Page 23 of An Earl to Save the Diamond
Marjorie ushered Ellen to a seat, and Ellen nervously waited for the meeting to begin. The ladies around her were having conversations with each other. She recognized at least half the women in London present there. She was still looking around when she noticed that there was a sudden lull in the conversation. The atmosphere in the room had become quiet and charged, and she watched a woman with a regal bearing walk to the front of the room. Ellen gasped in surprise. It was the Dowager Countess of Bath! That was Gerard’s grandmother! She hurriedly turned to find Marjorie watching her.
She knew!Ellen swore she would deal with her cousin later, and she settled in to listen to the Dowager.
“Welcome Ladies, to another evening of the book club! To the ladies of nobility here and those of ordinary upbringing, this book club has served as a neutral ground for all. Here, we are all fundamentally equal because we are all human first and because we all have the same goal and purpose. Equality.”
The Dowager paused for a few seconds before continuing her speech. “Equality is the basis on which this book club was founded. Many of you might not know, but this was truly originally a book club, but as we became more exposed, as we stepped into our truest selves, we discovered that we had longings for things that Society did not permit us to have. We did not want to cower in silence and let the men take all the power. We wanted to be effective, recognized contributors to Society. We wanted to be equal.”
“Many of us come from different backgrounds, but we’ve all felt that stirring inside of us, that feeling of suffocation when we know that we not only wanted more, but we deserved more as well. Many of us have killed our dreams under the burden of expectations. We have learned to shrink ourselves because nobody told us it was acceptable to be fully ourselves. We are beautiful, we are proud, we have more to contribute, to do, to become, and we will no longer conform, but we should be allowed to be the truest, strongest, expressions of ourselves. I might have started the book club, but this would be nothing without all of you here. Let the rest of Society call us what they please. We will be unapologetic about what we stand for. Who’s with me?”
The Dowager Countess finished her speech with a deafening round of applause. Ellen did not realize how caught up she was in the Dowager’s speech, but she had the weird feeling that she was home. She felt understood here. It was wonderful to see that she wasn’t alone. The speech was followed by conversations with other ladies, and Ellen was so inspired by what she heard from the other ladies that when the meeting came to an end, she grabbed Marjorie and gave her a hug.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“I think that there’s someone you should meet.” Marjorie winked as she led Ellen toward Gerard’s grandmother.
Ellen curtsied as she came before the Dowager Countess.
“Lady Ellen. I have been positively dying to meet you,” the Dowager said.
“Me, My Lady?” Ellen replied, shocked. She looked to Marjorie for help but found to her dismay that her cousin had disappeared into the crowd. She realized that she had to help herself. She looked back at the Countess who was looking at her with amusement.
“Marjorie is one of our more active members and volunteers. What she does for us is invaluable. Right now, she’s going to fish out the newcomers and give them proper guidance into what we are all about.”
“But I am also a newcomer.”
“Yes, but you’re stuck with me for the meantime. I hope that’s all right?” The Dowager Countess suddenly paused because she had not realized that there was a probability that Ellen would not be comfortable with her. Ellen was quick to reassure her that she was perfectly comfortable.
“Perfect then. We were never officially introduced. I am Gerard’s grandmother.”
Ellen blushed “I know, My Lady. I just did not realize that you would be so—”
“So what?” the Countess laughed.
“Radical,” Ellen whispered the word. “But then I also did not think that half the women I saw in this room tonight would be into all of this as well. I thought Marjorie was quite mad for all her radical talk.”
The Dowager Countess laughed. “Obviously, you’re a smart one. We all have two lives here: the one Society expects us to live and the one we really wish for ourselves which shows up in enclosed spaces with like minds like this.”
“It is certainly impressive, My Lady. The Earl of Ridlington spoke to me about not living a sheltered life, bound by rules and conventions, but I did not think he was really serious. But now, I see where he gets it from.”
“My grandchild may be many things, but I have taught him well to respect women,” the Dowager Countess said proudly.
“So he tells me.”
“Speaking of my grandchild, there is a matter of great importance I wish to discuss with you.”
“What is that, My Lady?” Ellen asked, gulping.Did the Dowager not approve of Gerard courting her?
“I assume that Gerard has made open his intent to court you.”
Ellen blushed, remembering her conversation with Gerard. “Yes, My Lady, he did say that.”
“Good. Now, I know my grandson, and I would like to warn you to guard your heart for as long as possible. My grandchild is much like his father before him. All the Hann men like a challenge. That, unfortunately, means that we have to reel them in before they realize that they are caught.”
“My Lady!”Did the Dowager just propose that Ellen should seduce the Earl?
“Oh. Good gracious, I assume of course that you have growing affections for my grandson. Did I assume correctly?”
Ellen paused before she answered. She wasn’t sure yet what it was that she felt for Gerard, and she was being careful not to offend the Dowager. “The thing is, I am not quite sure yet, My Lady.”
