Page 73 of As the Earl Likes
“No, I wasn’t ever hoping that.” That was absolutely true. “I feel sorry for his eventual wife having to deal with his mother.”
“Amen to that,” her mother said with a laugh. “Go on and read your book. You’ll have less time for that when I go to Weston.”
It was the perfect opening for Jo to say what she needed to. But now that the moment was here, she wasn’t sure she had the courage. She clasped her hands in front of her and probably made some sort of terrible expression where she looked as though she were trying to soothe a patron of the club who’d just lost too much money. Probably because this was nearly as discomfiting as doing that.
“Mama, I need to tell you something.” She moved from behind the desk.
Her mother’s brows drew together. “Is something amiss?”
Jo blew out a breath, then took a deep one. “I am so glad you want to enjoy your life away from the Siren’s Call, especially after all the years you’ve poured your heart and even your soul into it.”
Taking a step toward Jo, her mother’s brow furrowed even more. “You don’t feel as though I’ve neglected you, do you? I have always tried to put motherhood before all else. Well, until you were old enough to not need me as much.”
“I don’t feel neglected in the slightest,” Jo hurried to say. “On the contrary, you have been a wonderful mother. Which is why it’s silly that I’m nervous to tell you what I must. I don’t really want to take over the Siren’s Call.”
There was a silence in the air that seemed to weigh a stone at least. Jo couldn’t immediately read her mother’s expression. Her eyes shuttered, and her lips pursed. She looked confused. And perhaps mildly upset. Then surprise flashed in her gaze.
“Why haven’t you said something before now?” her mother asked, an edge of irritation in her tone.
Jo thought of her mother’s advice on marriage and her expectation that Jo would follow in her footsteps with the club and realized she’d been building her life on emulating her mother. “I admire you so very much, Mama,” she said with great emotion. “I’ve always wanted to be like you, to make you proud.”
“I could not be prouder of you, my girl,” her mother said with a fierce warmth. “But you don’t want to run the Siren’s Call?”
Jo shook her head. “I don’t feel the same pull toward it as you do. I was hoping that might change, but now that I have the financial means to do something else, I realize I don’t want to be tied to the club.”
“Is that how you see it?” her mother asked, sounding a bit agitated. “It has never been a burden to me. I’m sorry you see it that way since its success has provided you with anything you could need or want.” She turned her head toward the window, her jaw clenched. “I didn’t know you disliked it so much.”
Jo rushed forward to touch her mother’s arm. “I don’t dislike it. In fact, I like working there. It has taught me so much, including the fact that I don’t want to be responsible for it. I am not passionate about running a gaming club, Mama.”
Her mother looked back to Jo, her expression gentling. “I didn’t realize. And I should have.”
“I should have told you before now.”
“What is it you are passionate about? Especially now that you have this money from Shefford.”
“You know I like to read,” Jo replied. “And attend literary salons. I should like to have my own house where I can host such events, but I don’t know if anyone will come since I will be a spinster with a minimum of social connections.” Really, just what she’d made through her father and at the salons she attended.
Her mother made an inelegant sound and waved her hand. “Nonsense. Even without Shefford, you were on your way to making excellent connections. You became friends with a baroness, a viscountess, the daughter of a duke, and—I think—a duchess. You’ll continue to develop your social circle, and your salons will be legendary.” She had such an expression of intense pride that Jo’s throat caught.
“Thank you,” she managed to say. “I also thought I might like to help writers, particularly women, get their work published. I’m not sure how I’d go about that, but I’d like to try.”
“You could open a library or become a publisher yourself,” her mother said with considerable enthusiasm. “It wouldn’t be easy as a woman, but neither was opening a gaming club.” She winked at Jo, and all of Jo’s anxiety melted away.
“You truly don’t mind?” Jo asked, daring to hope that all would be well.
“I confess I was upset at first, which I’m sure you could see. I was just…surprised. I should have seen that you weren’t excited about taking over the club. And I shouldn’t have expected you to be. Just because you are good at something—and you are excellent at managing things at the club—doesn’t mean it’s what you want to do. Neither should you do something because I want you to.” She cocked her head and smiled at Jo, then held out her arms. “Come here.” Those were the two words she always said when inviting Jo for a hug.
Jo nestled against her mother and wrapped her arms around her waist. As her mother’s arms came around her, she closed her eyes briefly, grateful for this woman who had always cared for her above all else. “Thank you, Mama.” They hugged for a few moments before stepping apart.
“But what about the Siren’s Call?” Jo asked. “You should still take time to do what you want, and I am more than happy to manage things this summer when you go to Weston.”
“I do appreciate that, dear. The time has come for me to find an actual manager, but it must be a woman, of course.” She briefly tapped her finger against her lip. “Someone like Lady Evangeline at the Phoenix Club. Or Lady Warfield, who manages the finances there. Ideally, it would be a combination of the two.”
“We’ll find someone,” Jo said, thinking of Ellis. She wouldn’t be the combination Mama was looking for, but she could do anything behind the scenes.
“We will indeed,” her mother said. “Now, take yourself off, as I’ve correspondence to complete.”
“Yes, Mama.” Jo stepped toward the door, then glanced back as her mother sat behind her desk. A surge of joy passed through Jo as she thought of her mother’s encouragement.
