Tenacious Trents 01 - A Misguided Lord (7 page)

Eleanor did her best to make Ben
comfortable. He was tucked into bed and fell asleep shortly after
she had given him the Dover’s Powder.

“
You should go,” Leigh
insisted.

“
I can’t leave him. What if
something were to happen?”

“
I will send word, I
promise,” Mrs. Hartley insisted. “If you stay, you risk angering
your grandfather, and you won’t find a husband sitting
here.”

Eleanor glanced back down at Benjamin.
He was resting peacefully. “It doesn’t seem right.”

“
It isn’t right but you
have little choice. His lordship has given you none,” Mrs. Hartley
insisted angrily.

In that she was correct. Eleanor
needed to concentrate on finding a husband. Then she would never
need to leave the children again, if she found a husband who would
allow them in the home. Or, at least he would allow her to support
them, even if they could not live together. “Very well.” She picked
up her reticule. “Promise to send word if Benjamin worsens or
anything happens.”

“
I promise.” Leigh hugged
her.

Eleanor trudged down the stairs and to
the front door. She would be late but didn’t care. Though she
didn’t relish walking through London in the dark, she had little
choice. Part of the funds she needed for the hackney were spent on
the Dover’s Powder, but she wouldn’t have denied Benjamin medicine
regardless.

She stepped outside to find Lord
Bentley leaning against the side of his Phaeton, waiting for her.
What was he still doing here? It was kind of him to render
assistance earlier, and she would have rejected it if she hadn’t
been in a hurry to get back. She never expected him to remain
waiting.

He came forward and offered his arm.
“I couldn’t let you take a hackney this late.”

“
I was going to
walk.”

“
All the more reason I am
glad I waited.” He assisted her up into the conveyance.

“
It is very kind of you,
but unnecessary. I am sure you had other matters to attend to than
waiting for me.”

A smile pulled at his lips. She had
been right. He was far more handsome when he smiled.

“
I could not leave you to
make it back to Mayfair on your own. It is far too
dangerous.”

This was a side of Lord Bentley she
had not seen. “Thank you.”

He clicked the reigns and pulled out
into the street. “Why don’t you have a maid with you?”

It was a reasonable question. A lady
wasn’t supposed to leave the house without one. “Because I have to
sneak away, if you must know.”

His head pivoted and an eyebrow shot
up. “Pardon?”

“
I learned early on that if
I made my destination known, my grandparents came up with a reason
for me to remain with them. They don’t feel it is necessary for me
to visit my family as often as I do. So, I leave when I have the
chance. A lady’s maid would alert them before I could be
gone.”

Lord Bentley chuckled. “While I admire
your ingenuity, it is dangerous for a lady to go about alone in
London.”

“
I do what I must,” Eleanor
bit out. She would not be censured. She didn’t care what risks she
took to see her family.

“
How is your
brother?”

“
Resting.” She glanced back
one more time to make sure Leigh or Mrs. Hartley were not coming
after her. “I hate to leave him.”

“
Is it serious?” The
concern in his voice was almost her undoing, but Eleanor held tight
to her emotions.

“
It seems to be a minor
case, but I will worry until he is on the mend.”

“
If you wish to stay with
him I can take you back and deliver a note to your
grandfather.”

Oh, if only that were possible. “I am
not allowed. Grandfather insists I attend functions and reside
under his roof. He would be furious, if you must know.”

“
If it is any consolation,
I’ve never liked your grandfather.”

Eleanor chuckled at the honesty.
“Neither do I. But, as he is my guardian, I am left with little
choice.”

“
If you wish, I can bring
you by tomorrow, so you can check on him.”

The kindness was her undoing and tears
sprang to her eyes. “I should have let them stay in the country.
Benjamin wouldn’t be sick if I had.”

“
Nonsense, Miss Westin. I
suspect you would have worried more, whether anyone became ill or
not.”

He spoke the truth. She would have
gone mad wondering how they were getting along without her. They’d
never gone a day without being with each other. She could not have
stood weeks of not being around them.

They arrived before her grandfather’s
townhouse. “About tomorrow—”

“
That is very kind of you,”
Eleanor stopped him before he could finish. “But I never know when
I can get away. Some days it is a near impossibility and others,
the visits are early morning or late in the afternoon. I would not
have you disturbing your schedule to accommodate my uncertain
one.”

He simply nodded and she was surprised
the disappointment that came over her. What did she expect? Lord
Bentley was far too busy to wait around until she was free. Yet, it
was very kind of him to ask.

“
Are you going out this
evening?”

“
Yes,” she answered,
dreading the night ahead. “We are expected at the Hamilton’s
ball.”

He smiled. “Then I shall see you
there.”

*

Eleanor closed her eyes and allowed
the cool breeze from the open windows to wash over her heated skin.
A headache was forming at the base of her skull, creeping up from
her neck and would soon spread throughout her head, or so she
feared. But, she couldn’t stand here with her eyes closed, wishing
everyone would go away, or that she could go home and be with Ben.
She would be at this event for a few more hours at least and she
would force herself through it.

Straightening she looked around at the
throng of people milling about between the dances. To her left, her
grandmother gossiped with her friends. To the right, a group of
gentlemen discussed the Health and Morals of Apprentices Act that
passed some ten years ago. While it was a good plan, there was
nothing in place to insure the employers followed the law.
Regardless, the topic was certainly more interesting than her
grandmother’s conversation. Eleanor took a step closer to listen.
Lord Bentley was part of the group and she was curious of his
opinions. Until this afternoon, she would have never considered him
a caring gentleman. But, he had assisted her when she sincerely
needed his help. Maybe she had misjudged him.

