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Tina stared blankly at Louise for several long, long moments. Louise couldn’t make out what Tina must have been thinking from behind those thick spectacles. Finally, after what had to have been years (but was rather not even a full minute), Tina broke her gaze and picked up her tea, sipping it like a lady.
“So?” Louise prompted. She refused the urge to fiddle with her own teacup and remained sitting in the comfortable chair with her hands in her lap. “What do you think?”
The Belcher’s front parlor consisted of bright colors. The vibrancy may be to distract from the several holes mended at the bottom of the curtains, or from the worn cushions of the chairs at the table, but the lively look would forever remind Louise of home. Even Tina, who had lived in a grand house with an Earl for the past year, seemed to settle more into herself when she stepped into the Belcher residence.
Tina nodded once to herself before saying, “It’s certainly a proposition that I am not surprised came from you.”
Louise frowned. “What is that supposed to mean, T?”
Her sister shook her head quickly. “It’s not a bad thing! I think it’s a great idea. I just don’t know why you need me.”
The younger woman’s gaze fell on the essay she clutched in her lap. The Vindication of the Rights of Woman had been her latest read the past week and nearly changed her entire life. Everything Wollstonecraft argued about the need for educated women resonated deeply with Louise. Enough so that she had reached out to her sister, the writer, to help create a local pamphlet essay as well. If they were able to pull together like-minded women, they could truly make change within their community.
“Why wouldn’t I need you?” Louise fought back. “You know how to put things down on paper enough to convince people. As much as I hate to admit it, you are better than me at that.”
“But you have the passion,” Tina responded calmly. “People are more willing to listen to someone who cares about their words, and while I think what you want to say is important, I do not have as much fire behind my words as you do.”
Louise sat back in her seat and huffed, sending a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. It wasn’t that Tina was wrong. In fact, what she said made sense. She glanced down at the essay again and shifted it so that a piece of parchment peeked out from underneath the booklet. Parchment with her nearly illegible handwriting. It had been so long since she’d written anything, especially of her own will. Her hand had cramped and eyes strained, but by the time the candlelight dwindled, she’d come up with something of which she was proud.
And then she had considered what Tina might have written, and decided it would be better for Tina to be the voice of their local movement.
Louise tucked the parchment behind the essay booklet, hiding it once again. “I just want to challenge the way we live. There is so much room for change, don’t you think?”
“I do,” Tina began carefully. “But I also worry, Louise. You could face serious repercussions for this. I know you do not plan on marrying, but that is not the only consequence you could face. It could lead to legal repercussions, even.”
She frowned. “Do you really think so?”
“Unfortunately. I don’t think I can ask my husband to get involved, either. He is already dealing with so much, and with our baby on the way, I worry.”
Louise had not considered any of the consequences other than being a bit ostracized. Sure, she did not mind not getting married. But how else could it truly affect her?
Then again, she did not consider her own parents’ reputations. They are certainly on the lowest rung of the ladder, but that does not mean that their reputations aren’t important. It could crush her father’s career. Her mother may never recover from the gossip.
Even knowing this, though, Louise could not help the voice inside of her that urged to do something. The world could be improved in so many areas, and no one was doing anything about it. She could be someone to make change, even if it is in their local community.
Once it was clear Louise would not continue to press her sister, Tina took another cautious sip of tea before smirking into her cup. “So, I heard you danced with an eligible suitor a few nights ago.”
No. How had Tina already heard? She’d arrived in town mere hours ago.
Louise waved her hand dismissively and turned her head to the side (certainly not to avoid eye contact). “‘Eligible’ is a loose term.”
“I cannot believe this is the first season I haven’t been present for and it’s the first season since your debut that you’ve danced with someone!” Tina swatted at her sister, regaining her attention.
Louise rolled her eyes. “It was Lord Bush. Bush. Should we even consider that a real dance?”
Tina shrugged, something troublesome dancing in her eyes. “He is eligible, after all.”
She stuck out her tongue in utter disgust. “Do not traumatize me, dear sister. The mere thought of Lord Bush makes me sick to my stomach.”
“Should I warn you that he was inquiring about calling on you, then?”
Time froze as the words processed in Louise’s mind. She sharpened her gaze like a warrior going to battle. “He was doing what?”
Tina couldn’t hide the delight. “He asked me and Mother if it would be amiss to call on you.”
“And you said he isn’t allowed near our property, right?”
Tina remained silent, sipping on her tea gleefully.
Louise leapt to her feet. “Right?”
