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It was just too much. “I need some air,” she whispered. Already, a feeling of dizziness lurked at the edges of her consciousness.
“No.” Her mother violently shook her head and clamped her fingers around Anne’s wrist. “I will not run the risk of have you escaping.”
“Truly, I’m going to faint.” When she glanced over at Mr. Davies again, her heart plummeted into her toes, for he was moving in her direction.
“You’ll become distracted with your inventions and that horrid balloon, and once more you’ll remain unmatched.”
“As if that’s the worst fate a female can meet,” Anne murmured beneath her breath. And why was it that Mr. Davies was an upstanding model, when he did ballooning as a hobby too, but the moment she tried her hand at it, such a thing was horrid?
I detest that there are two sets of rules in society: one to suppress women and the other to glorify men.
Only when Mr. Davies was upon them did her mother release her hand. “Good evening, Mr. Davies. I’m so thrilled to see you here tonight.”
“Please give Lord Doverton my thanks for the invitation. I thoroughly enjoyed the two-hour ride down here. It’s beautifully scenic and your manor is quite lovely.”
“I certainly will.”
Mr. Davies, the worm, availed himself of his mother’s hand and kissed the back of it while Anne tried not to make dry-heaving sounds. “And you’re quite delightful, Lady Doverton. When next we’re all in London, I shall seek you out for a dance.”
“Such gammon you speak.” But a flush of pleasure skated across her mother’s face.
“Oh, he does, Mother. I can’t believe you’re being taken in by this cad,” Anne murmured and wished the floor would open up and swallow the slimy journalist.
“Hush, Anne. I find him quite charming. Perhaps you should give him a chance. Who knows? You might discover you like him.” She sent Anne a speaking glance. “I know the two of you have much in common.”
What I’d like to do is accidentally on purpose spill a glass of champagne in his lap. But aloud she said, “Not even if he were the last eligible man on Earth.”
“Manners, dear.” With a sigh, her mother shook her head. “If you’ll excuse me? There’s a friend I’d like to speak with across the room.”
“How convenient,” Anne muttered and narrowed her eyes at her parent.
Once her mother left them alone, Mr. Davies slid his gaze to Anne. “Lady Anne. I’m surprised to find you in a drawing room and attired like a proper lady. Usually when I get a glimpse of you, you’re dressed like a hoyden and acting like a green university youth.”
Could he be any more obnoxious? “On the other hand, I’m not surprised in the least you’re such a scoundrel that you mentioned it.” She crossed her arms at her chest as she leveled what she hoped was a look of loathing on him.
“Why do you assume that I didn’t come to forge a friendship with you?”
She rolled her eyes. “You and I have nothing in common despite what Mama says, unless it’s a vow to remain enemies.”
“We share a love of ballooning.”
“I suppose that’s true.” For long moments, she looked at him. No way would she give him an inch; he was simply too dangerous, and he’d find a way to twist her words about, so she’d look a fool in the papers. “Why must you torment me in person? Is the newspaper not an appropriate venue any longer?”
“Oh, it is, and I have no plans to stop continuing to dog you with my column. My readers truly adore it.” He waggled his overgrown eyebrows. “However, I came tonight to serve warning to you. I mean to pilot my hot air balloon across the entirety of London, and beyond that, whole of England.” He leaned into her space, his face entirely too close to hers, the blackguard. “I’ll be hailed the best balloonist in Britain, so it’s in your vital interests to give up now. Or perhaps you’ll finally succeed in landing a husband and forget this ridiculous notion you have of beating me.”
Anne’s lower jaw dropped. “I don’t mind you disparaging technique in my ballooning skills—even though I know they’re sound—but I draw the line at you creeping into my personal life.” Her chest tightened with building anger. “And, in the event you wondered, a woman can maintain a perfectly lovely life without being domesticated.”
“I imagine every old maid says the same thing when she’s past the first and second blushes of youth.” He drew closer. “It rather saves face, yes?”
“Oh, you, you…” She couldn’t come up with an insult equal to the snake that he was.
“But we’ve digressed from my purpose.” He shrugged with a faint, smug grin. “I’ve already gone a longer distance than you’ve managed to achieve and have better access to resources. Once my London trip takes place, you’ll have no chance.”
“How dare you!” All common sense fled her person, replaced by red-hot rage. Her hand flashed out and she slapped his cheek so hard, his head jerked backward. Vaguely aware that most conversation had halted the moment she struck Mr. Davies, Anne drilled a forefinger into his chest. “I would caution you to never tell me how to live any portion of my life, Mr. Davies. And what’s more, I will continue to pilot my balloon despite your objections and your bragging. Just watch and see how far I can go.” With a final dig of her finger into his chest, she said, “One of these days, you’ll be forced to write something nice about me in the paper.”
With that, Anne turned about so quickly the hem of her skirts flared. She marched from the room, her head held high and her cheeks burning from anger, but she never one stumbled or did anything that would mar such an impressive exit. Not wishing to remain in the house, for her mother would no doubt come after her, Anne quickly navigated the corridors until she’d gained the outside as well as the back lawn.
Only when she reached a stand of oak trees did she pause and give into the tears that filled her eyes. They weren’t tears of humiliation or embarrassment. Oh no. Whenever she flew into a rage and could no longer see reason, she always cried from anger. Perhaps the emotion stemmed from her inability to relieve her feelings in a way that a man could by landing the person in the wrong a facer. Devil take each and every man for the freedoms he’d been given at birth, freedoms they all took for granted, the ones that came from privilege. While women were expected to keep calm and act docilely no matter the slights sent their way.
