Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Despite the fact it was just the two of them for Christmas dinner, Emma had the most wonderful time.
Fitzwilliam, the lone footman who’d helped unload her plants the day she’d arrived, seemed to be the only servant in attendance, but he kept her wineglass topped up and presented a dizzying array of courses prepared by Mrs. Bennington.
Perhaps it was the excellent burgundy loosening her tongue, but conversation flowed easily between herself and Kit as they shared tales of their adventures.
He described some amusing incidents he’d had in Spain before he and Andrew had been captured, while Emma made him smile by recounting the time a monkey had invaded her cabin, opened her clothes chest, and stolen one of her favorite hats.
By the time a flaming Christmas pudding was placed on the table between them, with the warmed brandy flames flickering blue and orange, she decided it was time to reveal her final problem. Kit gave her the perfect opening.
“So, now that you’ve successfully managed to coax flowers from your plants, I assume you’re ready to return to London and present them to the gentlemen of the Botanical Society?”
Emma toyed with her glass, suddenly nervous. “Well, as to that, there is one small matter in which I still need your help.”
His brows rose.
“The Society is expecting one D. Townsend to present to them.”
“And?”
Emma decided to come clean. “They think the D stands for David.”
Kit put down his glass with a thump. “They think you’re a man?”
“I’m afraid so. But you have to understand that it was the only way I could get them to take me seriously. They don’t allow women to become members. And so every time I sent them a report from the field, with my drawings and notes, I used the fictitious name of David Townsend.”
Kit’s face was impassive. “David was your brother’s middle name.”
“Yes. It was.”
He pinched his nose between his brows. “So they think this chap, David Townsend, is coming to present these new orchids at their meeting next week. What are you going to do?”
Emma sent him her most winning smile. “I was rather hoping I could persuade you to present them for me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I might not have been much in society for the past couple of years, but there are scores of people who’ll recognize me. I’ve played cards with half the men who make up the Botanical Society. I can’t masquerade as a botanist named Townsend.”
Emma reached over and touched his sleeve.
“I’m not asking you to pretend to be anyone except yourself.
You can just say you’re David Townsend’s benefactor, and that he’s been taken ill.
We can make up some tropical disease or something.
He’ll be too ill to attend, so he’s entrusted you with presenting his discovery. ”
“You want me to lie,” he said flatly.
She rushed to explain, hating the disapproval in his tone. “A tiny little white lie for an excellent cause. Even if you don’t care about the advancement of science, do it for Andrew. It’ll allow his name to go down in history, immortalized in a plant.”
He opened his mouth, but Emma cut him off, determined to sway him.
“You think I like it?” she growled. “I don’t.
It’s monstrously unfair. I’ve done all of the work, but I’ll never receive any credit.
The only thing I can do is to ensure that my surname—the one shared with my brother—gets linked to these plants.
” She lifted her chin and gave him a direct stare. “That will have to be enough.”
“You’re sure women aren’t allowed to join the society?”
“I’ve read the rules, and while they do not specifically preclude women from becoming a fellow, I have little doubt that my appearance would be seen in a very negative light. I don’t want my gender to be the reason my discovery isn’t accepted.”
She sighed, and her anger dissipated into something closer to weary resignation. “They’ve had no problem with the papers I sent them for the past year. They’re just too bull-headed to acknowledge that a woman might actually be their equal in terms or intellect and scientific ability.”
Kit was quiet for a long moment, and Emma risked another glance up at him. “If I can accept that I must hide my achievements behind a fictional name, then surely you can stand up and speak to a bunch of your peers for ten minutes or so.”
He took a deep drink of his wine, and she waited for his answer with bated breath.
“It’s not an unreasonable request,” he said slowly, as if choosing his words with care. “It’s just that ever since my imprisonment I’ve disliked large crowds of people. I would find it very uncomfortable to be the center of attention at somewhere like the Botanical Society.”
Oh.
His unexpected admission stole the wind from her sails. Only a strong man could admit a weakness, even to himself. It required even more strength to disclose it to a woman.
His honesty was utterly endearing. Damn it. She didn’t want to force him to relive any painful experience. But who else could she ask?
“Lord Wellington once said he had two rules for public speaking,” Kit continued. “One: never take on subjects you know nothing about and, two; whenever possible, avoid quoting Latin. You’re asking me to do both those things.”
“Not the Latin—”
He lifted his brows. “I listened to my father go on about plants long enough to know that they all have long, unpronounceable Latin names. What’s the name you want for your new flower? Something long-winded, I’ll bet.”
Emma wrinkled her nose in an effort not to laugh at his accurate guess. “Well, yes. I want it to be called Oncidium Townsendiae Purpurea. But that only means purple Townsend oncidium. It’s very simple to say, really.” She sent him another pleading look across the table.
“I don’t know the first thing about orchids.”
“I’ll help you. I’ll give you detailed notes and tell you everything you need to say. You can do it Kit. Help me. Please.”
His sigh came from the very depths of his soul. “Oh, all right.”
Emma clapped her hands as triumph filled her. “Yes! Thank you! That’s the best Christmas present I could possibly have wished for.”
For some reason her comment brought an embarrassed flush to his cheeks and he took a rapid gulp of wine but Emma was too delighted at his agreement to ponder why.
“The society’s next meeting is three days away. There’s plenty of time for you to practice what you have to say before we go back up to London.”