When her sister didn’t respond, Louise eyed the door. “I must leave before he arrives. If anyone asks, I was never here. No—I don’t live here. In fact, Louise Belcher does not exist.”
Shaking her head, Tina said, “I’m afraid it’s too late.”
The previous morning flashed through Louise’s mind: she had asked her sister yesterday to meet for a walk so she could make her proposal, yet Tina had insisted on tea. She was far too pregnant for a walk, she claimed. It hadn’t crossed Louise’s mind that her sister was hardly showing and had been taking walks every day during her visit this season.
Instead, Louise took her sister’s word for truth because she is a good person, and Tina had taken advantage of that, holding her hostage until Logan could call on her.
The audacity.
Louise couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.
That pride lasted for half a moment, because their butler appeared in the front parlor’s doorway and bowed his head. “Miss Belcher, there is a Lord Logan Bush here to see you.”
Whirling around to face her sister, Louise jabbed a finger in her face. “I will deal with you later.”
Tina eased herself to her feet and gave a rare smug smile. “Good luck, Louise. I will sit over by the window as a chaperone so Mom doesn’t have to get involved.”
At least she considered that.
Louise tugged on her pink bonnet as she waited in the parlor. When was the last time she had even had a caller? No--he is not a caller. He is a nuisance.
Logan made it very clear what his intentions were as he breezed into the room, the very picture of pretentiousness. “Miss Belcher!” he greeted cheerfully. “I am quite pleased to see you today.”
She ground her teeth before baring a smile. “How can I help you, my lord?”
Logan strode past her and sat on the sofa, relaxing back into its seat. His blue eyes glimmered as he exuded the power of being a man who can do what he wants, and Louise could not help the sting of jealousy. “Thank you for asking. You see, I am in a bit of a…dilemma.”
Louise remained where she stood despite Logan making room for her to take the other side of the sofa. “Good. I appreciate seeing you struggle.”
“I know you do. But you, my dear Miss Belcher, are my solution.”
This startled her and she flinched at his claim. “Pardon? Cut to the chase, Bush.” In the corner of her eye, she noticed Tina’s eyes widened at her bluntness. Her sister shifted in her seat, as if debating whether or not she should interrupt. She got herself into this, she can bear to witness it, Louise decided.
Instead of shock, Logan only appeared to warm up at Louise’s words. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “I would like to court you this season.”
Louise had not been drinking or eating anything, yet somehow she choked on thin air until she was coughing up a lung. The coughing morphed into laughter, and soon she found herself cackling. Here she was, on her last season, excited to embrace her role as a spinster. And here was her nemesis, the man who had once been a boy that lived to torment her childhood, asking her to court him?
Logan waited until her laughing fit sputtered out. He didn’t seem any bit discouraged from the reaction. Once there was a brief moment of silence between cackling coughs, he jumped in. “Let me explain.”
“You don’t need to. You truly despise me, don’t you?”
Logan tilted his head, a slight frown finally appearing on his lips. “No, I--well, the thing is, my mother does. Despise you, I mean. And she is pressuring me to marry this season. I want to teach her a lesson and make her think that her soon-to-be daughter-in-law is you.”
This did cause Louise to pause in her baffled glee. While Logan was her nemesis, Lady Cynthia Bush was her mother’s rival and treated her poorly far too often. If there were ever to be something that Louise and Logan agreed on, it was their distaste for his mother.
After considering his proposal for half a moment, Louise returned to being perplexed. “In no world would I ever want to be courted by you.”
Logan pressed a hand to his chest, an offended expression plastered on his face. “You wound me, Miss Belcher.”
“What is new?”
She turned away from him finally, yet that was not sufficient for Logan Bush. He leapt to his feet and appeared at Louise’s side, grabbing hold of her attention once again. “It would not take much. A couple of dances at the next few balls, possibly one outing together to the opera, or perhaps the museum.”
“Why not ask one of the debutantes who are actually interested in you?” Louise huffed. “I do not see why I have to be the one who suffers in your presence.”
“Because,” Logan drawled. “I do not actually want to get married. I am tired of my mother’s persistent comments about how I am failing her, our family, and my duty, but the last thing I want is to actually pass on my horrid lineage and sire a child.”
Louise raised an eyebrow at his dismissive tone yet harsh words. She knew he had a treacherous relationship with his parents, yet it had not seemed to be as horrible as he currently made it out to seem. She tucked that piece of information away for later. “No.”
Tina, the traitor, spoke up from her corner. “Maybe if you help him out with this, he can fund your pamphlets, Louise.”
Louise gaped at her sister. “Does no one ever care what I think?”
