Drive-in Business Plan - 8058 Words

AutoRama Drive N Nicholas Boothe December 1, 2009 Business Plan ENTR280-01 Executive Summary AutoRama Drive N is a startup business located in the southern Indianapolis area. AutoRama provides the community with an old fashioned 50’s style diner/drive-in that serves a variety of grilled and fried foods, as well as healthier alternatives. AutoRama is not the everyday low quality fast food restaurant. AutoRama prides itself in the quality of food, and the cheap prices it is able to offer to the community. AutoRama will differentiate itself from its competitors by providing a whole different experience. The food will be old fashioned, and freshly cooked to order. The parking lot will be filled with auto enthusiasts and their†¦show more content†¦But, the good comes with the bad. Nice cars are generally all lumped together into a typical stereotype, so cops are especially watching for these â€Å"nice cars† and catching every little thing they do wrong. Even cars that are parked are being harassed. Local businesses complain about unwanted activity after s tore hours. AutoRama Drive N is the answer to those that share a common interest in cars, enjoy hanging out with friends, and meeting new people, all while having true American dining. The restaurant is a startup business set in a mid50’s-60’s era, with parking spots surrounding the building which have an intercom you can order from, while also having an inside dining area. The food will be American based, including tenderloins, hamburgers, hot dogs and ribs in different combinations, all accompanied by a side of fresh cut and seasoned fries. All food is fresh, and made to order. Soft drinks will be made available, with freshly made root beer available on tap. The company is not only to appeal to the car crowd, but to all families. This would be a family safe atmosphere, which is alcohol free. The parking lot would include an acre of parking spots for special events, and everyday customers. This gives plenty of room for car clubs to park together in sections, and also enough room for family vehicles not associated with different groups. Spots can be reserved at a small fee, to ensure room. Parking spots up front surrounding theShow MoreRelatedCost Estimation And Cost Analysis1671 Words   |  7 PagesCost estimation challenges can be well addressed through adopting the following set of strategic approach. The key steps undertaken during the given process drives right cost estimation and those actions are as follows: ï‚ § Documenting assumptions and best estimations: the assumptions can be documented in advance and ensuring that best estimations is done using the right technique. There are various methods of effort estimation and cost analysis however the right one should be selected on basis projectRead MoreCrafting and Executing Strategy1582 Words   |  7 Pagessupporting the importance of a strategic plan for the success of the defined business. For the success of the defined business, in this case for Whole Foods Market, the importance of a strategic plan is unquestionable. In Crafting Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases Arthur A. Thompson, Jr., A.J. Strickland III, and John E. Gamble (2009) state that â€Å"a company’s strategy is management’s action plan for running the business and conducting operations† (p.6). TheyRead MoreIt 240 Week 8 Disaster Plan Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesIT/240 XYZ Computers When it comes to the company XYZ Computers the disaster recovery plan needs to incorporate a lot of different questions that have to be answered before you can implement whatever they want achieved. The main questions that are brought up when assessing any question is,†How do we fix this? What are the costs associated with the plan presented?† Another question that should be asked but often isn’t, is â€Å"Can we anticipate this problem to help block it before it happens?† FromRead MoreEssay On Google Drive1180 Words   |  5 PagesGoogle Drive Google Drive launched in 2012. It’s free to use as long as you have a Google account, but the service also offers more storage for a monthly fee. You can use it to store any type of file, share those files with others, and use the Google Drive office suite that allows collaborative editing of documents, spreadsheets, forms, and slideshow presentations. Google Drive works in the same way as most cloud storage solutions: a local folder in Windows is linked to a duplicate cloud version;Read MoreUnilever : A Competitive And Volatile Environment840 Words   |  4 Pagesprofitability. Legal requirements, technical changes, and change in the habits of the customers have created problems for businesses. Companies, including us, have to be updated, and continuous RD is the key solution to many of our problems. An attractive business is one with higher margins and low competitions. Therefore, if the environment where we operate is with higher level of competition and low level of profit margins, our best strategy is to keep customers satisfied and loyal, continuous RD, costRead MoreAnalysis Of Ongoing Content, Social And Promotional Management723 Words   |  3 Pagesa fair and realistic plan for creation and delivery. More than happy to discuss what’s needed and what’s possible (for all of us) based on this and drill down on any of the activities and making revisions if and where needed as an open discussion.    Ongoing Content, Social and Promotional Management We discussed the management of key contact, sales, engagement and brand equity drivers including content creation and delivery, social media management and promotional plan management including strategicRead MoreStrategic Planning : Strategic Plan1358 Words   |  6 PagesStrategic Planning Strategic plans result from a great amount of energy, time and focused discussion with the intention of the organizations successful delivery of the plan to their shareholders, customers and employees. Success may not only be defined by fiscal measurements of success and may include both short, mid and long-term strategies including; increasing market share, expanding product or service offerings, investment in the organization or having higher customer satisfaction scores thanRead MoreFacilities And Equipment Plan For An Organization1112 Words   |  5 PagesFacilities and Equipment Plan Our goal at Smoothie King is to provide an environment that is fully functional and welcoming for our customers. We are making smoothies to assist people with various health purposes and preferences. In order to do that we must have a facility that encompasses all of our needs to provide our customers with the best service possible. Principal Location Location: South point Mall McDonough, Georgia 30253, when customers walk through our doors, they will immediately seeRead MoreEntrepreneurial Process Essay1031 Words   |  5 Pagesmulti-step process on four main elements to achieve their goals. These processes include identifying an opportunity, developing a business plan, determining the resources needed, and finally managing the newly developed enterprise (Hirsh, Peters, Sheppard, 2005). A clear understanding of the entrepreneurial process is an important step in understanding the functions of a business administrator or assessing if entrepreneurship is the right fit for an individual. The order of the entrepreneurial processRead MoreEssay On Cloud Storage1304 Words   |  6 Pagesthat you dont necessarily need to pay for cloud storage because many storage services offer free accounts that provide a limited amount of storage. (-- removed HTML --) Cloud Storage Free and Paid Plans (-- removed HTML --) You can always buy more storage depending on your personal or business needs, but most people don’t need a tremendous amount of storage. The storage ranges from cheap and basic to more expensive options that provide feature-rich applications for various commercial purposes

The Existence Of God Essay - 1657 Words

The existence of God has long been a topic of debate. It is the ultimate topic of discussion, as everyone seems to have an opinion on it. I will look at the traditional arguments for the existence of God, the ones that have stood the test of time, and find out how convincing the arguments really are by looking at each one in turn, analysing the logic behind each argument, and finally looking at its criticisms and the responses to the criticisms. The first argument for the existence of God I will look at is the cosmological argument, more commonly known as the First Cause argument. It is attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher. The basic premise is that for the Universe to exist, something must have caused it to†¦show more content†¦According to Russell, there is no reason why it needs a cause to come into existence. Similarly, there is no reason why it couldnt have existed eternally: Aquinas uses the fallacy of moral dilemma to offer us no other selection of choices. This is not a formal fallacy, as you can see below, but an informal fallacy originating in premise #3. There is also question over the other 2 premises: 1. There is a first cause of the Universe 2. The first cause must be eternal 3. God is the only eternal being _________________________________ 4. The first cause is God It has also not been proven that something that comes into being needs a cause, as nothing that we know of has ever come into existence, merely changed from one state into another, therefore the Universe does not need a first cause. Following the First Cause argument, Russell also asked the question: if God made the Universe, who made God? Anybody responding to these criticisms will say that God does not need a creator because he caused everything else and is eternal. Aquinas described God as the necessary being and the immovable mover. According to him, God is the only thing that has no beginning or end. His argument is entirely dependent on his own belief in his premises. Another popular argument for the existence of God is the teleological argument, more commonly known as the DesignShow MoreRelatedThe Existence Of God : God1305 Words   |  6 PagesThe existence of God has been in question for as long as mankind has existed and thought logically. Many questions have plagued the human mind in regards to God, and there have been many arguments drawn with the hopes of proving the existence of a supreme being whom we know as God. The â€Å"God† question has been presented to every individual at some point in their lives. It is a topic that will bring forth never-ending questions and an equal amount of attempted answers. Many philosophers have formulatedRead MoreThe Existence Of God1304 Words   |  6 PagesIn this paper I’m going to argue that there exists only one God who is the most beneficent and the most merciful and that Blackburn’s claim for the existence of evil doesn t prove that there does not exist a God who is all kn owing, all good and all powerful. Exposition:(349 words) In chapter five, Blackburn expresses his take on the existence of God. He believes that people with religious beliefs have to be evaluated â€Å"in terms of truth and falsity†. He thinks that that it is just the set of ritualsRead MoreThe Existence Of God s Existence1339 Words   |  6 Pagesidea of God. The existence of God is one of the most sought out topic that is frequently inquired. Is there really a God or is God merely a concept humans created to explain the unexplainable? And if God does exist, what makes him different from the rest of us? A well-known philosopher, St. Thomas Aquinas, introduced five proofs including the Cosmological Arguments of God’s existence, as well as explained some divine qualities that are associated with God. The nature of God’s existence is oftenRead MoreThe Existence of God1317 Words   |  6 PagesThe Existence of God For centuries, the idea of God has been a part of mans history. Past and present, there has always been a different integration consisting of the believers and the non-believers of God. The group of those who have faith in God tend to be related to one religion or another. On the other hand, the skeptics find the existence of God somewhat puzzling and try to seek the answers through scientific methods. Even as of today with all the modern technologies and the developmentRead MoreThe Existence Of God2601 Words   |  11 Pagesstatements established about the unseen and natural forces since the beginning of time. It gave rise to questions such as: Do aliens exist? Is there a world of the unseen? Life after Death and the most popular question since the beginning of times, Does God exists? And the answer is ‘yes’. Here is how I will justify my stance. Imagine yourself walking in the middle of a desert, which shows no signs of life regardless of which ever direction your eyes turn to. When, suddenly, you see something reflectingRead MoreGod s Existence Of God936 Words   |  4 PagesNot Be Afraid to Explore More Than One Religion God’s existence sometimes does not exist to certain people. When it comes to the teaching and knowledge about God many people are not aware because they have never been taught about how God appeared on the earth. I choose this topic because I was one of those people who has never really been raised around certain religion nor about the teaching how God came to be. However, I have been taught that God does exist and that his son Jesus are the reason forRead MoreThe Argument On The Existence Of God1629 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of God has been a part of man’s history for centuries. Since time began there has been various combination of believers, and non-believers. Individuals who believes in God, belong to many different religion. Whereas, skeptics find the existence of God somewhat baffling, and have continually sought answers to His existence through scientific methods. As the world progresses in scientific, and technological advancement, the human race still face s the question of God’s existence. Many philosophersRead MoreAtheism And The Existence Of God Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagesevident fact that God exists. Whereas some atheists would claim that the theists bear the burden of proof since they are making supernatural claims. In the following essay I will be discussing both opinions on this matter, and perhaps show how the burden of proof lies on both of them and neither of them. I will begin this discussion by defining the recurring terms during the discussion on the existence of God. Traditionally the three attitudes one could hold towards the existence of God are theism, atheismRead MoreEvil And The Existence Of God1147 Words   |  5 PagesThis essay is based on how the problem of evil attacks head on into the existence of god who is all good, all powerful and all knowing. The problem of evil is a wide area that can t be outrun easily. The concept of evil has been problematic to many philosophers. When speaking about evil, we all have the idea that is the absence of good. For some religious people, Evil has been described as a supernatural force, although for others is been described as part of the human nature. Blackburn mainly raiseRead MoreEssay on The Existence Of God908 Words   |  4 PagesPopular Arguments For The Existence Of God The Ontological Argument One of the most important attempts to demonstrate the existence of God is the ontological argument of Saint Anselm, an 11th-century theologian. Anselm’s argument maintains that God, defined as the greatest being that can be conceived, must exist, since a being that does not exist would by virtue of that fact lack an attribute that contributes to its greatness. Critics have questioned, however, whether existence actually contributes

