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“Isn’t this mysterious benefactor of your father’s going to help with that?”
“Probably. I don’t know how that’s going to work.”
“Well, what does he say?”
Eleanor read through the letter. It felt informal, there were a lot of flattering words. Ones that might have worked on someone else. It wasn’t working on Eleanor. It was like the man was trying too hard.
Awkward. The Earl was definitely awkward. It was probably why he was still unmarried.
“What does he say?” Marion nudged Eleanor’s arm. “Don’t keep me in suspense! What does he say?”
“I’d be able to read it if you didn’t nudge me like that.” Eleanor tried to make sense of the words. Eventually, she got to the last paragraph, which wasn’t trying to flatter her. “He’s asking me to come to his home in Brixton to meet his mother and have lunch. Then we’ll discuss wedding arrangements.”
“Discuss wedding arrangements.” Marion snorted. “Doesn’t give you much choice on that, does he?”
“I haven’t got a choice, remember? This was agreed through Father and a friend of Lord Brixton’s.” Eleanor tossed the letter aside and crossed her legs, slumping over her knees in a huff. “That’s it. No word or protest from me.”
Eleanor didn’t want to get married like this. Her father knew that. She understood what he was trying to do, and they all knew it was the best option for all of them. He couldn’t look after her forever, and with their significantly reduced funds, a marriage was the best thing for Eleanor. But Eleanor had wanted to find someone who would love her. She had witnessed too many people in unhappy marriages, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to cope. This just took the option completely out of her hands, and Eleanor didn’t like it.
She was going to have to just take a deep breath and get on with it.
“He sounds really sweet, though.” Marion picked up the letter and skimmed through. “A little unsure of himself, but sweet.”
“If you like awkward,” Eleanor grumbled. “But I think the term you’re looking for is sickly sweet. It’s like he’s trying too hard to flatter me. I don’t like that.”
Marion laughed. “You’ve never liked anything conventional in society. That may be something you can sort out when you meet him. Tell him that he doesn’t need to try so hard.”
“I plan to.” Eleanor straightened up. “Like I plan to tell him my work at the orphanage is not up for discussion. If he doesn’t want me working there, tough.”
Marion stared at her. “You’re willing to go against his decision?”
“He can’t keep me under lock and key. I will not be kept a prisoner because I want to do something to help others.”
“It could lose you the marriage.” Marion pointed out.
Eleanor looked up at her friend. “Looking after those children is more important than being married. If we lose everything, I’ll go and live at the orphanage. I’ll become a nun. Just as long as I am able to help those children.”
After hearing about Theresa’s death, Eleanor knew she had to do more to help these children. They were disappearing at an alarming rate, and God only knew what was happening to them. Eleanor wanted to keep them safe. The people who kept taking the children, the ones who killed Theresa, did not have their best interests at heart. She wanted them to know she was always going to be there. She would never hurt them.
Marion tilted her head to one side as she regarded her friend. “You’re very determined on this, aren’t you?”
“No man has told me what to do before, Marion. Father excluded.” Eleanor looked up at the younger woman. “I’m not going to let that start now.”
“I know that much, but…” Marion pinched the bridge of her nose. “You’ll end up alone for the rest of your life, Eleanor.”
“I don’t think so.” Eleanor smiled and put her hand over Marion’s. “As long as I have you around me, I’ll be fine.”
Marion was a loyal friend. She wasn’t going anywhere. Marriages may come and go, but friends like Marion Laurie never went anywhere.
* * *
Nathan didn’t go home immediately. It had been early morning when he got off the boat, and while business was going on, the streets weren’t bustling. That would come later. Instead, Nathan decided to make the most of it and head into the underbelly to make headway on his investigation. Simon had eagerly agreed as well.
It delayed him going home and finding out what his mother was up to, but Nathan felt like stalling. His army work came first before anything, and he wanted to make a start. His other duties could wait, as they had been for over a year now.
Nathan’s trip into the underbelly of London had been brief, but he had learned quite a bit. Eric Black’s people were always going around asking for contacts, saying they had a lot of merchandise. A few of the clients said everything that Nathan needed to know once they had had a few drinks. They knew what was going on, and children were cheap or free labour, so they never asked questions about where the children came from. None of them were paying for them to speak or do their lessons.
Nathan didn’t want to begin to think how bad things could be for these children. They could have a simple job of working in the fields in the countryside, or something a little more dangerous like working in the mines. Nathan hadn’t made arrangements for them to come into the country to be labour. They had wanted these children to have a proper life. Grow up with people who would look after them like their own children. There were plenty of people in England and Wales who would raise these children without prejudice.
