Once out in the open air, she declined his offer to bring her back to the duchess, or to her own home. “I could do with a good walk.” She took her leave, but paused after a few steps. “If you are going, I am going too.”
His gaze narrowed. “Are you implying I can’t be trusted to tell the truth about what I find?”
“Not at all. However, this is my quest, and if it is to end in failure, I want to see and hear the evidence that dooms it. I think I am entitled to that. Also, leaving London might be wise. Mr. Haversham intends to play matchmaker.”
“At least he will do better than those fortune hunters at the theater.”
“No matter whom he finds, the problem remains. Someone who seems to know the male nature warned me not to tie myself to a man who might later blame me for thwarted expectations.” She turned to walk home. Fifty yards away, she glanced back and saw that the duke was still watching her.
* * *
“The ladies are most annoyed with you.” Langford offered the news while he threw himself into a chair.
Eric ignored him. He had asked to meet Langford and Stratton at their club to speak of important things, not the mood of the ladies, especially because bythe ladies, they meant their wives. The way Eric saw it, Clara would always be annoyed with him, and it would be years before Amanda would ever express it, what with what he knew about her.
“Now that you are both here, I need to know if you are going to support the bill on abolishing slavery in the colonies. As far as I know, neither one of you have interests on the islands at least.”
“You are implying that if we did, we would not support the bill out of self-interest,” Stratton said. “That is rather insulting.”
“If you had interests, you would have already either divested yourself of them or freed the slaves on your property, in which case I would have heard of it. All of London would have,” Eric said. “It is not insulting to attribute basic human morals to a man. Now, will you stand with us on this? Unless we get a certain number, there is little point in trying this year.”
“Of course,” Stratton said. “Although I don’t think you will get the number you want.”
“I’m with you,” Langford agreed. “Now that we have settled that, I repeat: The ladies are very annoyed. Vocally so. Aren’t they, Stratton?”
“That they are,” Stratton muttered within a slow sigh.
“His tone of resignation means that when the ladies are annoyed, it is their husbands who suffer their lengthy scolds at the world,” Langford said.
“Then it is good I called you here, so you could gain a respite,” Eric said. “Now, because you are with me on this, I need to ask a favor of you.”
“He doesn’t care, Stratton. Our domestic peace is in shatters all because of him and he doesn’t give a fig. Instead, he asks for a favor.”
“How do I get blamed for your domestic affairs? If your wives are unhappy, find out why and fix it, or go rusticate until they calm down, or do whatever husbands do when wives harp on something.”
“A wise husband blames someone,” Stratton said. “In this case, that would be you.”
Eric looked from one to the other, exasperated.
“Miss MacCallum is leaving London,” Stratton added, by way of explanation.
“The ladies blame you,” Langford said.
“I can’t imagine why,” Eric said innocently. “Did you tell them to?”
“They think you have bullied her, and frightened her, and glared at her, and in general been Brentworth with her,” Langford said.
“On the contrary, I have been gracious and helpful. I deserve a medal for how I have controlled myself. Not once have I accused her to her face of being a fraud trying to steal from me.”
“I should hope not,” Stratton said.
“Well, I am a gentleman. If she were a man, however—”
“Which she is not. She is a woman, and a helpless one at that.”
Helpless?Helpless?Did Stratton see the same female when he looked at Miss MacCallum. That woman was anything but helpless. “I have not bullied her. Nor has she ever seemed frightened of me, which is somewhat refreshing. And I do not glare. Go home and reassure your wives of that and all will be well.”
“Do you know why she is leaving?” Langford asked.