International Finance Corporation Free Essays

Financing the Mozal Project Executive summary We have assessed the various risks involved in the Mozal project. The construction risk, operating risk and financing risk are relatively small but the political risk is very high. Creeping expropriation and moral hazard are realistic threats to the project. We will write a custom essay sample on International Finance Corporation or any similar topic only for you Order Now The high sovereign risk is reflected in the hurdle rate. The hurdle rate amounts to a much higher value than the internal rate of return. Therefore, it is not feasible for the sponsors to undertake the proposed investment in the project. Regarding the financing gap of $250m; participation of the IFC is quintessential as commercial bankers refuse to provide funding without its involvement. IFC involvement could be very beneficial for the project but the IFC’s board should not go through with the recommended investment of $120m as the high sovereign risk does not justify making the IFC’s largest investment yet. Summary of facts The Mozal project, a $1. 4b aluminum smelter in Mozambique, is a joint venture between Alusaf, the aluminum subsidiary of the Gencor group, and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South-Africa, a government owned development bank. Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world and only recently emerged from a 17-year civil war that had destroyed the country’s infrastructure. Both parties would each own 25% of Mozal by an equity investment of $125m. Ownership of the remaining equity stake of $250m is still to be determined. To be able to attract additional funding, the sponsors require needed to involve the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The IFC has a good reputation and solid experience in structuring deals in emerging markets. The IFC board has received a recommendation by its team to participate in the project with a $55m senior debt and $65m subordinated debt investment. http://www. slideshare. net/prafful16/financing-the-mozal-project http://www. scribd. com/doc/105379331/The-Mozal-Project | Financing the Mozal Project Benjamin Esty Harvard Business School – Finance Unit February 18, 2000 Case No. : 200-005; Teaching Note: 5-200-025 Abstract: SUBJECT AREAS: project finance, emerging markets, sovereign risk, valuation analysis, Africa, International Finance Corporation, multi-lateral agency CASE SETTING: June 1997, Mozambique, aluminum smelter, $1. billion investment, $700 million revenue, 750 employees In June 1997, a project team from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) was recommending that the board approve a $120 million investment in the Mozal project, a $1. 4 billion aluminum smelter in Mozambique. Four factors made this recommendation controversial. First, it would be the IFC’s largest investment in the world and by far its largest investment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Second, the project was enormous by Mozambican standards–it was not much smaller than the country’s 1996 gross domestic project (GDP). Third, Mozambique was a very poor country at the time (per capita GDP of $90) and had only recently emerged from 20 years of civil war. Fourth, many aspects of the deal remain undetermined such as who was going to provide half the equity needed to finance the project. Despite these concerns, the sponsors, Alusaf (the aluminum subsidiary of the South African minerals company, Gencor) and Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC is a development bank), want to structure a limited-recourse deal to finance the smelter; it will be non-recourse to the sponsors after completion. Commercial bankers have refused to participate unless the International Finance Corporation gets involved in the deal and so the sponsors have approached the IFC about participation. After reviewing the project’s commercial viability and development impact, the IFC team is recommending the investment. The board must decide whether it is the right time and the right project to make such a large investment. The case has four pedagogical objectives. ) It presents an extreme example of political risk in a developing country setting and shows how organizations like Institutional Investor, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and The PRS Group attempt to analyze it for prospective investors. 2) It illustrates the modern form of political risk management through project selection, structuring, and insurance, and contrasts this approach with the older, financial style of political risk management whereby sponsors simply increased hurdle rates to ensure sufficient project returns. ) It highlights the various roles multilateral development institutions, in general, and the IFC, in particular, can play in financing major projects. 4) It analyzes IFC’s involvement in appraising, structuring, monitoring, and financing projects, and shows how these activities create value by resolving costly market imperfections including information, distress, agency, and transactions costs. It also explores the IFC’s performance in these various activities. Given these objectives, the case is appropriate for business/government, strategy, international business, and finance courses. Case and Teaching Paper Series How to cite International Finance Corporation, Papers

Do we learn from our mistakes rather than or success free essay sample

Throughout life we all experience things in our lives that shape us and identify who we are. It is believed that we learn more from making mistakes rather than from our successful actions because were only human. Learning from our mistakes lets us know what we did wrong so we can fix it. We need to learn from our mistakes so we do not repeat them and so that we learn a lesson from it. Learning from our mistakes is essential to our growth so that we do not run the risk of repeating them. We must develop the wisdom and sense to make good decisions and choices. Good judgment will only develop if you truly learn from your mistakes. Unfortunately, for many people, it takes a few repeats of the same mistake to learn the lesson. You can only learn from the problems if you recognize the fact that you messed up. We will write a custom essay sample on Do we learn from our mistakes rather than or success or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Too many people remain in denial and place the blame on others, instead of considering what they can do to help theirselves. The minute you take responsibility for your mistake is when the success really begins. If we try hard to avoid mistakes, we arent open to getting the information we need in order to do better. We dont just learn more when were open to mistakes, we learn to be humble and more understanding. Learning lessons from our mistakes goes hand-in-hand with having good or bad judgement. Bad judgment seems to stick with us longer as a lesson learned because we really do not want to keep repeating it. Wisdom is the knowledge you can gain from making mistakes. Good judgment on learning from your mistake will allow you to not repeat the same mishap more than once. When we acknowledge a mistake without drama, without excuses, and without shaming ourselves we can move on to the important tasks correcting the mistake and finding ways to prevent it from happening again and that is the biggest lesson that can be learned from making a mistake. Mistakes help us keep ourselves in perspective, to really learn and grow. We often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than by being right for the wrong reasons. Learning lesson from mistake making can lead everyone directly into not repeating that same mistake. It is said said. â€Å"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. † .

Publisher Interview What to Expect with Publishing Your Book - The Writers For Hire

