Chapter Twenty-four
JONATHAN GREETED WILLIAM Brody when he arrived at Dalton House early the next morning. He explained that William would be under the instruction of Stevens, but his role would be to support Jonathan’s political duties, separate from the running of Jonathan’s estate and his social calendar.
Within minutes, William sat at a writing desk in an alcove set at the far end of the large library. He was to read over Jonathan’s attempt at a speech while Jonathan completed his morning tasks with Stevens, his elderly man of business.
The ebony bracket clock on the mantelpiece struck the hour. Jones, the butler, showed Lord Marchmere into the library. William looked up but remained reading at the other end of the room. Jonathan greeted his visitor warmly before dismissing Stevens for the morning.
Hale and hearty as always, Marchmere greeted Jonathan and took the proffered seat near the fireplace.
They discussed forthcoming debates in the House and the Tory stance.
In his booming voice, Marchmere outlined a few topics Dalton could talk on that would “be for the good of the nation” and “do Dalton’s credit no harm. ”
After half an hour of such discussion, Jonathan blandly enquired where Marchmere had got the idea that his forthcoming marriage to Miss Brody was a ruse to silence her politically.
He blustered. “Why, from you, my man, from you.”
Jonathan’s voice was even and firm. “If I allowed you to have that impression, then I am very sorry to hear it. At no time have I set out to gag or discredit the views held by Miss Brody. While I may not agree with all that she lectures and writes about, I have no intention of ever stifling her views... for your or anybody else’s purpose. ”
“What was your aim then?” Marchmere didn’t wait for an answer.
“Travener was onto you. Told me about your monopoly of Miss Brody at Mrs. Courtice’s ball.
You must have been compromised to have offered marriage.
I spread that about when I heard about her school.
That woman shouldn’t be educating anyone’s children.
” He appeared triumphant about his deceit.
Anger roiled in his gut. “My intentions toward Miss Brody have always been honorable.”
“More fool you!”
White hot with anger, Jonathan couldn’t hide his contempt of Marchmere any longer. “Just so we know where we stand from now on, I am not your man. I hope I make myself clear.”
There was no sound from the far end of the library, and Jonathan hoped William continued to stay silent so his presence was unknown to their visitor.
Marchmere’s face was turning scarlet with fury, and his voice became louder. “Then you’re a fool, Dalton—and you deserve the mayhem the ideas of that bluestocking you have affianced yourself to will rain down upon you.”
“I’ll take that risk” was Jonathan’s surly reply.
Marchmere looked at him with disgust. Without another word, he left the library with a resounding bang of the heavy door, and Jonathan could hear his butler’s quiet voice as he politely but firmly showed him out of Dalton House.
“William, might I speak with you?”
William walked the length of the room to stand before him, looking curious after the interview he had overheard.
Jonathan took his seat behind his oak desk, fiddling with his steel pen. “You have probably had sufficient time to read my draft speech and think of some ways to improve what I have written. You are to add nothing that you heard discussed this morning with Lord Marchmere.”
William nodded and gave his agreement.
“And you are to treat everything that you hear in the course of your duties, both inside and outside this room and this house, as confidential.”
“Of course, my lord,” William readily agreed.
Jonathan looked William in the eye. “That is, excepting what you heard just now about Marchmere’s assumptions about my engagement to Jane.”
William raised a scarred eyebrow. “My lord, Jane has told me that your engagement no longer exists. That she has withdrawn from it. I don’t know what caused the rift.
Jane refuses to tell me, waving the question away with ‘we didn’t suit.
’ My other sisters have hinted that you were not at fault and that it was a lovers’ tiff, which may be resolved.
They cited as proof the fact that no retraction had been printed in the newspaper as yet. ”
“That is all true. We have had a disagreement and she has withdrawn her consent to marry me. However, part of the discord related to things that Marchmere spouted... incorrect information about my motivations for wanting to marry her.”
“I’ve heard, but even had you been stupid enough...
sorry, misled enough to believe that and had married her, you would have had no hope of silencing or changing one opinion of my sister’s.
” William looked as though he thought such an objective was as impossible as a man flying.
“She is a force to be reckoned with, make no mistake. Accept her as she is, or give up your hopes of a happy marriage, or any marriage at all.”
Jonathan gave a bark of laughter. “Well, that’s plain speaking. I’ll take your advice seriously, William.” Jonathan rose from his chair and strode around the desk to clap William on the back affably. “Now, down to business with this speech. Tell me your ideas.”
***
THAT EVENING, JANE and her sisters were delighted to receive their brother, William, for dinner. He had only returned to London in the last few days, and they had scarcely seen him. All were amazed when he told them of his new position and sought every detail.
When the topic was exhausted, Jane said, “Now, William, if you can solve our latest mystery for us, we would be very grateful.”
“Oh, yes,” chimed in Anna. “Who is the mystery pamphlet writer for our cause?”
Jane outlined the nature of the pamphlet to her brother, wondering which side of the debate his response would support.
“He or she has drawn the wrath of the Church and every conservative in the country. We presume it is a doctor, but Dr. Logan swears it is not him, and no one in our group is admitting to it. The style of writing is not one that I recognize, and nor does anyone else.”
Jane walked to the sitting room, drew a paper from the pile on its round worktable, and returned with it, handing it to her brother for his perusal.
He scanned it quickly, and looking up at his sister, said with a laugh, “I can see why it has caused a furor. It’s tantamount to heresy to some, I would say!”
The sisters agreed.
William shook his head. “By the bye, one mystery I can solve is why Lord Marchmere claimed Dalton was undertaking a political game with your engagement,” he told Jane.
“You have it all wrong that Dalton wanted to discredit you and your views. I overheard him and Marchmere have a terrible to-do about it this morning. They had forgotten about my existence in the library. Seems Marchmere jumped to conclusions. He’s also the person who spread the rumor about the nature of your relationship with Dalton. ”
Jane asked for details, and William repeated all he had heard of the conversation relating to her.
At his conclusion, Jane’s sisters were inclined to say, “I told you so,” but Jane was a little more hesitant about taking the words at face value.
She needed more proof.