Nicholas shook his head. “She’s Eleanor. I never wanted to become theguardian of another adult human being and God was good and granted me awife able to accept freedom. Are you going to try to keep Elizabeth inline‘?”
Lucien knew he was already trying to do that. But what else could he dowhen heaven only knew what the woman would do if he let her loose? Wearrags. Hobnob with the servants. Preach revolution. Give her body to anyTom, Dick, or Harry? He realized he didn’t really care about the rest,just that. Even though she’d preserved her virginity ? or so she said ?what was to restrain her once that was gone? Mary Wollstonecraft’sdaughter was a prime example of where her mother’s teaching led.
“Elizabeth is no Eleanor,” Lucien said.
“No. I gather she’s better educated.”
“Crammed full of the Wollstonecraft’s immoral teaching.”
“Have you read it?”
“No.”
“Come on,” said Nicholas and rose to lead the way out of the room.Lucien was in the hall before it occurred to him that there wasn’t onedamn reason in the world why he should follow at Nicholas Delaney’sbidding. Except that he was Nicholas Delaney.
They went into the library. Nicholas lit a lamp and took two books fromthe well-filled shelves, finding them with ease. Mary Wollstonecraft’sA Vindication of the Rights of ManandA Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
Nicholas touched the second. “Every man should read that, if only tounderstand. I think in your case you should read it carefully.”
Even Nicholas could stir Lucien’s anger. “I am supposed to convert tothe cause of radical feminism?”
Nicholas smiled. “The earth would crumble at the shock. No, but atleast you would speak the same language.”
“It would be better if Elizabeth learned to speak mine. What do youthink of Mary Godwin’s elopement with Percy Shelley?” Lucien challenged.“He leaves a wife and two children behind. And takes his mistress’s friendalong for variety.”
“I think,” said Nicholas seriously, “if I had met Eleanor when I wasmarried to another . . . But I’m not sure that applies here. I think allof them ? wife, mistress, mistress’s friend, and the poet himself ? arequite mad.” He shrugged. “I refuse to think of such strange poeticalantics. I’m trying very hard to unload the world from my shoulders. It’snot very fair to Eleanor to expect her to carry my weight and all that,too.”
Lucien was pleased enough to have Nicholas change the subject. “AndNapoleon?” he asked, to keep the talk drifting the right way.
“The same.”
“And Deveril?”
At that name, Nicholas nodded. “I have a score to settle with him,” headmitted quietly, looking every bit as dangerous as he could be. “But Iwon’t pursue it. There’s no good to be done. It would merely berevenge.”
“Revenge can be sweet.”
“I have never found it so.”
“What about all our antics at Harrow?” Lucien put down the books in hishand.
“They weren’t revenge. They were boyish stratagems.” Nicholas pickedthe books up and returned them to Lucien’s hand.
Lucien met his friend’s eyes for a tense moment but then gave in. Hemade sure, however, that the talk stayed off his business. “I wasastonished to see Deveril in England,” he said. “I thought he fled withTherese Bellaire?”
“Therese would deny anything so gauche as flight,” Nicholas pointed outas he extinguished the lamp. “But yes,” he said as they left the room,“Deveril was with us. An extremely unpleasant traveling companion.” Aflicker of something passed over his face which made Lucien wonder aboutthat strange journey when Madame Bellaire had kidnapped Nicholas. He hadbeen kept with them for many days, then put on board another ship headedfor the Cape Colony. It had taken him nearly four months to get home,during which time many people had feared him dead.
“If he’s back,” Nicholas continued, “she must have dismissed him. Afterall, he was never her lover.”
They were alone in the hall. Lucien hazarded a question, for he had amorbid curiosity about the cold-hearted courtesan. “What exactly was he toher?”
Nicholas shrugged. “Someone who shared some of her tastes. Slimy thingstend to huddle together. He has a crude, but vigorous imagination.” Hewent on smoothly before Lucien could think of a comment or furtherquestion. “Being a greedy man, he was also very interested in her scheme.He traveled with us to be sure of getting his share of the money.”
“He must have succeeded,” said Lucien. “He was never poor but word ishe’s come back filthy rich ? the emphasis as always being on the filthy.That’s why he’s got his toe back into Society. Money will always opendoors.”
Nicholas looked at him alertly. “Rich? There wasn’t that much money,and Therese intended most of it for her own use.”
“Perhaps he’s just putting on a show. But he’s taken a house inGrosvenor Square. He’s driving some damned fine cattle ? topped my pricefor Millham’s bays and it irks me to see him out with them. He’s ahard-handed driver. Rumor has it he’s looking for a wife, and not anheiress. More a question of buying something to his taste.”
