Chapter Twenty-seven
JANE ARRIVED HOME AT noon from the Welfare League to be greeted by Mrs. Creevy, who announced that William had called soon after her departure and had left a note that he insisted be handed to her as soon as she stepped in the door.
Jane took her brother’s note, mystified as to what could have made him write with such urgency.
It did no more than urge her to call on him at Dalton House forthwith.
Still perplexed, Jane exited the house without having taken off her cloak, bonnet, or gloves, and caught the first hackney she could find.
Jane paid off the carriage outside the imposing Dalton House, then rapped on the front door. She was soon shown into Dalton’s study, where she found her brother frowning over correspondence and ledgers.
Jane was curious. “William, I’ve come to you as soon as I read your letter. Whatever has caused you to write such a note?”
William looked at her in disbelief. “Lord Dalton is to give his maiden speech to the House of Lords today.”
“I knew it would happen soon, but how does that concern me?”
“Surely you are aware of the topic of the speech he will be giving?”
“Not at all.” Jane was mystified. “Why ought I to know?”
William gave her exasperated look. “Did you not ask him to support your cause for women’s rights?”
“You know that I have, but how can that have any bearing on what Jonathan is saying in the House?”
“He’s made no attempt to contact you during the week?”
“What has he been doing?” Jane’s stomach lurched with fear.
“He’s worked on his maiden speech for the House of Lords. Each afternoon before I leave, I make a clean copy of it, expecting it will be the final version, only to find the next morning that Dalton’s re-written it in the evening.
“Each day he has become more fixated on his task. He seemed determined to have a polished piece of oratory ready for soon after Parliament recommencement on the twenty-seventh. Yesterday he handed me the final draft of his speech and requested once again that I copy it for the next day. There were multiple changes, with whole sections deleted and new paragraphs inserted.”
“Yes. And?” Jane shook his sleeve, wishing he would get to the point.
“He means to talk on the rights of women. He has drafted and redrafted the speech, each time making it more radical in tone. He will be crucified in the House, I’m sure of it.
He will be booed from the House. There is no way in which the members of the House of Lords would accept the argument for the equality of women and their rights. ”
Jane gasped. “Surely not? That is so out of character for him. He’s ever been an archconservative,” Jane countered.
“That may have been so, but you are not accounting for his love for you. He will do anything in his power to assist you for that reason now. He’s willing to risk his political reputation in support of your cause.”
“Good heavens!” Jane exclaimed. This was extraordinary news. To support her cause, he was ready to commit political suicide among his peers. “I must stop him.”
“You can try!”
“When will he give his speech?”
William’s face was lined with worry. “He’s taking luncheon at White’s, then going to the House.”
Her stomach hollowed out. “I must find him immediately.” She hurried out of the study. She needed a hackney fast.
William followed her. “Jane, where are you going?”
“To his club to see if he’s still there.” She had to reach him first.
William scolded, “You can’t go into White’s.”
“Surely I can send in a note.”
“You should not even be in St. James’s Street, let alone call at the door. I’ll come with you.” Grabbing his beaver hat from the hall table, he raced down the front steps in her wake. He hailed a hackney and handed Jane into it. They set off in a hurry.
A short while later, Jane hustled William out of the vehicle. He entered the door of White’s and she heard him requesting his employer on a matter of urgency.
The top-lofty concierge informed him that Lord Dalton had left the club about a quarter of an hour ago. They had just missed him.
William ran back to the cab.
“We must go to the House,” Jane said.
William called up to the driver. “Take us to Westminster Palace. Make haste!”
The hackney lurched into motion as the driver touched the horse with his whip. Jane clutched her hands in her lap and braced her feet on the floor as the driver attempted to make some speed despite the traffic.
Time seemed to slow to an interminable crawl. Curricles and high-perch phaetons vied with carts and hackneys for every space that opened on the crowded road. Finally, the Houses of Parliament were ahead.
The traffic came to a halt. It showed no sign of clearing. There was an overturned cart ahead. The hackney driver let forth a stream of abuse at the driver of the stationary vehicle in front.
William hauled his fob watch from its pocket. “He is due to speak any time now, Jane. We will never get there in time.”
“Stay with the cab, William. I will go on foot.” Jane clambered onto the road. She set off half running toward the House, looking for any sign of Jonathan ahead.
There he was—walking toward the entry. Her stomach lurched. She sprinted forward, calling to him.
He was about to take a step inside when he heard her and paused to turn around and look.
She called with the last of her breath and waved frantically as she attempted to run the last hundred feet along the pavement to him.
She sidestepped strolling fashionably dressed and hastening sober-suited pedestrians.
He hadn’t seen her. He turned to enter. She made one last effort to get his attention with a loud shout. “Jonathan!”
He turned. His face held an arrested look of surprise. And then he was striding toward her.
Jane bent double, gasped for breath. Blood pounded through her heart.
He reached her. “Jane, what are you doing here?” He grasped her elbows and made to straighten her.
She shook her head, signaling for him to let her recover. “Wait, please!” she gasped.
Instead, he bent over her and rubbed her back soothingly.
“Oh, Jonathan,” she rasped through her raw throat. “I thought I would never catch up with you.”
“Whyever did you want to?”
“I had to stop you. You mustn’t speak today.”
His frown deepened. “Why not? It’s my maiden speech.”
“I know. I know, but you mustn’t. William has told me.”
“Told you what? What has William told you?”
“The topic of your speech.” She was recovering now. Jane grasped his arms and looked steadily into his eyes. “You must not talk on the rights of women. It will mean political disgrace for you.”
“Jane, you said you wanted me to support your cause. I will do just that.”
“I implore you, do not!” Jane tugged at his sleeve to emphasize her point.
