"Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work."

[Raconteur]

The words from Sunday's Sermon rang in her head as she stood in her Father's study the desk behind her strewn with all manner of papers and drafts and account books.

Her father had been felled by the return of his illness and was unable now to even leave his bed these past three months and so it was to his eldest daughter Ellen that all now looked. In the past she had had her hand in the workings of Doolittle & Company and hers was a face and form well known amongst the docks. Winter was always a hard time and if the Thames froze even more so for then no ships may dock and no cargo to unload and so no Profits. But now Spring had returned and she was grateful. Five ships had docked in the past three days and now that War seemd to be ahead she had turned her mind in that direction - provisions would need to be gained and stored and the warehouses checked for what might be put aside. She knew there was an abundance of cotton and plain linen which she'd marked out to be used for the making of bandages and other such stuff - and she'd asked that all the liquor barrels be moved and made ready - and this had led to the current problem of which the Sermon had spoke.

She indeed had to address the issue of laziness and greed from several of her Father's acquaintances who found the idea of Doolittle allowing his DAUGHTER to have a say for she was a mere female and thus in need on Male Guidance to be aganist the Principle. The saw his illness as opportunity and had begun to make some noises. Being the daughter of a Baronet made little difference, not that she had ever traded on it, and all knew that the Title had been bought after all. It was now that she missed her brother-in-law the most! Duncan Melville , Viscount Melville, had married her middle sister Ophelia and had a daughter who was her namesake but now they were returned to Scotland and Ellen thinks they will not return. Lord Melville had supplied the necessary 'Protection' when needed as well as other things but most importantly he had been her friend.

She sighed and went back to her chair rubbing at her temple and the ache there.

War would come. She would need to think carefully then and figure out a Plan. Doolittle must continue to operate and to make profits. Yet there was much she did not fully understand and without a 'backer' might prove even more difficult. She shifted thru the mess and finally found the paper upon which she had scribble some names. Some had been crossed out but a few remainded. Of those she wondered who would accept her offer  .....