One enigma of Dragonfly in Amber is the business partnership between St. Germain and Prince Charles. Who recommended them to work together? Readers may suspect the Duke of Sandringham to be involved. However, the reaction of many characters after the announcement of the business enterprise seem to prove otherwise.
This bit of news had all the impact the Comte might have hoped for. Silas Hawkins sat bolt upright with an exclamation that made him choke on the remnants of his mouthful. Jamie, who had been about to speak, closed his mouth and sat down, regarding the Comte thoughtfully. Jules de La Tour began to spray exclamations and globules of spit, and both d’Arbanvilles made ejaculations of amazement. Even the Duke took his eyes off his plate and blinked at the Comte in interest.
“Really?” he said. “I understood the Stuarts were poor as church mice. You’re sure he’s not gulling you?”(ch. 18)
It is at this stage that the Duke seems interested in the dinner conversation. It appears that he is ensuring that the Jacobites are not organizing themselves against the English. In fact, everybody is interested because a wealthy Stuart could raise an army.
On the other hand, the reader subsequently knows that Sandringham, as opposed to the Comte, was involved in both attempts against the lives of both Jamie and Claire. Therefore, it is possible to speculate that Sandringham is behind the business arrangement between St. Germain and Prince Charles. The logic behind this notion is that everybody is aware that Claire put a hand in the destruction of the Patagonia. During the dinner, Silas Hawkins, who is close to Sandringham, reminds St. Germain about it. Therefore, it would make sense for Sandringham to arrange a business partnership between Prince Charles and somebody who is a business rival to Jared and that would love to take revenge against Claire, and that person is St. Germain. In his last meeting with Claire, Sandringham mentions that he wanted to eliminate Jamie first, but then he changed his mind and Claire became his target to hurt her husband. Therefore, the interest that the Duke shows once St. Germain reveals his business plans could be associated with him not knowing that his plan worked.
Sources
Gabaldon, Diana. Dragonfly in Amber. New York: Bantam Dell, 1993. Print.