However, I reminded her that if she applied herself to her lessons, I would arrange a trip to the theater to meet my good friend Theodora Templeton. As I knew only too well, from past experience, never let it be said that a young girl couldn’t be bribed when it came to her lessons.
I needed to contact Mrs. Bennett in the matter of her husband to provide her with the little information that I had— which was really no information out of the ordinary— thendetermine the best course to pursue. If we even had a case in the matter.
It was very possible that all of this was merely exaggeration on the part of Mrs. Bennett— a husband dedicated to his work and nothing more.
Brodie and I had experience in these matters. The best we could do was provide information then let the client decide the course of action to be taken. Very often it was no action at all on the part of the woman in the relationship.
That was most unfortunate. However there was that whole expectation of society when it came to extramarital affairs, soldiering on as they say to avoid a scandal.
The reality was that few women, other than those of my aunt’s or my sister’s acquaintance, had the means to support themselves after a divorce.
Then, there was the scandal of divorce which my sister had endured for a short while. After just so much gossip she had adopted my habit of telling the offensive person to sod off and then simply walked away.
With my independence, my travels, and the novels I wrote, it was a time-tested solution that actually worked quite well.
I had to admit there was something quite satisfying about the expression on the offending person’s face as they stammered and tut-tutted that they had never been so offended.
It was one of the few reasons that I had hesitated when Brodie first proposed. I didn’t need a man to define who I was. I didn’t need a man to support me. I most certainly didn’t need a man who was determined to keep me in my place.
God knows that Brodie could be stubborn and quite old fashioned about some things. He was also the most challenging man I had ever met. However, he made me think, not merely to humor me.
He valued my thoughts and my opinions, often seeking them out or adding his own observations to the lists that I made. He accepted me the way I was, though not without reminders from time to time regarding how obstinate I could be.
In short, he didn’t attempt to change me, although he did disapprove of some of the things I did from time to time.
No, I most certainly didn’t need a man.
The problem was quite simply that I wanted the man. More than any man I had ever met or known. In spite of his grumbling and grousing from time to time, even outright disapproval which I usually chose to ignore.
I wanted him to challenge me with his own thoughts and ideas. I didn’t mind when he became angry with me, because I actually understood where it came from. And perhaps the most important part, aside from the fact that he made my toes curl, was that he valued me in a way that no man ever had.
So, what was an enlightened, independent woman to do?
However, at present, I would have valued him a great deal more had he returned to Mayfair the night before. Since he had not and there was business to attend to— the business of our latest inquiry case— I arrived at the Strand with sufficient food sent along in a basket by Mrs. Ryan for Mr. Cavendish and Rupert the hound.
It had become a habit that Mr. Cavendish thoroughly appreciated. As for the hound? One could only judge by his enthusiasm as he nosed about for one of her biscuits with a tin of stew from supper the night before for Mr. Cavendish.
Her recipe, handed down from her Irish mother, included chunks of beef rather than mutton which I was not fond of. However I did so appreciate her skill in that regard since I did not cook beyond a scramble of eggs or burnt muffin.
“Mr. Brodie was by late last night for a time,” Mr. Cavendish informed as I sent the driver on his way.
“Musta been near two or three of the mornin’,” he added. “Met with Mr. Conner. Seemed a bit unusual that time o’ the night.”
Unusual indeed, I thought.
“Did he perhaps leave a message?” I asked.
“Said something about an inquiry case you were makin’, and if you was to go off on yer own I was to see that you took the hound with you. He musta thought it could be dangerous for you.”
I had taken myself off on my own in our previous inquiries, quite safe for the most part.
“He did say that he left the revolver in the desk for you as well,” Mr. Cavendish added.
The hound and now I was to take a revolver. It wasn’t like Brodie to be overprotective, like some mother hen as the saying went.
However, there was no point in arguing the matter with Mr. Cavendish. He was merely passing the message along.
I glanced down at Rupert. He was presently dozing at the entrance to the alcove where he usually spent the night.