PUBLISHER INTERVIEW: WHAT TO EXPECT WITH PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK The fairytale version of finishing a book goes something like this: You dramatically pull a final book page from the typewriter carriage, stack it on top of a huge pile of papers, stuff it into a bulky package, rush ship it to your favorite publisher, and immediately get a call praising your book and offering you top dollar. Of course, we all know that’s not how it really works. With the advent of self-publishing, authors have a significant amount of choice in their publishing process, and with so many traditional, self, and niche publishers to choose from, the publishing process looks different for everyone. So what should you really expect when publishing your book? To help us understand how to separate the publishing fairytale from the reality, we recently spoke with Ella Hearrean Ritchie from Stellar Communications, a company that specializes in helping authors through the publishing process. TWFH: What are the pros of traditional publishing and self-publishing, respectively? MS. RITCHIE: Let’s start with traditional publishing. This is where you take the time to research the publishers that may be interested in your manuscript, send them a query letter, and wait to find out if they will represent you and your book. The pros here are the publishing house often bears all or most expenses. Also, you and your book have instant credibility as well as an instant audience for broader reach, which could mean greater royalties. At the other end of the spectrum is self-publishing. As a self-published author, you own the rights to your book, and you stay in full control of the content and marketing. TWFH: What would you consider to be some of the cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing? MS. RITCHIE: The cons of traditional publishing include waiting to hear back on whether your book is accepted, which can take a while. And because many people are vying for a chance with the publisher, the chances of being selected are slim. The publishing house might also have additional stipulations, such as required attendance at book events. Some of the downsides to traditional publishing are that you are working with a really large team, and are ultimately accountable to the publishing house itself. Expect to ask someone for approval every time you want to make changes or conduct an outside-of-the-box marketing campaign. You’re not necessarily an entrepreneur, but more of an employee. The downside to self-publishing and making every decision on your own is that you may not be making the best decisions. This path can also feel pretty confusing and overwhelming at times because of the hundreds of big and small decisions that come with creating a book on your own. Unfortunately, a telltale sign of a self-published bookis when quality is sacrificed for the sake of the budget. Readers can often spot a â€Å"do it yourself† book and won’t take the writing seriously. This takes away from your credibility and can hurt your marketing efforts. You can, however, engage a project manager to help coordinate the process. This option is more costly than self-publishing completely on your own, but may prove a worthy investment in the long run. TWFH: What is the first thing someone should do before approaching a publishing company to self-publish? MS. RITCHIE: Picking the right publisher, for you, is the first step to a peaceful process. Take the time to list your goals and expectations as the driving points for your conversation with any publishing company. Beyond your list of goals you’d like to accomplish, if you’re a first-time author, it can be difficult to know what to look for and what to avoid in a publisher. Before you approach any company, talk to other self-published authors about their experiences. Educate yourself on any potential pitfalls or areas of concern, and then you’ll be better prepared to ask the right questions. TWFH: What are the most common misconceptions you hear from people when a writer approaches you about a potential project? MS. RITCHIE: One common misconception is that a quality book can be quickly and easily produced. While it’s true that â€Å"printing on demand† has made book publishing more accessible than ever, the reality is that a lot of time and attention to detail go into each step of the publishing process. When an author tells me that there’s â€Å"not much to do† to develop a manuscript into a book, there is always a little more to do. Whether the remainder is really big or small, there’s always another detail. Another big misconception is that books reap profits. The truth is that it can take a lot of time and money to produce and market a book, and there is no guarantee that an author will recoup the investment. TWFH: What is the biggest initial hurdle to starting the publishing process with a new client? MS. RITCHIE: One thing that I notice in manuscripts is that great detail is taken when preparing the manuscript itself. But, the overall marketing of the book and the cover concept hasn’t been given much thought. Most authors come armed with the body of a manuscript and maybe one or two additional elements, and it’s often the job of the publisher to create a complete marketing plan and cover concept, and show how this can enhance the author’s overall story. Most authors don’t realize that their manuscripts are not complete when they are submitted. TWFH: What should an author expect to do to make his or her book successful? What does a successful book look like? MS. RITCHIE: A successful book is all about being clear on your goals and expectations. Some authors want a family history book that captures their legacy for future generations, so a beautiful, durable hardcover book that is printed for the family is their definition of success. Other authors want to spread a message to as many people as possible, so an affordable paperback book with appealing content that is available on Amazon and Barnes Noble is their definition of success. It’s really up to the author’s vision. TWFH: What are some of the stereotypes that you’ve run into when approached by writers? MS. RITCHIE: Some of the negative comments that I’ve heard about self-publishers are that they take money without fulfilling promises, that they’re unresponsive, and that they don’t pay attention to details that matter to the author. The comments seem to boil down to one stereotype, which is that publishers don’t care about the author. Unfortunately, there is some truth to this stereotype. I’ve heard some horror stories and have experienced a few disappointments myself. This is why it is so important to take the time to choose a publisher that is right for you and your book. *Stellar Communications is a book publishing team that delivers quality content on time to nonfiction authors, business leaders, nonprofit organizations, and federal government agencies.

Keller EAS 131 Writing Assignment 5 Essay

Keller EAS 131 Writing Assignment 5 Essay Keller EAS 131 Writing Assignment 5 Essay Running head:â€Å"FORECASTING METHODS AND LIMITATIONS†. 1 Capabilities And Limitations Of Forecasting Methods Past And Present ANDREW KELLER†¨ THOMAS EDISON ONLINE†¨ Running head:â€Å"FORECASTING METHODS AND LIMITATIONS†. 2 Abstract This paper will focus on weather forecasting models of the past and present and include key parameters used in making accurate forecasts. I will examine the advances in computers and mathematics which allow forecasters to have increased accuracy over models of the past. I will also attempt to highlight the challenges and limitations of making computer model forecasts and explain how errors might compound for forecasts of increasing duration. Running head:â€Å"FORECASTING METHODS AND LIMITATIONS†. 3 Capabilities And Limitations Of Forecasting Methods Past And Present Weather forecasting is the attempt by meteorologists to predict the state of the atmosphere at some future time and the weather conditions that may be expected. Weather forecasting is the single most important practical reason for the existence of meteorology as a science. It is obvious that knowing the future of the weather can be important for individuals and organizations. Accurate weather forecasts can tell a farmer the best time to plant, an airport control tower what information to send to planes that are landing and taking off, and residents of a coastal region when a hurricane might strike. As important as this field of study is and as detailed as the level of technology is, very little is understood by the end ­user about complexities involved in making an accurate forecast. Global weather data are collected at more than 1,000 observation points around the world and then sent to central stations maintained by the World Meteorological Organization, a division of the United Nations. Global data also are sent to NWS's NCEPs for analysis and publication. The less one knows about the way the atmosphere works the simpler weather forecasting appears to be. For example, if clouds appear in the sky and a light rain begins to fall, one might predict that rain will continue throughout the day. This type of weather forecast is known as a persistent forecast. A persistent forecast assumes the weather over a particular geographic area simply will continue into the future. The validity of persistent forecasting lasts for a few hours, but not much longer because weather conditions result from a complex interaction of many factors that still are not well understood and that may change rapidly. How then can meteorologists be expected to accurately predict the weather over a week in advance? In the coming pages we will look at what advances are being made in technology and algorithms in helping advance the accuracy of forecasting and contrast the forecasting methods of several decades ago with forecasting methods in use today. We will also examine how input variations and processing errors can accumulate over multiple forecasted time periods. Running head:â€Å"FORECASTING METHODS AND LIMITATIONS†. 4 Steady ­state or trend method: A somewhat reliable approach to weather forecasting is known as the steady ­state or trend method. This method is based on the knowledge that weather conditions are strongly influenced by the movement of air masses that often can be charted quite accurately. A weather map might show that a cold front is moving across the Great Plains of the United States from west to east and it might be reasonable to predict

Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Brand - Essay Example They purchase a large number of imported goods on a daily basis. It may even be observed that the more imported a product appears, the more willing Chinese consumers are to purchase it. This great preference for global brands is the main reason for the thriving of numerous foreign firms in China, and is also one of the main reasons why China at this time does not have any global brands. Between 1980 and 1990, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China increased at roughly 10% annually. China became one of the world’s biggest economies in terms of GDP by 1998 (Nolan, 2001, pp. 186-187). After two decades of industrial program in China, adopting several strategies utilized by Japan, and with the same clear policy objective, important developments have occurred in the nation’s major, state-owned industries. The major industries have developed quickly in terms of profitability. They have adopted new technologies, become skilled at competing in the marketplace, largely improved the technical skills of their workers, gained considerable knowledge of global financial markets, developed new managerial expertise, and became desired associates for multinational firms (Gu & Frank, 2006). However, in spite of major improvements, none of the major Chinese ventures has developed into a globally competitive firm, with a global acquisition structure, a global market, and, most importantly, a global brand. According to Nolan (2001), China has only five corporations in the Fortune 500. The Chinese economy has developed rapidly in the recent decades because of developments in economic, cultural, and political arenas, allowing Chinese industries to expand and support the nation’s demands for goods and/or services. It also paved the way for global trade and foreign investments. Ultimately, China, with its cheap labor, has become a popular Original Equipment Manufacturer

Project (Managing Across Culture) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Project (Managing Across Culture) - Essay Example planation of Models 1.1.1 Hofstede Cultural Dimension According to the view of Geert Hofstede, culture can be best described as being the source of conflict rather than synergy; and the cultural differences as opined by him as troublesome and often a disaster. There are various practical applications on cultural differences of Geert Hofstede’s research that arises at various organisations especially for those who work in international business. If a person goes into another country and tries to make decisions the way he operates at his home country then there are chances of landing up with wrong decision. The Geert Hofstede research provides insights into different cultures with the aim to make the person more effective when interacting with others. There are five dimensions of Hofstede namely the Power distance, Individualism versus collectivism, Masculinity versus femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance and Long-Term Orientation Power Distance Index: It is the degree to which the less influential member in the organisation feels that the power is being distributed unequally. Individualism versus Collectivism: The term individualism tries to explain the fact that it is the society where the ties between the individual are often too loose. On the flip side the term collectivism refers to the society where the people right from their birth are incorporated into strong and cohesive groups. Masculinity versus femininity: It refers to the allocation of roles among the genders which is basic issue for any society for which the range of solution are found. Uncertainty Avoidance: It is the man's search for truth. It tries to indicate how the culture tries to train its members to experience either comfort or discomfort in such kind of unstructured situations. Long term Orientation versus Short term Orientation: It deals with virtues regardless of truth. The basic values that are associated with the long term orientation are carefulness and persistence while the values that are associated with the short term are fulfilling social obligation, respect for tradition (Geert Hofstede, 2009). 1.1.2 Trompenaars Cultural Dimension There are seven fundamental dimension of culture. Each one of them can be explained in brief. Universalism vs. Particularism: In case of universalism it is believed that rules and laws can be applied to everyone. On the other hand, particularism is the belief in placing emphasis on the friendship and looking forward for the situation in order to determine what is right or ethically acceptable. Individualism versus Collectivism: In case of individualism the decisions are made on the spot by the representative and there is

