This was the first sign of the trouble to come.
In 1891, trader Trevor Merchant flourished in Port of Spain, Trinidad. He flourished in intercolonial trade in the island’s abundant resources, including sugar, bananas, cacao, coffee, corn, potatoes, cassava, and rice. Fortune showered him with favors, including a vibrant and supportive wife, Maxine, and two beautiful young daughters, Catherine and Isabella. At twenty, Catherine, with her striking beauty and her family’s wealth, was determined to make a strategic marriage. The most handsome young Creole gentlemen…