“All the more reason to admire a woman who is not simple. One like the young lady holding her own with Mr. Mansfield, for example. With her blood and her intelligence, imagine the sons she will give a man. That does not even factor in that she is as beautiful as an angel, and the sort of woman to make men of the highest station envious of her husband, whoever he will be.”
Eva abruptly rearranged her position in her chair. In doing so her elbow jabbed Gareth sharply in his side. “My sister has manyfine qualities, of course. Far be it from me to list them all, lest I be thought too proud of her. It is generous of you to do it instead, Mr. Fitzallen. However, I am sure Mr. Bellows does not require your tutoring on the matter. You have a charming tendency to think no one knows his own mind as well as you might know it for him.”
“Have I crossed a line? My apologies, Bellows. Forgive me.”
Bellows barely heard him. The lesson had been heard and swallowed. Bellows turned his attention to Rebecca quite thoroughly, and jumped into the breach once her little argument with Mansfield drew to a friendly end.
Gareth returned his attention to his host. So much for Mr. Bellows.
***
“Mr. Mansfield is worth at least two thousand a year,” Sarah explained to Rebecca once she, Eva, and Rebecca were alone after the men had withdrawn. She led them all to her drawing room upstairs while she talked.
“I would not care if he were worth ten thousand,” Rebecca said.
“Oh, yes, you would, my dear. Yes, you would.”
“He has the most antiquated notions. He does not think women should be educated.”
“And who does, I ask you?”
“Forward-thinking men and women.Me.”
Eva followed them and the conversation into the drawing room. The elderly ladies retreated to a corner to chat. Sarah dropped onto a divan and patted the cushion next to her, beckoning Rebecca.
“Now, dear, allow this old married woman to explain. Men never think the way they ought when we meet them. No one hasyet presented them with better views. It is our duty to broaden their minds on matters to which they have never applied themselves. It is part of what wives do, you see. It is our great mission.”
She looked to Eva for agreement.
“Cousin Sarah is the voice of experience, Rebecca. You would be wise to listen to her.”
Rebecca pouted and picked at her skirt absently. “I thought Mr. Trenton more attractive.”
Sarah sighed. “My dear, Mr. Trenton is a clerk in my husband’s office, and is unlikely to ever be more. He does not have a head for business. I only invited him and Mr. Bellows because it would be too obvious if I only invited Mr. Mansfield.”
“I still like Mr. Trenton better. He is quite soulful. He writes poetry. Did you know that?”
“Oh, good heavens.” Sarah turned to Eva, desperately.
“Rebecca, other than his views on women’s education—and please let me remind you that our father had the same views, as did our brother, so hence, neither of us had much schooling beyond the norm given to women today—besides that, why does Mr. Mansfield not find favor with you?”
Rebecca thought about it. “He is too big.”
“Too big?” Sarah exclaimed. “He is certainly bigger than that skinny Mr. Trenton, but he is not monstrous.”
“Still—he is big and I suspect he is gruff and rough. I should always be afraid of him. Even the way he looks at me makes me uncomfortable. Even Mr. Bellows is better, although he is boring.”
Sarah’s gaze slid sideways to Rebecca. Her expression no longer revealed exasperation, but comprehension. She took Rebecca’s hand. “There is no reason to be afraid of Mr. Mansfield, my dear cousin. Beneath all that masculine bravado, he is very kind. Should he call on you here, I want you to agreeto see him. I will be with you, so you have no reason to object. You should not discard a man worth two thousand a year and likely to be worth much more in the future on the basis of one argument over women’s education. Don’t you agree, Eva?”
“I do agree.”
Rebecca nodded, but sighed mightily while she did. When the gentlemen soon joined them, Rebecca did manage to engage the poetic Mr. Trenton in private conversation. If Mr. Mansfield cared, or even noticed, he did not show it. Instead he drew Eva into conversation about her family.
“The two of you are alone, Wesley said.”
“Yes. We lost my brother a year ago.”
“Have you no other family nearby, where you could live?” As soon as he asked he realized his error. He glanced at Sarah and flushed.