Jihadism constituted a radical break from earlier traditions of Essay

Jihadism constituted a radical break from earlier traditions of Islamism - Essay Example Jihad has a very long history in Islamic world and it started since it was allowed under the basic tenets of Islam. This was done in order to allow Prophet (PBUH) so that the religion can be spread and the power and strength of Islam as a religion and Muslims as a community can be established. In order to understand the concepts of Jihad as outlined in the Islam and as they are being practiced now, it is really critical to understand the overall concept of Jihad and how it has been outlined by the Islam in it original principles. Further, it is also critical to explore as to how the Jihad is being conceived and practiced now and whether there is a drift from the earlier established principles or not. It has been argued that the Jihad as it is practiced now is a complete shift from the earlier traditions of Islam and is now believed to be practiced in a manner which marks a complete shift from the same. Whether this is the case or not or whether Jihad is exactly practiced the way earl ier traditions outlined is the topic which this paper will attempt to explore and discuss. The literal meaning of the word Jihad in Arabic is struggle and is a noun in Arabic language. The word Jihad has appeared in the Quran for more than 40 times however, indirect references to the metaphysical meanings of the word have also been made in Quran on various occasions. Quranic interpretation of Jihad therefore indicates a struggle in the way of Allah and is considered as one of the important religious duties for the Muslims. There are various instances in Muslim history in which Prophet (PBUH) has considered doing Jihad under different conditions. The overall importance which has been attached to it is because it is not only mentioned in Quran but it was also practiced by the Prophet (PBUH) himself. (Burgat & Dowell, 1993) There are various instances in the Islamic history wherein Prophet (PBUH) has specifically mentioned that the greater Jihad is the struggle against one’s own desires. Based on this, Jihad is therefore often divided into two categories i.e. lesser Jihad and greater Jihad or Jihad e Akbar. Greater Jihad is often referred to the notion where a pious Muslim has to strive against his wishes and ego and make a complete surrender to the Will of Allah. Such surrendering to the will of Allah and renunciation of the worldly wishes is therefore given a greater significance in Islam as compared to the waging a lesser Jihad in the way of Allah. It is also argued that Jihad has also been named as a process to bring a balance between Islam, faith and righteous living. This so called spiritual struggle is still considered as one of the fundamental aspects of defining the Jihad and its right context. This concept is relatively more critically in order to accurately trace down the differences between the Jihad as described in the earlier traditions of Islam and how it is being practiced now. The visible differences between the approach of the moderate Mu slims and more fundamentalist Muslims towards the interpretation of Jihad and its actual place in ordinary Muslim Life is one of the fundamental arguments which need to be discussed further. Jihad is often used within three different contexts i.e. jihad or struggle to correct oneself and fight with oneself in order to correct the faith of an individual, Jihad in order to improve the Muslim society and Jihad as a holy war. It is this third concept of jihad as a holy war which has attracted much of the significance and importance over the period of time because of its direct and indirect influences on the other communities i.e. non- Muslims. The original concept of Jihad and its allowing in Quran is often considered as the time

International Business Between Japan And Germany Management Essay

International Business Between Japan And Germany Management Essay Our firm is globalizing to create more unified production and marketing organizations which more effectively utilizes the comparatively advantages and taking over of our competitor in the German market. However, to capitalize on the rapid expanding markets that the company has just possessed in the German market, there is the need for us to manage the cultural diversity between our Japanese managers and the German workforce environment. There is the need for the company to give a keen concern to this issue as in many cases, the inability to manage cultural differences often result to a serious impediment to business success. Managing a company of different cultural diversity is, in fact, a prerequisite to taking full advantage of firm and its host country strength. I am to use two general approaches which are the communication mode (cultural distance) and Blaus theory of social integration (social contact in the three core departments). This is to assess how staffing practices would improve the firms performance by increasing their interpersonal contact nationalities at various department levels. Culture is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions and all other products of human work and thought, (the free Dictionary, 2010). Culture is what helps us to organize our world and to know how to respond to it in return both in our lives, social groups and work place. This can be done by learning from friends and relatives, teachers, and by ourselves (observation). People who are from different cultures have lived in a different part of the world and have experienced different societies or participated in different institutions (corporations, schools and others), this is applicable to the Japanese managers who will be managing the German company, they have learnt from different values, beliefs, behaviors, expectations and norms compared to the German workforce. Cultural Differences between Japan and Germany in Their Workforce The forms of leadership and personality are many and are different, but the core values and directions to be used are: Power Distance: This is the extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally (Hofstede, 1998). The inequality distribution of power is manifested in certain administrative policies and procedures engaged in different organizations and working environments and in the assessment of the accuracy or aptness of such decisions in terms of their organizational goals. This is the degree of inequality that the population of a country considers as normal. The Japanese are known to have a medium (54%) power distance, they are deeply entrenched into culture and tradition and they also adopt a passive work culture. Their workers are expected to respect and obey their boss. These leaders tend to respond to their subordinates with highly paternalistic attitudes that lead to an extremely hierarchical and rigid organizational environment. The superlative model is traced to come from their early village leaders who were skillfully unassertive, led by implicit compromise, nonverbal communication and indirect discussions. This is the same with their organizational leaders today, where the subordinates are meant to be at work before their boss and leave after their boss; they are even apologetic when they leave the work place before their co-workers (Buzzle.com, 2010). The Germans are known to have the lowest power distance of 36%. This measures the extent to which the less powerful members accept that power is distributed unequally in the German institutions and organizations. This implies that Germany is a decentralized society, relatively flatter organizational structures and a comparatively smaller proportion of superiors. Their workers are remarkably loyal to their companies in the sense of organizational confidentiality. The Individualism Collectivism: This is the measurement of the ability to live in groups or to choose an individual path, not minding what the group or the community would be thinking or doing. In this value, the individual achievement is highly esteemed. The Japaneses Individualism is rated to be at a medium range of (46%) due to the sempai-kohai mentor relationship between the managers and their subordinates. The managers are expected to be part of and involved in the personal life of their subordinates, this will be as a result of their close personal bond relationship. Importance on equality of all group members also supports group harmony. This is usually considered more important than overall productivity. Individuals are not singled out for appraisal or criticism, but it is usually directed at the groups. The German individualism is measured to be 67% which is higher than that of Japan. It is all about the tendency of people looking after themselves and their immediate families only and not allowing other peoples faring to be their priority. They prefer to shoulder their personal responsibility by themselves (independent). At work place, the Germans prefer to achieve their job goals with a joint effort and negotiation decisions are often referred to committees. In business situations, shaking hands at the beginning of the meeting and at the end is seen to be necessary. The handshake is to be accompanied with a slight bow with eye contact reciprocal nodding to make a good impression especially with a superior, as failure to do that would result to a bad start. Masculinity: This is seen as the degree to which tough values like boldness performance, success and competition prevails over quality of life while maintaining a warm personal relationship, service and caring for the weak and solidarity. The Japanese are known to be the most masculine society in the world; they are rated to be 95%. They believe in achievement, expansion, wealth and survival of the fittest. They see manufacturing and business to be more important than arts and healing. They give priority to successive entrepreneur, and longer working hours than holidays. Their business culture is known to be men oriented and workplaces are often autocratic. The Germans are known to rate 66% on masculinity, the characteristics of their cultural success are known to be money and material possession from the dominant values in the society. From the Hofstedes model, the Germans place a greater value on their earnings, recognition, advancement and challenges. Uncertainty Avoidance: This is the degree to which the people in a county prefer structure over unstructured situations. Long-term against short-term orientation: the long-term values are oriented towards the future, like prudence and diligence. The short-term values oriented towards the past and present, like respect for institution and social obligations. Issues that are Bound to Arise for the Japanese Managers in the Acquired in Germany As foreign managers that would be responsible for the coordinating of the human resources, finance and marketing departments, there are bound to be some issues that would arise in the managing process. Amongst these issues are: Managing Cultural Differences in the Human Resources Department The Role and Status of the HR Managers: there will be the possibilities of experiencing a social hierarchy which can cause communication bumps in the department. For example, the Japanese managers would think it is alright to place the women as subordinate to men by giving the men a superior role. This would be seen as a bias treatment by the women as it is not done that way in the German workforce. However, the German subordinate staff might be expecting the Japanese managers to maintain eye contacts while addressing or communicating with them as it is their way of life to communicate while looking at each others eyes and nodding their heads to indicate an agreement to the discussion. This is as in the case of Individualism versus collectivism theory which centers on individual rights and values being dominant or subordinate to those of the collective society (international Business assignment slide, 2010). Another example is the manager cracking jokes during interviews, inductions, and meetings as they may feel it is an eye breaker to ease tension and to keep their subordinates relaxed, but the Germans take their meetings very serious and would take the Japanese managers to be unserious and insulting for a mere joke during periods. Emotional Culture versus Neutral Culture: which is a culture where emotions are expressed openly and naturally. An instance is when the men innocently try to interact with the women in the workplace, such women can feel uncomfortable or violated in some way. In contrast, the German men who their emotions are being held in-check may not adapt well to working equally with the Japanese female staff or having female as their manager due to their (Japanese) openly emotional expression. Understanding the interaction between sexes and the roles assigned in various cultures is important. Personal Space during Interviews and Meetings: Germans typically prefer to stand about six inch apart when conversing, though this might not be a very big issue for the foreign managers, but there is the need for the nuances in personal space to be emphasized as it can help communication tremendously. Remuneration differences: the Germans get better pay package to the Japanese, this could be a big bonus for the Japanese managers as their wages would be better than their initial take home packages and they would be treated as expatriates which would make them feel encouraged due to the benefits that would be attached to their position. Managing Cultural Differences in the Marketing Department The Role and Status of the Marketing Managers: it is the duty of the marketing manager to sort for different strategies on how to attract more customers through advertising, pricing and branding as can be seen in the appendix A. However, the choices that would be offered to the customers would depend on the marketing manager of the firm as in the appendix B. The cultural differences may ruin the marketing process as the Japanese managers may apply their own marketing cultural system in the areas of product attributes knowing that products only sell well when their attributes matches the consumers needs and the distribution strategy as this might not yield to the expected result of the company. Communication Strategy: the means through the company ideas would be communicated to their targeted markets might have some huddles as this would include body language, speech and pictures speaks a lot, but it can also be interpreted differently especially having to do with two different cultures. Averted eyes are a sign of respect to the Japanese which the managers might be using; the Germans may misinterpret it to be something else. However, the Germans uses handshakes to bond agreements which the Japanese managers may not feel comfortable with, but rather they would prefer bowing and the Germans might find that to be funny. The Japanese manager may view this as lack of respect or ignorance. Economic Development: the marketing managers may apply a lower product standard to the manufactured cars which might have a negative response from the consumers knowing that consumer behavior is highly influenced by the economic development (high technological standard). However, consumers in highly developed countries like Germany tend to demand extra performance attributes in their cars not regarding the pricing factors. In this case, product reliability is highly recommended for the German market. Personal Appearance: The Japanese might want to remain true to their beliefs by dressing in their traditional attire to work. The Germans may view this as inappropriate or unprofessional for a business environment. Religion: Religion dominates life in a way that is often difficult for the Germans to understand. The Japanese celebrates their new year (shogatsu or oshogatsu) in a very big way. Most businesses are usually shut down for almost a week during this period which the Germans may view it to be mixing pleasure with business. These differences need to be respected, where possible, and not ignored (Japan-guide.com, 2010). Managing Cultural Differences in the Finance Department The Role and Status of the Finance Managers: Accounting has its own business communication language which varies from country to country. The use of the Japanese financial standard may result to confusion in the finance department during auditing as it is possible for countries with a lower uncertainty avoidance cultures to depend on the professionalism of auditing system of another country with a better experience. However, it is the introduction of the International Accounting Standard Board that would be suitable for the management to use in order to prevent cultural financial differences. The Lack of Comparability of Financial Report: Due to the national differences in the accounting and auditing standard, the Japanese managers may find it difficult to interpret and understand the Germans financial standard and it is the introduction of transnational investment and the transnational financial report that would be suitable for the finance depart that would be made up of two or more different cultural backgrounds. Investment Decisions in the Finance Department: The cultural differences in the department can result to the manager using the Japanese ideas to strategize the different sectors to invest on. This might back-fire as the German market is different from that of the Japaneses and what is working their economy might not work for the German market. However, the use of capital budgeting with the assistance of a local staff would be a solution to this issue as it can be complicated when it comes to international differences. Currencies Differences: This will give the foreign managers a tough time for a while to know the different denominations of the German currencies and would be time taking during the conversion of the currencies. Another issue might be the use of the debt financing method which is mostly common in the Japanese financial institution and this is not common in the German financial system. However, it is quite impossible to identify all of the potential cultural differences. Therefore, many resources are available to help the both parties learn more about each others cultures if they are so inclined. Workers might act like they understand what the managers would say, but in fact, may not know. This can be dangerous. An example is a business journal article on the rising number of Hispanic workers in Charlotte-Mecklenburgs construction industry. It points out how workers who speaks little English were at risk of having accident on their job because of not having enough grasp of safety standards. In the case of this issue, on-site training can be organize with the help of interpreters to ensure that a clear and complete understanding is achieved at the industry in Germany. Recommendations on How to Deal With the Potential Issues that Are Likely to Arise Between the Japanese Managers and the German Workers Clearly, it is the responsibility of the Japanese manager to learn German language and adapt to their cultural norms in their workplace. However, this can be for longer time duration. In return, the German worker should not just expect the foreign managers to figure out things by themselves as this can be a setback in workplace. The human resources department in Japan can be of help by offering tips and suggestions on how these issues can be bridged. The area of suggestions can be as follows: Learn as much as you can about the culture of the Germans as cross-cultural literacy is critical to the success of every international business. Recognize the broad ethics diversity that exists within the different groups in the German workforce. There are different cultural groups in Germany (Danes, North Frisians, Sater Frisians, Sorbs, Sinti and Roma (Culturalpolicies.net, 2010). Therefore, there is the need for the managers to learn about these groups in order to recognize their ethnic diversities. Respect the staff differences, abilities and personalities. The managers should not just assume the Germans share common language or culture as that may not mean they are the same or alike. Stereotyping discounts individuals and can limit options for them in workplace. As getting to know the workers culture would be the first step to getting to know them as individuals. Consider having co-workers who will serve as mentors and coaches to help the managers adapt to the culture and vocabulary of the workplace. Feedbacks should be asked for and demonstrations should be used to ensure that complete understanding is achieved. Helping people to learn your language is another way to build trust and loyalty. Co-workers should be of help to prevent feelings of inadequacy and embarrassment when their superiors and co-workers cannot express themselves clearly and this can be done by being patient.

