“I can understand why.” Kate shook her head. “Is there anything men won’t join? Can you imagine us having a spinster club? Why, no woman would want to be a member.”
“If we held our own special lecture on rocks, we could shut the men out.”
“Shut them out?”
“Yes, on the morrow, Mr. Thurlowe has arranged a lecture by a Mr. Remy. He is a natural philosopher who will discuss a theory on how rocks were formed. I should find that very interesting.”
“Will not Mr. Thurlowe include you?”
“He says he wishes he could,” she answered as if quoting him. “He fears my presence might offend those in attendance.”
Kate had heard these arguments all her career. There were actors and the managers of other troupes who left her out of discussions or closed off opportunities to her troupe because they claimed to fear offending anyone by having a woman give orders. Or her opinion. Or sit at the same table.
She looked around the room. Most of the men, if they weren’t on the dance floor were gathered around the punch table, laughing with each other, gossiping, bragging... all the traits men criticized women for but practiced in abundance themselves. Several kept looking over at her, their thoughts plain on their faces.
“Mr. Thurlowe says the Logical Men’s Society was formed to support men and their minds,” Miss Taylor added.
Kate could not stop herself. “I think he’s speaking rot.”
Miss Taylor blinked as if stunned at Kate’s audacity. “I don’t know,” she said uncertainly.
“Do you know many men?” Kate responded, matter-of-fact. “There is very little on their minds.”Save for the dress she was wearing.“Your presence would be an improvement.”
Her words sparked a laugh out of her new friend who quickly quieted as if ashamed of herself. “Mr. Thurlowe is truly quite kind. If not for his offer, I’d have to support myself as a companion or a governess. I cannot stay with the squire and his wife indefinitely.”
“Or you could be like me,” Kate pointed out. “There are other things women can do to fend for themselves. We just have to be bold.”
Miss Taylor’s gaze took in Kate’s dress. “I don’t think I am as daring as you.”
“You might have more courage than you believe you have. When one doesn’t have a choice, one becomes whom she was meant to be.”
“Perhaps.”
“I’ll tell you right now that you have shown great fortitude standing next to me. We have been the focus of all the wagging tongues.”
Miss Taylor laughed agreement. “They are all trying to overhear us. Especially the group of women to my left. I grew up with gossip. There has always been speculation over my birth, the names of my parents. You will have to work much harder to create more gossip than I have.”
Now it was Kate who laughed.
“Oh dear,” Miss Taylor said under her breath, changing the subject. “I wondered why the men haven’t returned. The dowager has intercepted her son with Miss Judith Hollingsworth. Her father is a chancellor at Trinity. Her aunt lives here and they must have brought her to the dance.”
“To meet the duke.”
“Of course.” Miss Taylor cast her a glance.
“Good. He is a very nice young man.”
“Who likesyouvery much.”
“In this dress, they all like me,” Kate sagely noticed. “And I don’t blame his mother for doing her level best to interfere with his pursuit of me.”
“Miss Addison? Are you saying youaren’tinterested in His Grace—?”
Before Kate could answer, two gentlemen of the same age as the duke barged right in between she and Miss Taylor. One was the short dancer who’d stared rudely at Kate’s bosom. The other had a long slender neck and an even longer head.
“Good evening, Miss Taylor.” They didn’t even look at her.They had their backs to her.
“Mr. Michaels, Mr. Shielding.”