“
While I agree that working
conditions still need improvement in a number of the textile
mills,” He glanced over and looked at her, a slight tilt to his
lips, “I fail to see the necessity of education.” Bentley
finished.

She pursed her lips
together and looked away. She was not part of the conversation and
should not eavesdrop, especially since it would most likely make
her angry. She should have known, despite his kindness today that
Bentley thought like most gentlemen of his class. They were
privileged and had no concept of what the poor faced each day. But
her grandmother was still gossiping and Eleanor couldn’t stand to
listen to another
on dit
about some poor soul the
ton
had decided to fillet this
evening.

Without looking Eleanor continued to
listen to the gentlemen. She knew all too well that her own
siblings could face the same fate as so many others if she was not
successful in her goal. Besides, ladies did not participate in such
conversations, she had learned, especially at a societal event.
These gentlemen must feel truly passionate about their positions or
they would not even be discussing it in the ballroom. There was
rumor of a new bill being drafted to address what some perceived to
be weaknesses in an earlier Act.

“
You do not agree, Miss
Westin?” Bentley asked.

Startled at being addressed, Eleanor
looked over at the group. All six gentlemen were looking at her.
Bentley watched her with an eyebrow raised in question.

“
How can education harm
anyone, my lord?” She returned.

“
What good is education of
the poor?” His lips quirked as if he found her question amusing.
“They will still work in the same factories, marry other workers
from the factories, and produce further workers for the factories.
Where is education needed?”

It was odd. He wasn’t being
condescending as she first believed, but almost debating her.
Gentlemen didn’t debate with ladies so what was he about? “Perhaps
some would prefer to better their lives.” Eleanor fought to keep
her tone conversational and careful of not letting him pull her
into this argument.

“
Do you think it is
possible for the poor and common to rise above their
station?”

The man was pompous and
insufferable.

Or was he? “There are other venues for
the poor to make a living outside of the factories, my lord,” she
bit out. “Some may wish to live further out in the country, working
on farms, or in shops. An education would help them find a better
position that would not force them to be stuck in a dark, musty
building for twelve to sixteen hours a day.”

“
While I admire your
forward thinking, where would the manufacturers be if all the
educated workers left for greener pastures? Who then would work in
the factories?”

“
Are you being
intentionally obtuse, Lord Bentley?” She tilted her head to study
him. “Of course not everyone will take the opportunity provided
them. However, there will be some who wish for more, and who are we
to deny them?”

“
There will always be poor,
Miss Westin. If only half of those educated chose greener pastures
then the poor in the country would increase and there would not be
enough work for everyone. Would you have the entire country suffer
as those in the city?”

Her face heated in anger but she tried
to keep her tone civil. “It has been ten years since the Act was
passed. As the poor in the city didn’t migrate to the country
immediately, I fail to see why it should be a concern
now.”

*

He shouldn’t goad her, but what was he
to do? Her body was tense this evening and her face drawn. Of
course she worried about her brother, but there was nothing either
of them could do about it at the moment. Miss Westin stirred
something in him that he couldn’t understand. Never had a lady
argued with him, and Clay finally admitted to himself, he had
enjoyed this debate with Miss Westin. If anything, time with her
would never be dull, unlike Lady Anne. “Would you care for a stroll
about the room, Miss Westin?”

She straightened, a question on her
brow. It probably did seem rather odd to her since they just spent
the better part of fifteen minutes arguing.

“
Go on, dear,” Lady
Stanhope insisted.

“
Thank you, Lord Bentley.”
Miss Westin settled her hand on his sleeve and instead of strolling
the room they walked out into the cool evening. Others stood in
small groupings within view of the house. He led her down the
steps, further away. It wasn’t that he wished to risk her
reputation; he simply wanted to be away from the throng of people
for a short bit.

“
I would like to apologize,
Miss Westin.”

Her head snapped up. “For what, Lord
Bentley?”

“
Our first encounter.” He
bit back a smile. “It was my fault. I should have seen you and did
not.”

Her face flushed. “I should have also
been watching, not that I could see through the mass of
people.”

Clay chuckled. “As you said, you do
not have my height.” They stopped beside a tree, out of earshot of
others outside. “I was also terse in the park.”

“
Tobias practically ran you
over,” she admitted with a shy smile. “He got carried
away.”

“
He is a boy.” Clay
shrugged. “It happens.” At least it is allowed to happen to other
boys. Not for his childhood, however. While his brothers played at
pirates and knights on the estate, he had been holed up with his
father. It was no kind of childhood and he envied his brothers for
the freedom they had. Well, two of them had freedom, Jordan and
John. Poor Matthew had been made to study more than the rest and
Father insisted he achieve a pious attitude if he were to be a good
vicar. Did Matthew resent their father as much as he?

“
We have found a smaller
park to play in, away from people.”

Clay sighed. “It is probably best
since most of society do not take well to careening
children.”

“
So I’ve learned,” she
muttered under her breath, yet Clay heard her.

“
I am not one of them.” He
felt the need to assure her.

She raised a brow and looked up as if
not believing him.

“
As long as no innocent
bystanders are hurt,” he added. Had he not been there, Lady Anne
could have easily been knocked to the ground and injured. “Children
should be allowed to run, play, and yell. Heaven knows it isn’t
allowed when we are adults.” He leaned in to whisper. “Unless you
are a young woman chasing down a wayward brother flying a
kite.”