Logan did not listen to her. Instead, his focus sharpened on Tina. “Fund her pamphlets?” he turned to Louise and those vibrant eyes darkened as he gazed down at her. “What pamphlets?”
“There are no pamphlets,” Louise insisted. She dared a quick glance at the table where she had left her scribbled musings.
Yet, she took the viscount for granted, because he caught her darted look. Before she knew it, he was striding over to the table and whisking away all the papers left on it. His eyes quickly examined the first piece of writing, which was Mary Wollenstonecraft’s Vindication. Once he seemed to recognize it, he shifted to the other parchment.
Louise jumped up to grab the paper, but Logan held it just high enough to be out of her reach. “Careful, Miss Belcher. What would propriety say?”
“As if either of us care,” she seethed. “Give it to me!”
Logan spun around and put his back to her as she jumped again. “No. It is quite good, my dear. Why would I give it back?”
“Of course it’s good, I wrote it,” Louise responded before rounding to his front and jumping again, her arm outstretched to grab the parchment. Curse Logan Bush and his height.
“And you would like it published?” he continued as his eyes scanned the next page.
“That is none of your business.”
“It is now completely my business. I will make sure your pamphlets get published if you agree to court me.” He finally tore his eyes away from her writings and locked gazes with Louise. “Think about it: we can mess around with my mother and you can get this printed for free.”
He did have a point, she acknowledged begrudgingly. Plus, the close proximity to him would only increase her own chances of messing with Lord Bush himself.
Logan did not need to know, however, that she thought so. “No.”
A few moments passed as they stared at each other, both daring the other to give in. It did not cross Louise’s mind until later just how close he had stood, nearly pressing his chest to hers. He smelled of jasmine with a spice of wood, and she could not bring herself to hate it.
Finally, Logan pulled away and took a step back. He let out a sigh, and for once it was not a dramatic one but seemed rather genuine. “Alright. Here you go. I suppose I can find another way to fend off my mother for the season.”
“And I will find another way to print, if I choose to do so.” Louise nodded firmly.
Logan peered down at her, his eyes shifting around her face. He pursed his lips, inhaled deeply, and then his shoulders dropped. “I will see myself out. I thank you, Miss Belcher, for your time.”
When he was gone, Tina stood from her corner and ambled over to Louise. Turning away from her sister, Louise said, “I know what you’re going to say.”
Tina tilted her head to the side, yet remained silent.
Louise stamped her foot, the heel of her shoe echoing against the wooden floor. “I know that he’s the only way for me to consider printing since you are not going to help. You do not have to rub it in my face.”
Tina blinked.
Louise threw her head back. “And I know, I KNOW that I would enjoy messing with the dowager viscountess. I also know that it would get Mom to stop setting me up with suitors this season in a last stitch effort to get married. Besides, it would give me more opportunities to prank Lord Bush. Quit bringing up the obvious, Tina!”
Her sister stared back.
“Fine, Tina, it was not a horrible idea for him to suggest. It is only my pride that made it seem horrible. Is that what you want me to say? Is that what you want me to admit?”
She was only met with loud silence, and that was enough.
“Ugh, you win,” Louise grumbled. She darted to the doorway and down the steps. By some miracle, Logan’s carriage had not yet pulled away. Instead, he was conversing with his footman. He threw his head back and laughed at something the worker said, and Louise’s stomach sank at the sight. She felt sick, but she had made up her mind. She needed to stick to it.
Logan’s smile faded as he caught glimpse of Louise striding towards him. He pulled his shoulders back and clasped his hands behind his back. “Back so soon?”
She gritted her teeth. Remember who you are doing this for: yourself. “I want my pamphlets to be free of charge so that anyone may read them. And--” she caught herself for a moment before straightening her back and raising her chin. “They should be anonymous. For my sake, of course. I couldn't care less about your reputation.
He blinked rapidly before the signature arrogant smile reappeared on his full lips. “I see you changed your mind. Anything else?”
“I can turn you down for any dance, any outing, at any point.”
“Of course. Is that it?”
“We make this as miserable for your mother as possible. She has gossiped and hurt my own mother far too much.”
Logan’s smile turned devilish. “That is not a problem in the slightest.”
What he did not need to know is that Louise had a list of pranks to pull on the man himself. She is going to make the most out of this arrangement, so much so that he is going to regret the day he ever stepped foot in her home.
Louise held out her hand. He seemed surprised at the sight, yet took it firmly in his own and shook. “Then it’s a deal,” she said, shaking his hand with a dangerous smile. “Let’s give your mother a season to remember.”