When he turned back to rejoin her, he found her watching him.
“I feel accomplished for the day. Not only have I convinced you, a duke, of the need for access to a wider education for women of my peer group, but I also taught you to waltz.”
He stopped at the chair opposite her. “I admit to being surprised at how easy it was for you on the first and how difficult for me on the second.”
“You think convincing you of my argument was easy? I would not care to debate with you then when you decided to be stubborn.”
He chuckled as he sat in the chair and crossed his ankle over his knee. “I had Harrison send tea to your father as well. I expected him to search us out by now.”
She shook her head. “If you keep feeding him, he won’t emerge from your library for at least eight more years.”
He gave her a soft smile, pleased at her father’s almost worshipful view of his library. “I enjoy allowing others to share in my collection when they can truly appreciate it.”
She clasped her hands in front of her. “You don’t know what a boon it is to him to be able to wander your library and read to his heart’s content. I can’t thank you enough for allowing him the privilege. The moment he heard that Teddy and I were coming to Haven House, he made it a stipulation that he join us.” She paused. “It means much to me as well. Books are his bliss.”
He tapped his fingers on his knee and shifted his gaze to a point beyond her. That she enjoyed his collection as well was obvious, especially since she’d absconded with his book. It had been clear to him from the start that she felt free to pursue her varied interests, which meant he may have missed a flaw in her argument.
He moved his gaze back to her. “If as you say, some women of our set wish to study subjects normally left to the male domain, why do they simply not do so?”
“That is a legitimate question.” She paused. “It is my belief that there are a number of reasons, first and foremost their mothers. Mothers can be rather domineering when it comes to what their daughters should know. From the day of their female child’s birth, they are planning what to teach her so she can make a good match and be a fine wife.”
He raised his brow. “I find that difficult to believe. I’m sure my aunt thought of other topics besides making my cousin marriageable.”
She shook her head. “I suggest you ask her when she comes in.”
Surely, a female child being born meant more to the mother than that. “I will. But I will concede in the meantime for argument’s sake. Are there not other ways to search out the knowledge these young women wish to learn? You said yourself that they were at the lecture and the museum, which must mean their mothers do not mind their experience with additional subjects.”
She laughed, but he scowled, and she sobered her countenance to an indulgent smile. “I forget that you are not used to Town life and then you reveal your ignorance of it.”
As much as he was loath to admit it, he was rather unfamiliar with the norms of society beyond country life. He had not deemed that a shortcoming until now. “I cannot know all, so enlighten me.”
“These young ladies do not tell their mothers they are interested in the mechanics of safe coal lamps. They tell their mothers that a very handsome and eligible peer is lecturing at the Royal Institution, and it would be a great opportunity to be acquainted since so few other women will be there.”
“Are you saying they use the lecturer’s marital status as a ruse for attending?” He hadn’t thought women quite that devious.
She nodded. “They do. And if you might have noticed, there were no older ladies there. The mothers choose to send their daughters with their father, who would have much more interest in such things.”
“The devil you say.” He grasped his ankle and leaned forward. “The subterfuge is ridiculous.” There were far deeper undercurrents beneath thetonthan he’d ever suspected.
“Yes, but necessary if those who are determined to learn more want to gain the opportunity. Those who are interested but cowed by their mothers, who to be fair are simply complying with rules set by our society for generations, go without.” She held both hands out, palms up and dropped them in her lap.
He narrowed his gaze. “Then how did you manage to acquire so much knowledge. I had classmates at Oxford that weren’t as well-read as you.”
A light blush filled her cheeks. “I was quite a disappointment to my mother, but I was fortunate in that she loved me anyway. That and my father took up my cause simply because he enjoyed teaching me.”
That made sense. She did come from a rather odd family life. He began to tap on his knee again. “What do you plan to do then?”
Her brow furrowed. “Do? About what?”
He stopped tapping his fingers and waved his hand. “About the fact that some of your peers wish for learning that goes far beyond what they have access to now?”
“I don’t think I understand.” Her head cocked as she stared intently at him.
He rose to lean against the pianoforte. “If ladies learning more than simply how to play the pianoforte,” he laid his hand on it, “paint,” he then pointed to a picture on the wall behind the instrument, “and speak française, then something must be done,n’est-ce pas? Surely, your end goal is not to simply talk about such a crucial societal issue?”
The footman entered at that moment with the tea service.
He allowed Joanna to contemplate his question as she poured. His instinct was telling him that convincing others was as far as she’d thought. To be fair, he could understand why. He was far more opened minded and better read than a majority of his peers. He tried to picture Joanna convincing any of his acquaintances that she had a point. He couldn’t imagine a single one listening to her, never mind agreeing with her. That conclusion bothered him more than he was willing to admit.
