Phoebe’s laugh tinkled in the space. “It was all quite proper.Several hours after the conclusion of dinner, Father sent a note to both Miss Sutton and me, requesting that we join him in the upstairs gallery. I’m so happy I did, for Mr. Bauer was with him, and it was as if we were back in the London parlor again.”
Ella frowned, unwilling to overlook Mr. Bauer’s dismissive behavior as quickly as Phoebe. “Did Mr. Bauer give any reason for his coolness earlier?”
Annoyance flashed in Phoebe’s hazel eyes. “Why must you look so much into it? He was anxious and wanted to be perceived as professional. If anything, he was protecting me from the questions that might arise from any special attention.”
Ella could hardly imagine the supercilious Mr. Bauer as anxious, but justifying her opinion was not worth furthering a disagreement. “I meant nothing by it. My concern was only for you. I don’t like seeing you upset.”
Phoebe’s dismissive giggle sounded forced. “I do tend to jump to conclusions, and by doing so I’d convinced myself of the worst, but everything is perfectly fine. I must be realistic and supportive during this time. After all, I cannot be his sole priority while he is here. He is here to educate others. Let’s think on something else, shall we? Besides, I’ve come to persuade you.”
“Persuade me?” repeated Ella with a blink. “About what?”
“Please. Listen to what I have to say before you respond.” Phoebe interlaced her fingers. Her expression grew sheepish. “I know you enjoy attending the symposium lectures, but I think it best, considering everything, that you forgo the lecture this morning and join me with the ladies.”
“On the contrary,” quipped Ella. “I think you should attend the lecture with me. The ladies who do not wish to participate can easily entertain themselves.”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.” Phoebe turned away from Ella to assess her reflection in the looking glass and adjusted the Vandyke hem of her sleeve’s cuff. “Father expects me to help entertain the ladies, you know that. Besides, no other ladies will be at the lecture besides you. There never are.”
Ella felt a strange suspicion as a result of her friend’s words, but she wasn’t sure why. Ella always attended the lectures. Every year, without fail, as her mother had done. Why would Phoebe discourage it now? “Is there something I should know about?”
Phoebe sighed. “I know how important all of this is to you, but people are watching you and how you are handling everything that has happened with Mr. Rawlston. And people talk. And I—”
“Let me stop you.” Ella lifted her hand. “I appreciate your concern, but I assure you that I’ve already been the subject of scrutiny and rumors more than I care to admit. Nothing that happens here will offend me. If anything, I wish to know what is being said. I know you mean nothing but the best, but this is important to me. Please understand.”
Phoebe pressed her lips together and looked downward. “Very well. Maybe after the lecture, then, we can spend some time together.” She turned to leave but then stopped. “Oh, and were you aware that Mr. Rowe was to attend? I thought it so odd to see him here.”
It was a leading question . . . almost as if she suspected Ella had something to do with his presence. Not wanting to draw more attention to it, she shrugged. “We spoke of the symposium when I saw him at the assembly rooms. His father was once a member of the Society. Remember?”
“I do, but I still find it questionable. After all these years that his family has had nothing to do with the Society, why would hebe interested now?” Her voice trailed away. “Just remember what I said about him.”
Phoebe quit the room, leaving Ella alone and with an unsettled feeling. Determined to get on with her day and focus on more positive things, she loosened her hair from its plait and brushed it. She pulled her somber pale gray gown from the wardrobe and selected a necklace to put on once Mrs. Chatterly came to help her dress.
Try as she might, the conversation would not leave Ella’s mind. Why would her dearest friend ask her to change her behavior and act in a manner that was not her own?
Ella reminded herself of what was at stake—she would never convince anyone of the truth if she did not know what was being discussed. She just had to keep her goal firmly in front of her.
Chapter 16
“Confidence, dear Ella. Even if you don’t feel it, even if you don’t think you possess one ounce of confidence in your whole body, lift your chin high, and whatever you do, never be the first to look away. You have as much intellectual prowess as any man does. Do not let them make you feel otherwise.”
Ella drew confidence from the memory of her mother’s words as she paused outside the long gallery on Keatley Hall’s second floor.
The long gallery was the largest room in all of Keatley Hall and was used for formal gatherings. Today it was the lecture hall for Mr. Bauer’s first talk.
With its white plaster walls, arched ceilings and antechambers, and light planked floor, it was by far one of the brightest rooms in the entire house. Chairs had been gathered, a platform had been constructed, and dozens of guests in somber wool coats milled about the room.
Ella straightened her shoulders, lifted her face, and stepped in.
All the members of the Society professed passion for advancing the natural sciences. They gathered monthly in London to engagein debates on topics such as medicine, astronomy, and geometry. These men were wealthy, and while they weren’t directly involved in the research, they did decide which explorations to fund. They considered themselves seekers—looking for the next exciting development.
It was not uncommon for a specialist in one area of natural philosophy to propose an idea to the Society in hopes of gaining funding for his pursuit. Now that she knew Mr. Bauer was in debt, she wondered how that might play into the situation.
Ella scanned the room, and her attention fell on Mr. Rowe. At the sight of him—his strong jawline and straight nose—her energy soared. Phoebe’s warning rang afresh. Gabriel Rowe had, as Phoebe had indicated, questionable behaviors.
Did not she as well?
Her father’s request for her to marry flashed.
She normally considered marriage an act of duty—something that must be done to preserve her family’s legacy. But what if the man she married was like Mr. Rowe—someone who cared what she had to say? One who looked at her when she was talking and asked her about her opinions? What would she think of marriage then?