A Comparison of Winthrop and Edwards to the Apostles of Christ Essay

A Comparison of Winthrop and Edwards to the Apostles of Christ      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I find John Winthrop and Jonathan Edwards to be the most fascinating writers I have ever read. For one, they are the "apostles" of our time. Second, their comparisons to the apostles of Christ are too close to ignore.    There are three historical, Christian milestones. One being after the death of Christ where an evangelical movement of Christ's disciples, friends and brothers preached on how Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the Son of God. The second milestone was when the Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom, and many ministers guided and directed the pilgrims toward the "City of God". One of the last historical Christian movements seen is the Great Awakening. This movement was to trade deistic notions of reason and rationality to faith, God, and Divine Providence. Among the apostles of Biblical times, the most influential were Apostles James and Paul. One of the great writers and speakers of his time, John Winthrop represents the second mark, leaving Jonathan Edwards as one of the most remembered preacher of the Great Awakening.    John Winthrop's writings are intensely related to the Apostle James' writings. Jonathan Edwards approaches his audience in the same manner as Apostle Paul, and both carry a burden to lead people to their Savior. Interestingly enough, Winthrop and Edwards are speaking the gospel, but one is speaking to a different circle of people than the other and with a totally different message. Likewise, as someone has written, "Paul and James do not stand face to face, fighting each other, but they stand back to back, fighting opposite foes" (McGee 64).    In John Winthrop's "A Model of Christian Chari... ...ave a unity under their great love for God. They persevere, and they press toward the kingdom of God through their writings and teachings.       Works Cited Bensick, Carol. "Jonathan Edwards." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed.Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and Company, 1990. 561-564. Edwards, Jonathan. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and Company, 1990. 584-595. McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible Commentary Series: James. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991. New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1984. Wiersbe, Warren N. Be Free. USA: S P Publications, 1975. Winthrop, John. "from a Modell of Christian Charity." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and company, 1990. 226-238.    A Comparison of Winthrop and Edwards to the Apostles of Christ Essay A Comparison of Winthrop and Edwards to the Apostles of Christ      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I find John Winthrop and Jonathan Edwards to be the most fascinating writers I have ever read. For one, they are the "apostles" of our time. Second, their comparisons to the apostles of Christ are too close to ignore.    There are three historical, Christian milestones. One being after the death of Christ where an evangelical movement of Christ's disciples, friends and brothers preached on how Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the Son of God. The second milestone was when the Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom, and many ministers guided and directed the pilgrims toward the "City of God". One of the last historical Christian movements seen is the Great Awakening. This movement was to trade deistic notions of reason and rationality to faith, God, and Divine Providence. Among the apostles of Biblical times, the most influential were Apostles James and Paul. One of the great writers and speakers of his time, John Winthrop represents the second mark, leaving Jonathan Edwards as one of the most remembered preacher of the Great Awakening.    John Winthrop's writings are intensely related to the Apostle James' writings. Jonathan Edwards approaches his audience in the same manner as Apostle Paul, and both carry a burden to lead people to their Savior. Interestingly enough, Winthrop and Edwards are speaking the gospel, but one is speaking to a different circle of people than the other and with a totally different message. Likewise, as someone has written, "Paul and James do not stand face to face, fighting each other, but they stand back to back, fighting opposite foes" (McGee 64).    In John Winthrop's "A Model of Christian Chari... ...ave a unity under their great love for God. They persevere, and they press toward the kingdom of God through their writings and teachings.       Works Cited Bensick, Carol. "Jonathan Edwards." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed.Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and Company, 1990. 561-564. Edwards, Jonathan. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and Company, 1990. 584-595. McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible Commentary Series: James. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991. New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1984. Wiersbe, Warren N. Be Free. USA: S P Publications, 1975. Winthrop, John. "from a Modell of Christian Charity." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and company, 1990. 226-238.   

