Page 23 of The Unfortunate Debutante
“I understand,” she acknowledged.
“Good,” Lord Downshire declared. “Now, back to what I was saying. Mr. Martin will be assigned to guard you for the foreseeable future.”
Simeon was opening his mouth to once again decline the job when Emma spoke first. “I don’t need a guard.”
“Pardon?” Lord Downshire asked in a forceful tone.
Her naivety was evident when she explained, “Eliza gave me an overcoat pistol and,” she paused, pulling out a small dagger from the pocket of her gown, “this.”
“Eliza,” Lord Downshire mumbled under his breath.
Simeon stepped forward and held out his hand for the dagger. “Do you know how to use a dagger?”
Emma shook her head as she extended him the weapon with her gloved hand.
“Daggers can be a useful weapon or, if they are used improperly, can remove fingers,” he said, fingering the weapon in his hand.
“We start training on the dagger tomorrow,” she announced proudly.
“Do you now?” he asked, extending the dagger back to her.
Returning the dagger into the folds of her gown, Emma shared, “Josette asked me to be a guest teacher at The Beckett School for Girls and informed me that I would need multiple weapons on my person.”
“No, no, no…” Lord Downshire started muttering as he stormed towards the door. “Munro! I need to speak to Lady Downshire…now!”
Emma put her hand next to her mouth and leaned closer. “Whenever Luke is displeased with me, he calls for Rachel so she can talk me out of my foolish behavior.”
“Is Lord Downshire frequently displeased with you?”
She smiled. “All the time.” Emma glanced over her shoulder at Luke, who was still standing by the door, looking agitated as he waited for his wife’s arrival. “Do you know of any groups that are protesting the Corn Laws?”
“Pardon?” he asked, hoping he misheard her. After all, why would a lady of the ton care about the Corn Laws?
“I know there are groups that are actively protesting the Corn Laws,” she whispered. “I just need to get in contact with one of their members so I can interview them for an article I am working on.”
Simeon stifled a sigh. Miss Emma Pearson was a bluestocking, and he suspected, slightly mad.
He took a step back, creating more distance between them. “That’s impossible. Even if I knew someone in one of these groups, no one would speak to a lady about the price of grain. Besides, we both know that women cannot write articles for the morning newspapers.”
“That’s not true,” she asserted. “I have…”
He spoke over her, and his tone brooked no argument. “No, Miss Pearson. My answer is no.”
Annoyance flashed over her features, and he expected a sharp-witted rebuke. However, to his surprise, a tense smile grew on her lips.
“I understand, Mr. Martin,” she said, her words anything but cordial.
Simeon furrowed his brows. “You do?”
“I do.” She curtsied. “It was a pleasure to speak to you.”
Without saying another word, she turned and approached Lord Downshire. “With your permission, I would like to dress for Mrs. Gupper’s garden party.”
He nodded. “You may, but please join me in the study before you depart. I would like to revisit this conversation about working as a teacher at The Beckett School for Girls.”
Emma smiled at her guardian before she departed from the room.
Lord Downshire tilted his head up and looked up at the ceiling. “Emma is quite opinionated and free spirited, but I assure you that she does behave in public.”
