Page 37 of Married to the Forbidden Duke
What changes could she make if she worked toward it?
“Change? What are you thinking, old boy?” One of the gentlemen let his fork clatter to his plate as he turned to Frederick. “You are truly in support of petitioning for reform?”
“Of course,” Frederick said smoothly, dabbing at his lips with a napkin. Alice watched the movement with a little too much interest. “I believe it is the inevitable journey our country will take one way or the other, either now or in the future, and we should always make an effort to be on the right side of history.”
“But surely you cannot presume thatanyman can decide the future of the country.” One gentleman, whom Alice had heard introduced as an Earl, curled his lip. “And if he is not educated? What if he has not enjoyed the schooling we have? Is he to decide our politics for us? Must we invite the inferior to guide the future of our country?”
Alice’s blood boiled a little, but she kept quiet. Frederick considered the question with the calmness she had come to associate with him.
“Do you think that an attorney has a lesser understanding of the world and politics than you or I?” he asked at last. “Do you think that a younger son of a viscount, entering life as a parson, might not be able to offer insights into the plight of ordinary men? Is itnot our duty, as respected leaders of our great country, to ensure that we provide for all people?”
“All people?” another man scoffed. “You would prioritize those without education, coarse and unrefined, over yourownpeople?”
A large man with a bulbous nose held a piece of meat on his knife and jabbed it at Frederick. “What’s next, Langford? Allowing stable boys to vote? Giving the vote towomen?”
All the men around the table, aside from Frederick, sniggered.
The anger coursing through Alice burned brighter, and she lay down her own knife. “Pray, what would be so dreadful about that?” she asked coldly.
One of the men blinked at her as though in disbelief that she had spoken at all. “This is hardly a subject you can comprehend,” the older man said dismissively. “A Lady’s role is not in the world of politics. Do not meddle in things that don’t concern you.”
Alice ignored Frederick, sure he would be attempting to urge her not to speak. Now she had begun, she would not stop. “How fascinating,” she said, letting a bite enter her words. “Am I unaffected by your choices? Why should I not be given a voice when women bring about the next generation?”
“Hysterical.” Big Nose flicked a hand at her, as though to wave away an annoying fly. “Women cannot be trusted to operate under logic.”
“Is that so? I wonder why you allow women to bring up children, then,” she said, fingers curling around her knife. “I wonder why you choose to marry women instead of one another. If a lady chooses to be well-read, then she can equal a man in intelligence and capability—if not, more.”
“Ridiculous!” Spittle left his lips. “It is well known that women are not capable of bearing such a heavy burden. They should concentrate on their child-rearing, and leave these complex matters to us.”
She raised a brow. “I do not believe I am the one being hysterical here, good sir.”
Finally, she dared a glance at Frederick, expecting a glower. Instead, he pressed his lips together as though he was biting back a smile.
Could it be that he wasn’t horrified at her outburst?
“I think you have been outmatched there, Ramsbottom,” Frederick goaded, raising his glass to Alice in what appeared to be a small, unmistakable toast. “If you are to argue that women are incapable of logic, you should endeavor not to be outwitted by them, I would say.”
“But do you truly believe that women should have the vote, sir?” Ramsbottom pressed, his face turning a rather unpleasant shade of puce.
“As it happens, I see no harm in it. Why should not everyone who is capable of grasping politics be offered the vote, man or woman? You objected to the ignorant leading the country, but what if I propose we offer the vote to the educated? To the knowledgeable? Be it man or woman? What then?”
Alice’s chest warmed, and her shoulders rose and fell with a sharp, heavy breath. She couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. Not only did Frederick want reform, but he was willing to extend the vote to women, and to declare that in front of a room of gluttonous and powerful men. He had, moreover, done so in a way that defended her without silencing her.
He glanced at her, and she wished she knew what her face was doing, but she rather suspected it was just gaping at him in mingled confusion and awe.
But they were not the only two in the room, and she had a dinner party to host. So she, too, raised her glass into the air and smiled. “Well said, husband,” she beamed, and if he disliked that she had laid claim to his opinion, presenting it as though it might have originated from her, he said nothing.
Perhaps she had sullied her reputation amongst this group of Lords, but for some inexplicable reason, the Duke had thrown his lot in with hers.
She could not have done more to ruin him if she’d tried. But when he looked at her next, approval glinted in his eyes.
Heavens, she must be dreaming.
She said as much when he took her arm to lead her through to the drawing room. The other men could smoke and drink port in the billiards room if they so chose; he made his allegiance clear by retiring with her.
“I had not expected to hear that you held the plight of women so dearly,” she murmured, glancing up at him.
“And I had not known your skill in debate. Ramsbottom will not soon forget it.” He gave a short laugh. “It is about time someone took him down a peg or two. I am happy you were the one to do it.”