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twenty-one

Can't sleep?† Jack looked up from where he was still sitting in his uncle's study. Thomas was standing in the doorway. â€Å"No,† he said. Thomas walked in. â€Å"Nor I.† Jack held out the bottle of brandy he'd taken from the shelf. There had not been a speck of dust on it, even though he was quite certain it had gone untouched since his uncle's death. Aunt Mary had always run a pristine household. â€Å"It's good,† Jack said. â€Å"I think my uncle was saving it.† He blinked, looking down at the label, then murmured, â€Å"Not for this, I imagine.† He motioned to a set of crystal snifters near the window, waiting with the bottle in hand as Thomas walked across the room and took one. When Thomas returned, he sat in the study's other wingback chair, setting his snifter down on the small, low table between them. Jack reached out and poured. Generously. Thomas took the brandy and drank, his eyes narrowing as he stared out the window. â€Å"It will be dawn soon.† Jack nodded. There were no hints of pink in the sky, but the pale silvery glow of morning had begun to permeate the air. â€Å"Has anyone awakened?† he asked. â€Å"Not that I've heard.† They sat in silence for several moments. Jack finished his drink and considered another. He picked up the bottle to pour, but as the first drops splashed down, he realized he didn't really want it. He looked up. â€Å"Do you ever feel as if you are on display?† Thomas's face remained impassive. â€Å"All the time.† â€Å"How do you bear it?† â€Å"I don't know anything else.† Jack placed his fingers to his forehead and rubbed. He had a blistering headache and no reason to suppose it might improve. â€Å"It's going to be hideous today.† Thomas nodded. Jack closed his eyes. It was easy to picture the scene. The dowager would insist upon reading the register first, and Crowland would be right over his shoulder, cackling away, ready to sell his daughter off to the highest bidder. His aunt would probably want to come, and Amelia, too – and who could blame her? She had as much at stake as anyone. The only person who would not be there was Grace. The only person he needed by his side. â€Å"It's going to be a bloody circus,† Jack muttered. â€Å"Indeed.† They sat there, doing nothing, and then they both looked up at precisely the same moment. Their eyes met, and Jack watched Thomas's face as his gaze slid over toward the window. Outside. â€Å"Shall we?† Jack asked, and he felt the first glimmerings of a smile. â€Å"Before anyone – â€Å" â€Å"Right now.† Because really, no one else had a place at this table. Thomas stood. â€Å"Lead the way.† Jack rose to his feet and headed out the door, Thomas right behind. And as they mounted their horses and took off, the air still heavy with night, it occurred to him – They were cousins. And for the first time, that felt like a good thing. Morning was well under way when they reached the Maguiresbridge church. Jack had been there several times before, visiting his mother's family, and the old gray stone felt comfortable and familiar. The building was small, and humble, and in his opinion, everything a church ought to be. â€Å"It does not look as if anyone is about,† Thomas said. If he was unimpressed by the plainness of the architecture, he did not indicate as much. â€Å"The register will likely be at the rectory,† Jack said. Thomas nodded, and they dismounted, tying their horses to a hitching post before making their way to the front of the rectory. They knocked several times before they heard footsteps moving toward them from within. The door opened, revealing a woman of middling years, clearly the housekeeper. â€Å"Good day, ma'am,† Jack said, offering her a polite bow. â€Å"I am Jack Audley, and this is – â€Å" â€Å"Thomas Cavendish,† Thomas cut in, nodding in greeting. Jack gave him a bit of a dry look at that, which the housekeeper would surely have noticed if she hadn't been so obviously irritated by their arrival. â€Å"We would like to see the parish register,† Jack said. She stared at them for a moment and a half and then jerked her head toward the rear. â€Å"It's in the back room,† she said. â€Å"The vicar's office.† â€Å"Er, is the vicar present?† Jack asked, although the last bit of the last word was covered by a grunt, brought on by Thomas's elbow pressing into his side. â€Å"No vicar just now,† the housekeeper said. â€Å"The position is vacant.† She walked over to a well-worn sofa in front of the fire and sat down. â€Å"We're supposed to get someone new soon. They send someone from Enniskillen every Sunday to deliver a sermon.† She then picked up a plate of toast and turned her back on them completely. Jack looked over at Thomas. Who he found was looking over at him. He supposed they were just meant to go in. So they did. The office was larger than Jack would have expected, given the tight quarters of the rest of the rectory. There were three windows, one on the north wall and then two on the west, flanking the fireplace. A small but tidy flame was burning; Jack walked over to warm his hands. â€Å"Do you know what a parish register looks like?† Thomas asked. Jack shrugged and shook his head. He stretched his fingers, then flexed his feet as best as he could within the confines of his boots. His muscles were growing tense and jumpy, and everytime he tried to hold still, he realized that his fingers were drumming a frantic tattoo on his leg. He wanted to jump out of his skin. He wanted to jump right out of his – â€Å"This may be it.† Jack turned. Thomas was holding a large book. It was bound in brown leather, and the cover showed signs of age. â€Å"Shall we?† Thomas asked. His voice was even, but Jack saw him swallow spasmodically. And his hands were trembling. â€Å"You can do it,† Jack said. He could not fake it this time. He could not stand there and pretend to read. Some things were simply too much to bear. Thomas stared at him in shock. â€Å"You don't want to look with me?† â€Å"I trust you.† It was true. Thomas could not think of a more inherently trustworthy person. Thomas would not lie. Not even about this. â€Å"No,† Thomas said, dismissing this entirely. â€Å"I won't do it without you.† For a moment Jack just stood there unmoving, and then, cursing under his breath, he went over to join Thomas at the desk. â€Å"You're too bloody noble,† Jack bit off. Thomas muttered something Jack could not quite make out and set the book down, opening it to one of the first pages. Jack looked down. It was a blur, all swirls and dips, dancing before his eyes. He swallowed, stealing a glance at Thomas to see if he'd seen anything. But Thomas was staring down at the register, his eyes moving quickly from left to right as he flipped through the pages. And then he slowed down. Jack clenched his teeth, trying to make it out. Sometimes he could tell the bigger letters, and frequently the numbers. It was just that they were so often not where he thought they should be, or not what he thought they should be. Ah, idiocy. It ought to have been familiar by now. But it never was. â€Å"Do you know what month your parents would have married in?† Thomas asked. â€Å"No.† But it was a small parish. How many weddings could there have been? Jack watched Thomas's fingers. They moved along the edge of the page, then slid around the edge. And flipped it. And stopped. Jack looked at Thomas. He was still. He'd closed his eyes. And it was clear. On his face. It was clear. â€Å"Dear God.† The words fell from Jack's lips like tears. It wasn't a surprise, and yet, he'd been hoping†¦praying†¦ That his parents hadn't married. Or the proof had been lost. That someone, anyone, had been wrong because this was wrong. It could not be happening. He could not do this. Just look at him now. He was standing there bloody well pretending to read the register. How in God's name did anyone think he could be a duke? Contracts? Oh, that would be fun. Rents? He'd better get a trustworthy steward, since it wasn't as if he could check to see if he was being cheated. And then – he choked back a horrified laugh – it was a damned good thing he could sign his documents with a seal. The Lord knew how long it would take to learn to sign his new name without looking as if he had to think about it. John Cavendish-Audley had taken months. Was it any wonder he'd been so eager to drop the Cavendish? Jack brought his face to his hands, closing his eyes tight. This could not be happening. He'd known it would happen, and yet, here he was, convinced it was an impossibility. He was going mad. He felt like he couldn't breathe. â€Å"Who is Philip?† Thomas asked. â€Å"What?† Jack practically snapped. â€Å"Philip Galbraith. He was a witness.† Jack looked up. And then down at the register. At the swirls and dips that apparently spelled out his uncle's name. â€Å"My mother's brother.† â€Å"Does he still live?† â€Å"I don't know. He did the last I knew. It has been five years.† Jack thought furiously. Why was Thomas asking? Would it mean anything if Philip was dead? The proof was still right there in the register. The register. Jack stared at it, his lips parted and slack. It was the enemy. That one little book. Grace had said she could not marry him if he was the Duke of Wyndham. Thomas had made no secret of the mountains of paperwork that lay ahead. If he was the Duke of Wyndham. But there was only that book. There was only that page. Just one page, and he could remain Jack Audley. All his problems would be solved. â€Å"Tear it out,† Jack whispered. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"Tear it out.† â€Å"Are you mad?† Jack shook his head. â€Å"You are the duke.† Thomas looked down at the register. â€Å"No,† he said softly, â€Å"I'm not.† â€Å"No.† Jack's voice grew urgent, and he grabbed Thomas by the shoulders. â€Å"You are what Wyndham needs. What everyone needs.† â€Å"Stop, you – â€Å" â€Å"Listen to me,† Jack implored. â€Å"You are born and bred to the job. I will ruin everything. Do you understand? I cannot do it. I cannot do it.† But Thomas just shook his head. â€Å"I may be bred to it, but you were born to it. And I cannot take what is yours.† â€Å"I don't want it!† Jack burst out. â€Å"It is not yours to accept or deny,† Thomas said, his voice numbingly calm. â€Å"Don't you understand? It is not a possession. It is who you are.† â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† Jack swore. He raked his hands through his hair. He grabbed at it, pulled entire fistfuls until his scalp felt as if it were stretching off the bone. â€Å"I am giving it to you. On a bloody silver platter. You stay the duke, and I shall leave you alone. I'll be your scout in the Outer Hebrides. Anything. Just tear the page out.† â€Å"If you didn't want the title, why didn't you just say that your parents hadn't been married at the outset?† Thomas shot back. â€Å"I asked you if your parents were married. You could have said no.† â€Å"I didn't know that I was in line to inherit when you questioned my legitimacy.† Jack gulped. His throat tasted acrid and afraid. He stared at Thomas, trying to gauge his thoughts. How could he be so bloody upright and noble? Anyone else would have ripped that page to shreds. But no, not Thomas Cavendish. He would do what was right. Not what was best, but what was right. Bloody fool. Thomas was just standing there, staring at the register. And he – he was ready to climb the walls. His entire body was shaking, his heart pounding, and he – What was that noise? â€Å"Do you hear that?