Looking fascinated by her words, Jonathan challenged, “Why does my political humiliation matter to you?”
Jane became conscious of the surging mass of pedestrians sidestepping them on the footpath and staring at the strange tableau they must be forming. “If you will just take me away from here and promise not to make your speech today,” Jane pleaded, “I will tell you.”
Jonathan pulled his gaze from hers and looked around them, realizing, for the first time, that they were exposed in a very public place. “Yes, of course.” He drew her hand through the crook of his arm, repositioned his hat firmly on his head, and led Jane in the direction from which she had run.
Jane looked up to see William, still in the hackney, wave to her in farewell, then give instructions to the driver, probably to return to Dalton House. They walked along Great George Street towards St. James’s Park.
“So, Jane, why do you care whether I give a speech in the House of Lords in favor of women’s rights and become a laughingstock among my peers? Isn’t that what you wanted when you asked me to support your cause back in September? Or even a week ago?” His gaze searched her face.
Jane glanced away, then back, and drew a breath. “Yes, it was what I wanted then.” She hesitated.
“But not now?” he probed.
“No,” she answered quietly and looked away.
“Now I care more about you and your welfare than I do about the cause. That is not to say that I no longer care about women gaining equal rights, but that it is not worth sacrificing you and therefore my love for you. If you were to be labeled a radical and condemned by your peers, eventually you would come to blame me, and that would destroy any affection you still feel for me.” She glanced at his face to see his response.
His gaze pierced hers. “And that would matter to you?”
“Yes, that would matter more than anything. If you no longer returned the love I feel for you, even though we are separated, I would be devastated.”
They entered St. James’s Park. Jonathan stopped them beneath a stark winter tree and turned to her, his warm brown eyes fixing hers as he asked, “Do we have to be separated?”
She read with wonder his loving gaze and breathed, “No.”
“Will you marry me, Jane?” he asked.
Relief and joy flooded her body. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Not a marriage of convenience?”
She laughed. “It was only ever that in name only.”
“Certainly that was true for me,” Jonathan stated, “but what about your reasons for our engagement?”
She fingered a button on his waistcoat. “I thought it was to be a marriage of convenience, but I realized, too late, that I had fallen in love with you despite all my principles and plans.”
He squeezed her hand. “I would never try to dissuade you from your beliefs. I will endeavor to support them.” His words were solemn.
“I know that now, but really there is no need if it causes you harm in society.”
“I’m not sure it will. My peers were suitably outraged by my speech, but I see no harm in that. Hah! Marchmere looked like he would explode with indignation. But, if my words influence any of them to think positively about your women’s rights cause, I am well pleased.” Jonathan smiled down at her.
What? Her mouth dropped open. She shut it with a clunk. “I was too late. You gave your speech.” Her heart pounded in her chest. He had done that for her. And weathered the condemnation of his peers. Her grip on him tightened and she rose on her toes to plant a swift kiss of thanks on his mouth.
He grinned down at her, clearly pleased that he had surprised her. He didn’t dwell on the subject though. “Come, Jane, why are we talking about my speech when we should be describing each other’s good points?”
Jane gave a brief hiccup of laughter. “One more thing must be said before we turn ourselves over to flattery,” Jane said.
“I have feared the burden of children because of my mother’s illness and death after so many babies, but now that I love you I understand why she so willingly accepted that fate. ”
Jonathan frowned. “There is no need for you to suffer her fate, Jane. Truly, if you do not wish to have any children, I’m sure the title would go to some distant cousin. I set my solicitor to finding my heir some time ago. When he’s found, I will take an interest in him.”
“No, that’s not necessary. What I am saying is that I am happy to have your children now that the motivation is love. I understand at last what my mother knew.”
“What say we have as many children as you feel able to cope with?” He questioned her with his look. “Be it none, one, or many. You will decide.”
Relief flowed through her. Jane nodded her agreement.
“So, you will have me without hesitation?” Jonathan asked.
“Without hesitation.” Heedless of their surroundings, Jane reached up to kiss him.
Jonathan hugged her to him and deepened their kiss until Jane heard a sharp gasp of shock from a passerby.
He released her. “Ah.” Jonathan sighed and looked around.
There was a throng of strolling people passing through the park.
“I think we should take ourselves somewhere less public to express our satisfaction about our agreement.” He drew her hand into the crook of his arm, keeping her close, and they set off toward Harley Street.
Once there, Jane led Jonathan to the drawing room. They were in time for afternoon tea, and she hoped that there were no callers today.
Jane eased the door open. Anna and Charlotte were seated near the fireplace, working on their embroideries. Surprised, Jane pushed the door further open and noticed Lady Elizabeth seated nearby. She was instructing them on a particular stitch.
All the room’s occupants glanced up. They smiled at Jane. As she drew Jonathan into the room, they exclaimed in surprise and delight at seeing them hand in hand.
“Jonathan, Jane, I hope you have good news for us to celebrate,” Lady Elizabeth said.
“If you mean, are we to marry?” Jonathan said. “Then yes, toast to us all you like. Wish us as much happiness as you please. Jane has at last been swayed by my persuasion. We marry as soon as possible.”
“About time,” Anna exclaimed and hugged Jane.
“You have come to your senses at last, Jane,” Charlotte commented.
The sisters congratulated Jonathan on at last persuading Jane to marry him.
Lady Elizabeth took her turn to kiss Jane’s cheek. “Finally, a sister! And the one I most wanted.” She gasped and slapped a hand to her cheek. “But what will Aunt Lucinda have to say?”
“I shall expect a visit from her very soon.” Jonathan’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “I wonder sometimes how my study door stays on its hinges.”
Jane and Elizabeth laughed. Anna and Charlotte looked bemused, not having met the formidable lady.