah pointed.
“Why?”
Charles stared at the page.
“Reorganization.”
“What does that mean?”
“Harrow Shipping replaced Harrow & Mercer.”
Samuel’s jaw tightened.
“And my father vanished.”
Charles looked toward him.
“Legally, the old partnership was wound up.”
Josiah asked:
“Was the Mercer estate given final accounting?”
Silence.
“No.”
Samuel looked down.
Not victory.
Something heavier.
Eleanor asked:
“How much?”
Josiah did not answer.
“Not yet.”
He closed the ledger.
“We need every annual account through reorganization.”
Charles laughed bitterly.
“How long?”
“Days.”
“Not hours.”
“Then take copies.”
Charles looked at him.
“Copies?”
“Yes.”
“You are not removing my books.”
Josiah nodded.
“Then I work here.”
Charles stared.
Josiah smiled slightly.
“I charge by the day.”
For the first time that morning, Henry laughed.
Even Charles almost did.
The accounting took twelve days.
During those twelve days, the planned Liverpool investment stopped.
Eleanor refused to sign.
Her engagement to Henry did not end.
But it changed.
The first change came that afternoon.
Henry walked Eleanor home.
Snow had begun melting along the edges of Beacon Street.
He said:
“I should have told you about the forty thousand.”
“Yes.”
“I thought your father had discussed it.”
“You knew he had not.”
Henry looked down.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you say something?”
He took time.
“Because our fathers had spent six months arranging the packet financing.”
“And I wanted it to work.”
Eleanor stared.
“Even if I did not know what I was investing?”
“No.”
He stopped walking.
“That is what I told myself.”
“But if I believed that completely, I would have told you.”
Better.
Eleanor continued.
“Did you think because we were marrying, your knowledge was enough?”
Henry looked ashamed.
“Maybe.”
“Do you still?”
“No.”
She looked toward him.
“Good.”
They continued.
Then Henry said:
“I am not asking you to decide anything about us today.”
Eleanor almost smiled.
“At least someone is learning.”
He laughed.
Their engagement remained.
No wedding date.
For now.
At the Mercer rooms, Abigail refused to visit the Harrow counting house.