† Jack whispered urgently. Horses. â€Å"They're here,† Thomas said. Jack stopped breathing. Through the window he could see a carriage approaching. He was out of time. He looked at Thomas. Thomas was staring down at the register. â€Å"I can't do it,† he whispered. Jack didn't think. He just moved. He leapt past Thomas to the church register and tore. Thomas tackled him, trying to grab the paper away, but Jack slid out from his grasp, launching himself toward the fire. â€Å"Jack, no!† Thomas yelled, but Jack was too quick, and even as Thomas caught hold of his arm, Jack managed to hurl the paper into the fire. The fight drained from both of them in an instant, and they both stood transfixed, watching the paper curl and blacken. â€Å"God in heaven,† Thomas whispered. â€Å"What have you done?† Jack could not take his eyes off the fire. â€Å"I have saved us all.† Grace had not expected to be included in the journey to the Maguiresbridge church. No matter how closely involved she had become in the matter of the Wyndham inheritance, she was not a member of the family. She wasn't even a member of the household any longer. But when the dowager discovered that Jack and Thomas went to the church without her, she had – and Grace did not believe this an exaggeration – gone mad. It required but a minute for her to recover, but for those first sixty seconds it was a terrifying sight. Even Grace had never witnessed the like. And so when it was time to depart, Amelia had refused to leave without her. â€Å"Do not leave me alone with that woman,† she hissed in Grace's ear. â€Å"You won't be alone,† Grace tried to explain. Her father would be going, of course, and Jack's aunt had claimed a spot in the carriage as well. â€Å"Please, Grace,† Amelia begged. She did not know Jack's aunt, and she could not bear to sit next to her father. Not this morning. The dowager had pitched a fit, which was not unexpected, but her tantrum only made Amelia more firm. She grabbed hold of Grace's hand and nearly crushed her fingers. â€Å"Oh, do what you wish,† the dowager had snapped. â€Å"But if you are not in the carriage in three minutes, I shall leave without you.† Which was how it came to pass that Amelia, Grace, and Mary Audley were squeezed together on one side of the carriage, with the dowager and Lord Crowland on the other. The ride to Maguiresbridge had seemed interminably long. Amelia looked out her window, the dowager out hers, and Lord Crowland and Mary Audley did the same. Grace, squeezed in the middle facing backwards, could do nothing but stare at the spot midway between the dowager's and Lord Crowland's heads. Every ten minutes or so the dowager would turn to Mary and demand to know how much longer it would be until they reached their destination. Mary answered each query with admirable deference and patience, and then finally, to everyone's relief, she said, â€Å"We are here.† The dowager hopped down first, but Lord Crowland was close on her heels, practically dragging Amelia behind him. Mary Audley hurried out next, leaving Grace alone at the rear. She sighed. It seemed somehow fitting. By the time Grace reached the front of the rectory, the rest of them were already inside, pushing through the door to another room, where, she presumed, Jack and Thomas were, along with the all-important church register. An open-mouthed woman stood in the center of the front room, a cup of tea balanced precariously in her fingers. â€Å"Good day,† Grace said with a rushed smile, wondering if the others had even bothered to knock. â€Å"Where is it?† she heard the dowager demand, followed by the crash of a door slamming against a wall. â€Å"How dare you leave without me! Where is it? I demand to see the register!† Grace made it to the doorway, but it was still blocked by the others. She couldn't see in. And then she did the last thing she'd ever have expected of herself. She shoved. Hard. She loved him. She loved Jack. And whatever the day brought, she would be there. He would not be alone. She would not allow it. She stumbled inside just as the dowager was screaming, â€Å"What did you find?† Grace steadied herself and looked up. There he was. Jack. He looked awful. Haunted. Her lips formed his name, but she made no sound. She couldn't have. It was as if her voice had been yanked right out of her. She had never seen him thus. His color was wrong – too pale, or maybe too flushed – she couldn't quite tell. And his fingers were trembling. Couldn't anyone else see that? Grace turned to Thomas, because surely he would do something. Say something. But he was staring at Jack. Just like everyone else. No one was speaking. Why wasn't anyone speaking? â€Å"He is Wyndham,† Jack finally said. â€Å"As he should be.† Grace should have jumped for joy, but all she could think was – I don't believe him. He didn't look right. He didn't sound right. The dowager turned on Thomas. â€Å"Is this true?† Thomas did not speak. The dowager growled with frustration and grabbed his arm. â€Å"Is†¦it†¦true?† she demanded. Still, Thomas did not speak. â€Å"There is no record of a marriage,† Jack insisted. Grace wanted to cry. He was lying. It was so obvious†¦to her, to everyone. There was desperation in his voice, and fear, and – Dear God, was he doing this for her? Was he trying to forsake his birthright for her? â€Å"Thomas is the duke,† Jack said again, looking frantically from person to person. â€Å"Why aren't you listening? Why isn't anyone listening to me?† But there was only silence. And then: â€Å"He lies.† It was Thomas, in a voice that was low and even, and absolutely true. Grace let out a choked sob and turned away. She could not bear to watch. â€Å"No,† Jack said, â€Å"I'm telling you – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† Thomas snapped. â€Å"Do you think no one will find you out? There will be witnesses. Do you really think there won't be any witnesses to the wedding? For God's sake, you can't rewrite the past.† Grace closed her eyes. â€Å"Or burn it,† Thomas said ominously. â€Å"As the case may be.† Oh, Jack, she thought. What have you done? â€Å"He tore the page from the register,† Thomas said. â€Å"He threw it into the fire.† Grace opened her eyes, unable to not look at the hearth. There was no sign of paper. Nothing but black soot and ash under the steady orange flame. â€Å"It's yours,† Thomas said, turning to Jack. He looked him in the eye and then bowed. Jack looked sick. Thomas turned, facing the rest of the room. â€Å"I am – † He cleared his throat, and when he continued, his voice was even and proud. â€Å"I am Mr. Cavendish,† he said, â€Å"and I bid you all a good day.† And then he left. He brushed past them and walked right out the door. At first no one could speak. And then, in a moment that was almost grotesque, Lord Crowland turned to Jack and bowed. â€Å"Your grace,† he said. â€Å"No,† Jack said, shaking his head. He turned to the dowager. â€Å"Do not allow this. He will make a better duke.† â€Å"True enough,† Lord Crowland said, completely oblivious to Jack's distress. â€Å"But you'll learn.† And then – Jack couldn't help it – he started to laugh. From deep within him, his sense of the absurd rose to the fore, and he laughed. Because good God, if there was one thing he'd never be able to do, it was learn. Anything. â€Å"Oh, you have no idea,† he said. He looked at the dowager. His desperation was gone, replaced by something else – something bitter and fatalistic, something cynical and grim. â€Å"You have no idea what you've done,† he told her. â€Å"No idea at all.† â€Å"I have restored you to your proper place,† she said sharply. â€Å"As is my duty to my son.† Jack turned. He couldn't bring himself to look at her for one moment more. But there was Grace, standing near the doorway. She looked shocked, she looked scared. But when she looked at him, he saw his entire world, falling softly into place. She loved him. He didn't know how or why, but he was not enough of a fool to question it. And when her eyes met his, he saw hope. He saw the future, and it was shining like the sunrise. His entire life, he'd been running. From himself, from his faults. He'd been so desperate that no one should truly know him, that he'd denied himself the chance to find his place in the world. He smiled. He finally knew where he belonged. He had seen Grace when she entered the room, but she'd stood back, and he couldn't go to her, not when he'd been trying so hard to keep the dukedom in Thomas's hands, where it belonged. But it seemed he'd failed in that measure. He would not fail in this. â€Å"Grace,† he said, and went to her, taking both of her hands in his. â€Å"What the devil are you doing?† the dowager demanded. He dropped to one knee. â€Å"Marry me,† he said, squeezing her hands. â€Å"Be my bride, be my – † He laughed, a bubble of absurdity rising from within. â€Å"Be my duchess.† He smiled up at her. â€Å"It's a lot to ask, I know.† â€Å"Stop that,† the dowager hissed. â€Å"You can't marry her.† â€Å"Jack,† Grace whispered. Her lips were trembling, and he knew she was thinking about it. She was teetering. And he could bring her over the edge. â€Å"For once in your life,† he said fervently, â€Å"make yourself happy.† â€Å"Stop this!† Crowland blustered. He grabbed Jack under his arm and tried to haul him to his feet, but Jack would not budge. He would remain on one knee for eternity if that was what it took. â€Å"Marry me, Grace,† he whispered. â€Å"You will marry Amelia!† Crowland cut in. Jack did not take his eyes off Grace's face. â€Å"Marry me.† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she said, and he could hear it in her voice that she thought she should make an excuse, should say something about his duty or her place. â€Å"Marry me,† he said again, before she could go on. â€Å"She is not acceptable,† the dowager said coldly. He brought Grace's hands to his lips. â€Å"I will marry no one else.† â€Å"She is not of your rank!† He turned and gave his grandmother an icy look. He felt rather ducal, actually. It was almost entertaining. â€Å"Do you wish for me to produce an heir? Ever?† The dowager's face pinched up like a fish. â€Å"I shall take that as a yes,† he announced. â€Å"Which means that Grace shall have to marry me.† He shrugged. â€Å"It's the only way, if I am to give Wyndham a legitimate heir.† Grace started to blink, and her mouth – the corners were moving. She was fighting herself, telling herself she should say no. But she loved him. He knew that she did, and he would not allow her to throw that away. â€Å"Grace – † He scowled, then laughed. â€Å"What the devil is your middle name, anyway?† â€Å"Catriona,† she whispered. â€Å"Grace Catriona Eversleigh,† he said, loud and sure, â€Å"I love you. I love you with every inch of my heart, and I swear right now, before all who are assembled†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked around, catching sight of the rectory housekeeper, who was standing open-mouthed in the doorway. â€Å"†¦even – devil it,† he muttered, â€Å"what is your name?† â€Å"Mrs. Broadmouse,† she said, eyes wide. Jack cleared his throat. He was beginning to feel like himself. For the first time in days, he felt like himself. Maybe he was stuck with this bloody title, but with Grace at his side, he could find a way to do some good with it. â€Å"I swear to you,† he said, â€Å"before Mrs. Broadmouse – â€Å" â€Å"Stop this!† the dowager yelled, grabbing hold of his other arm. â€Å"Get on your feet!† Jack gazed up at Grace and smiled. â€Å"Was there ever a proposal so beleaguered?† She smiled back, even as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. â€Å"You are supposed to marry Amelia!