Page 10 of The Duelist for the Ton
“Do not speak of such things,” he said with a growl. “It’s not becoming of the sister of a duke.”
“Even if that duke is free to do what he pleases, no matter how improper?”
“There’s no impropriety in my behavior, Portia.”
“Why, because you arrived at the breakfast table before seven?”
“No, because I’m a man.”
A knot of anger tightened in Portia’s stomach and she sliced her knife through a kidney, imagining it to be her brother’s heart.
“So I must abide by different standards to you, Adam, because of my sex?”
“Precisely.” He picked up his teacup and took a sip. “While you are unmarried, you’re required to behave, in order to secure a husband. After your marriage you must also behave to avoid casting any disgrace on your husband’s name. Whereas I—”
“Whereas you may do as you please?”
“Careful, sister,” he said, his lip curling into a smirk. “You’re sounding bitter.”
“We are equals, brother. I—”
“We both have rank, Portia, but that does not make us equal. Your rank brings with it the duty to secure a respectable marriage. My rank enables me to do as I please.”
“So my rank is a burden. But yours is a privilege—one that you should not abuse, even though you do.”
He set his teacup aside. “You ought to be careful, sister. There’s nothing so undesirable as a lady who answers back.”
“Except a man who indulges in the advantages of power, without the accountability.”
“You think I have no accountability?” he asked, leaning forward, his eyes gleaming with anger. “My entire life is governed by duty and responsibility—responsibility to the title and the estate—”
“A responsibility you delegate to your steward.”
“—and a responsibility to the trustees,” he continued, ignoring her interruption. “Each month I must present myself to them to justify the funds I spend. I’m beholden to them for our very survival.”
“As I’m beholden toyou,” she said, aware of the bitterness in her voice. “I must come to you cap in hand if I want todo anything, or go anywhere. My world is restricted by the boundaries that you place around me. My life is dictated by the single objective placed before me—that of securing myself a husband, to whom you will relinquish your ownership of me at the altar. Even my fortune is nothing more than a financial inducement to tempt a man into marrying me, and it’ll pass to him to spend as he pleases. Brother, I am not, and never will be,free.”
“And you thinkIam?” he scoffed, before resuming his attention on the plate in front of him. “If so, then you’re less intelligent than I give you credit for.”
“I thought you placed no value on such qualities in a woman,” Portia said, slicing through another kidney, and wincing as the knife scraped against the plate. “Did I not overhear you say that a woman’s intellect was an impediment to her charms?”
“There’s no place inSocietyfor an intelligent woman.”
“Mrs. Scarlet is not unintelligent,” Portia said. “She’s astute enough to ensure that she has several protectors rather than give men such as you exclusivity over her body, because she understands that men such as you are not to be trusted.”
“Cerise does not belong in Society,” he replied. “And I must remind you of the need to refrain from speaking of matters that are inappropriate for a young woman of your rank.”
With a sigh, Portia resumed eating her breakfast.
There was no arguing with him. And perhaps he was right. Intelligence was an impediment to a woman in her position. Better that she could walk blindly into matrimony and accept the bit and bridle placed upon her with little understanding of the loss of liberty. Better that she were to value nothing more than a comfortable home, the ability to bear a man’s heirs, and enough pin money to purchase a few pretty gowns to alleviate any despondency.
Silence stretched around the room, punctuated by the scraping of cutlery.
At length, her brother nodded to the footmen, who began clearing the plates.
“I give you more freedom than I am required, Portia,” he said, his voice softening.
“Perhaps, in your own way, you believe that, Adam.”
