‘I do not need to have experienced those things to know that they exist. I am a politician. A servant of the people. I make it my business to find out about such things and push for reforms that will alleviate their suffering.’
‘A servant of the people? How very self-sacrificing and noble.’ Amelia found her pointed finger poking him in his chest. The patriarchal arrogance of the man was astounding. ‘You cannot learn about the effects of poverty from reading.’
He grabbed her finger and pushed it away. ‘I have visited the places you speak of. I have been to factories and slums and workhouses.’
Amelia rolled her eyes at that. They were all the same, well-meaning aristocrats who believed themselves to be enlightened and benevolent. ‘Did you go there like this?’ She gestured to his fine clothes sarcastically. ‘I am sure that all of those establishments were very eager to put on a good show for theillustriousDuke of Aveley. I am sure when you visit everything appears splendid. Tell me, what does your world smell like? Fresh paint?’
‘Are you suggesting that I am purposefully misinformed?’
‘I am suggesting that yourperspectiveof poverty is very different from the perspective of thoseactuallysuffering from it. I have experienced those problems first-hand and believe me when I tell you that there is nothing enjoyable about being one of the voiceless poor.’
‘Well, you certainly will not be experiencing any such problems in the future. From this point forward, you are expressly forbidden to ever go to Seven Dials or to meet with your revolutionary associates again!’ At her outraged expression he held up his hand imperiously, just as her father always had when he had issued a decree. ‘And you arealsoforbidden from leaving Aveley House without my aunt or a footman under any circumstances, and if you do I am to be informed beforehand.’
Amelia felt her own temper rise at his dictatorial tone. She was not a child or a chattel. She had been an independent woman since the day her mother had died almost four years ago. That independence might have been foisted upon her, but she was damned if she would surrender it to another titled man just because he said so. ‘You cannot order me around. I answer to no one.’
His big hands curled into fists in his lap and his deep voice was more clipped and aristocratic than she had ever heard it. ‘Might I remind you, Miss Mansfield, thatyouare employed by my family? Although I am becoming increasingly convinced of the fact that you are wholly unsuitable for the position in which my aunt has entrusted you. If you wish to remain in my aunt’s employ, youwilldo as I say or, the moment we arrive at Berkeley Square, youwillpack your bags and youwillleave!’
And there it was. The stark choice that she had been dreading but expecting nevertheless. Could she leave the safety and security of Lady Worsted’s employment and embark on yet another awful journey of toil, hardship and misery? Morality was all well and good, but it did not put food on the table. But a tiny part of her refused to be subservient to another powerful man and his unreasonable demands, no matter what the personal cost. Could she give up trying to change the world for the better and watch others do it from the wings? Probably not. Her quest for a better deal for the poor had given her a reason to carry on at a time when she had been convinced her life was over. It had shaped her. Changed her. Made her stronger. At least on her own she would still have her self-respect.
‘Then I shall leave tonight, Your Grace.’ The rebellious part of her executed a mock bow before she removed herself to the opposite seat again. ‘And gladly so.’ The pompous Duke, his fine house and his fine kisses could all go to hell.
* * *
The rest of the journey seemed interminable as they both sat in outraged brittle silence. To make matters worse, their arrival at Aveley House caused quite a stir. Bennett would not have been surprised if every servant had stood in wide-eyed shock at the sight of him caked in blood and Miss Mansfield’s hair resembling a giant bird’s nest, while the rest of her was bedecked in rags.
His mother immediately rushed towards him, ready to fuss. ‘Oh, good gracious! Bennett! You are injured.’ She began directing maids to fetch witch hazel and salve. Uncle George wisely stepped back. At least one person knew that he was in no mood to be trifled with.
Aunt Augusta regarded both of them very carefully before speaking to Miss Mansfield. ‘Amelia, dear, you look an absolute fright. Let us get you upstairs to repair the damage. Lovett—send up a tray of tea, if you please, and perhaps a tot of brandy would not go amiss.’
As they left, Bennett had the distinct impression that his aunt was not quite as surprised by the state of his companion as everyone else was. There were clearly words that needed to be said there, but not yet. His first port of call was not tea, nor salve. It was Lovett.
‘My study. Now!’ Bennett strode away without a backwards glance, forcing the butler to scurry after him.
‘But, Bennett,’ his mother wailed to his retreating back. ‘You are injured!’
‘Not that injured, my dear.’ Uncle George stepped into the breach. ‘Aside from the blood, he appears to be very hale and hearty. And angry. Give him a little time to calm down and then I am sure he will happily allow you to attend him.’
Too furious to be contained by a chair, Bennett began to pace the floor of his study while his butler entered calmly and closed the door. Only then did he allow the tirade to begin.
‘Apparently, you have been complicit in allowing Miss Mansfield to visit Seven Dials unattended.’
‘Not unattended, Your Grace. The first time she went, I followed her myself. After that she was always accompanied by Terence.’
‘But you still allowed her the freedom to go! Shethoughtshe was alone and her visits to that place went unchallenged.’
Lovett stood ramrod-straight and sighed. ‘I was not aware that Miss Mansfield was a prisoner, Your Grace. Had I known, I would have chained her to a banister.’
Sometimes the man’s impertinence was grating. ‘You know full well what I mean, Lovett. If you knew that she was off to such an unsavoury and insalubrious place, you should have informed me.’
‘I do not make a general rule to follow all of the staff during their time off, nor do I ever recall a time when I was required to appraise you of their whereabouts. And, unless Miss Mansfield’s position in this house has changed of late, I had no reason to treat her as anything other than your aunt’s companion. Idid, however, ensure that she was always accompanied. Terence was relieved of all other duties and expressly instructed to keep a close eye on her because I had warned her that you would not be impressed by her choice of destination. But I knew full well that those visits were likely to become a regular occurrence the moment I saw her working in the soup kitchen. She did seem very at home there. Fortunately, after I introduced her to the servants’ back staircase, she was surprisingly consistent in her choice of escape route. Terence has become quite familiar with the area now. Up until today, there has been nothing untoward to worry Your Grace about. I also knew that she would become very difficult if she had any hint of the fact that she was being followed. Miss Mansfield getsthatglint in her eye.’ Lovett shuddered as he said these final words.
‘Thatglint?’
‘Indeed, Your Grace. Miss Mansfield reminds me a great deal of my wife. Mrs Lovett, God bless her, has a similar glint from time to time. Fourteen years of marriage have taught me to be very wary of it, as its arrival usually does not bode well.’
Chapter Fourteen
The roles and responsibilities of a husband and wife are vastly different, and necessarily so...