† Lord Crowland growled. And then there was Amelia†¦poking her head around her father's shoulder. â€Å"I won't have him,† she announced, rather matter-of-fact. She caught Jack's eye and smiled. The dowager gasped. â€Å"You would refuse my grandson?† â€Å"This grandson,† Amelia clarified. Jack tore his eyes off Grace for just long enough to grin approvingly at Amelia. She grinned back, motioning with her head toward Grace, telling him in no uncertain terms to get back to the matter at hand. â€Å"Grace,† Jack said, rubbing her hands softly with his. â€Å"My knee is beginning to hurt.† She started to laugh. â€Å"Say yes, Grace,† Amelia said. â€Å"Listen to Amelia,† Jack said. â€Å"What the devil am I going to do with you?† Lord Crowland said. To Amelia, that was, not that she seemed to care. â€Å"I love you, Grace,† Jack said. She was grinning now. It seemed her whole body was grinning, as if she'd been enveloped in a happiness that would not let go. And then she said it. Right in front of everyone. â€Å"I love you, too.† He felt all the happiness in the world swirling into him, straight to his heart. â€Å"Grace Catriona Eversleigh,† he said again, â€Å"will you marry me?† â€Å"Yes,† she whispered. â€Å"Yes.† He stood. â€Å"I'm going to kiss her now,† he called out. And he did. Right in front of the dowager, in front of Amelia and her father, even in front of Mrs. Broadmouse. He kissed her. And then he kissed her some more. He was kissing her when the dowager departed in an angry huff, and he was kissing her when Lord Crowland dragged Amelia away, muttering something about delicate sensibilities. He kissed her, and he kissed her, and he would have kept kissing her except that he realized that Mrs. Broadmouse was still standing in the doorway, staring at them with a rather benign expression. Jack grinned at her. â€Å"A spot of privacy, if you don't mind?† She sighed and toddled away, but before she shut the door, they heard her say – â€Å"I do like a good love story.† Epilogue My dearest Amelia – Can it only have been three weeks since I last wrote? It feels as if I have gathered at least a year of news. The children continue to thrive. Arthur is so studious! Jack declares himself boggled, but his delight is evident. We visited the Happy Hare earlier this week to discuss plans for the village fair with Harry Gladdish, and Jack complained to no end about how difficult it has been to find a new tutor now that Arthur has exhausted the last. Harry was not fooled. Jack was proud as puff. We were delighted to – â€Å"Mama!† Grace looked up from her correspondence. Her third child (and only daughter) was standing in the doorway, looking much aggrieved. â€Å"What is it, Mary?† she asked. â€Å"John was – â€Å" â€Å"Just strolling by,† John said, sliding along the polished floor until he came to a stop next to Mary. â€Å"John!† Mary howled. John looked at Grace with utter innocence. â€Å"I barely touched her.† Grace fought the urge to close her eyes and groan. John was only ten, but already he possessed his father's lethal charm. â€Å"Mama,† Mary said. â€Å"I was walking to the conservatory when – â€Å" â€Å"What Mary means to say,† John cut in, â€Å"is that I was walking to the orangery when she bumped into me and – â€Å" â€Å"No!† Mary protested. â€Å"That is not what I meant to say.† She turned to her mother in obvious distress. â€Å"Mama!† â€Å"John, let your sister finish,† Grace said, almost automatically. It was a sentence she uttered several times a day. John smiled at her. Meltingly. Good gracious, Grace thought, it would not be long before she'd be beating the girls away with a stick. â€Å"Mother,† he said, in exactly the same tone Jack used when he was trying to charm his way out of a tight spot, â€Å"I would not dream of interrupting her.† â€Å"You just did!† Mary retorted. John held up his hands, as if to say – Poor dear. Grace turned to Mary with what she hoped was visible compassion. â€Å"You were saying, Mary?† â€Å"He smashed an orange into my sheet music!† Grace turned to her son. â€Å"John, is this – â€Å" â€Å"No,† he said quickly. Grace gave him a dubious stare. It did not escape her that she had not finished her question before he answered. She supposed she ought not read too much into it. John, is this true? was another of the sentences she seemed to spend a great deal of time repeating. â€Å"Mother,† he said, his green eyes profoundly solemn, â€Å"upon my honor I swear to you that I did not smash an orange – â€Å" â€Å"You lie,† Mary seethed. â€Å"She crushed the orange.† â€Å"After you put it under my foot!† And then came a new voice: â€Å"Grace!† Grace smiled with delight. Jack could now sort the children out. â€Å"Grace,† he said, turning sideways so that he might slip by them and into the room. â€Å"I need you to – â€Å" â€Å"Jack!† she cut in. He looked at her, and then behind him. â€Å"What did I do?† She motioned to the children. â€Å"Did you not notice them?† He quirked a smile – the very same one his son had tried to use on her a few moments earlier. â€Å"Of course I noticed them,† he said. â€Å"Did you not notice me stepping around them?† He turned to the children. â€Å"Haven't we taught you that it is rude to block the doorway?† It was a good thing she hadn't been to the orangery herself, Grace thought, because she would have peened him with one. As it was, she was beginning to think she ought to keep a store of small, round, easily throwable objects in her desk drawer. â€Å"Jack,† she said, with what she thought was amazing patience, â€Å"would you be so kind as to settle their dispute?† He shrugged. â€Å"They'll work it out.† â€Å"Jack,† she sighed. â€Å"It's not your fault you had no siblings,† he told her. â€Å"You have no experience in intrafamilial squabbles. Trust me, it all works out in the end. I predict we shall manage to get all four to adulthood with at least fifteen of their major limbs intact.† Grace leveled a stare. â€Å"You, on the other hand, are in supreme danger of – â€Å" â€Å"Children!† Jack cut in. â€Å"Listen to your mother.† â€Å"She didn't say anything,† John pointed out. â€Å"Right,† Jack said. He frowned for a moment. â€Å"John, leave your sister alone. Mary, next time don't step on the orange.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"I'm done here,† he announced. And amazingly, they went on their way. â€Å"That wasn't too difficult,† he said. He stepped into the room. â€Å"I have some papers for you.† Grace immediately set aside her correspondence and took the documents he held forth. â€Å"They arrived this afternoon from my solicitor,† Jack explained. She read the first paragraph. â€Å"About the Ennigsly building in Lincoln?† â€Å"That's what I was expecting,† he confirmed. She nodded and then gave the document a thorough perusal. After a dozen years of marriage, they had fallen into an easy routine. Jack conducted all of his business affairs face-to-face, and when correspondence arrived, Grace was his reader. It was almost amusing. It had taken Jack a year or so to find his footing, but he'd turned into a marvelous steward of the dukedom. His mind was razor sharp, and his judgment was such that Grace could not believe he'd not been trained in land management. The tenants adored him, the servants worshipped him (especially once the dowager was banished to the far side of the estate), and London society had positively fallen at his feet. It had helped, of course, that Thomas made it clear that he believed Jack was the rightful Duke of Wyndham, but still, Grace did not think herself biased to believe that Jack's charm and wit had something to do with it as well. The only thing it seemed he could not do was read. When he first told her, she had not believed him. Oh, she believed that he believed it. But surely he'd had poor teachers. Surely there had been some gross negligence on someone's part. A man of Jack's intelligence and education did not reach adulthood illiterate. And so she'd sat with him. Tried her best. And he put up with it. In retrospect, she couldn't believe that he had not exploded with frustration. It was, perhaps, the oddest imaginable show of love – he'd let her try, again and again, to teach him to read. With a smile on his face, even. But in the end she'd given up. She still did not understand what he meant when he told her the letters â€Å"danced,† but she believed him when he insisted that all he ever got from a printed page was a headache. â€Å"Everything is in order,† she said now, handing the documents back to Jack. He had discussed the matter with her the week prior, after all of the decisions had been made. He always did that. So that she would know precisely what she was looking for. â€Å"Are you writing to Amelia?† he asked. She nodded. â€Å"I can't decide if I should tell her about John's escapade in the church belfry.† â€Å"Oh, do. They shall get a good laugh.† â€Å"But it makes him seem such a ruffian.† â€Å"He is a ruffian.† She felt herself deflate. â€Å"I know. But he's sweet.† Jack chuckled and kissed her, once, on the forehead. â€Å"He's just like me.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"You needn't sound so despairing.† He smiled then, that unbelievably devilish thing of his. It still got her, every time, just the way he wanted it to. â€Å"Look how nicely I turned out,† he added. â€Å"Just so you understand,† she told him, â€Å"if he takes to robbing coaches, I shall expire on the spot.† Jack laughed at that. â€Å"Give my regards to Amelia.† Grace was about to say I shall, but he was already gone. She picked up her pen and dipped it in ink, pausing briefly so she might recall what she'd been writing. We were delighted to see Thomas on his visit. He made his annual pilgrimage to the dowager, who, I am sad to report, has not grown any less severe in her old age. She is as healthy as can be – it is my suspicion that she shall outlive us all. Grace shook her head. She made the half-mile journey to the dower house but once a month. Jack had said she needn't do even that, but she still felt an odd loyalty toward the dowager. Not to mention a fierce devotion and sympathy for the woman they'd hired to replace her as the dowager's companion. No servant had ever been so well-paid. Already the woman earned (at Grace's insistence) double what she herself had been paid. Plus, they promised her a cottage when the dowager finally expired. The very same one Thomas had given to her so many years earlier. Grace smiled to herself and continued writing, telling Amelia this and that – all those funny little anecdotes mothers loved to share. Mary looked like a squirrel with her front tooth missing. And little Oliver, only eighteen months old, had skipped crawling entirely, going straight from the oddest belly-scoot to full-fledged running. Already they'd lost him twice in the hedgerow maze. I do miss you, dear Amelia. You must promise to visit this summer. You know how marvelous Lincolnshire is when all the flowers are in bloom. And of course – â€Å"Grace?† It was Jack, suddenly back in her doorway. â€Å"I missed you,† he explained. â€Å"In the last five minutes?† He stepped inside, closed the door. â€Å"It doesn't take long.† â€Å"You are incorrigible.† But she set down her pen. â€Å"It does seem to serve me well,† he murmured, stepping around the desk. He took her hand and tugged her gently to her feet. â€Å"And you, too.† Grace fought the urge to groan. Only Jack would say such a thing. Only Jack would – She let out a yelp as his lips – Well, suffice to say, only Jack would do that. Oh. And that. She melted into him. And absolutely that†¦