“Yes, at least for now.” She could have allowed the subject to drop, but felt a need to express her gratitude. “Thank you for supporting me with Mrs. Poole. She tends to question my authority.”
Lucian gave an elegant shrug. “It was nothing. You are mistress here. You may run the household as you see fit-for as long as you remain.”
He was alluding to their bargain, she realized. Brynn lowered her gaze to her coffee cup.
“I trust the difficulty is not of great magnitude?”
“Nothing that cannot be resolved.”
“Would you care to discuss it? Perhaps I can help.”
She gave Lucian a questioning glance, wondering at his sincerity. “Is the pin money you allotted me mine to spend as I wish?” she said finally.
“Of course. And so is the household allowance. Why do you ask? ”
Brynn took a deep breath, gambling that she could trust him. “Because my maid is with child by one of the footmen across the square, and I should like to help her.”
“I see,” Lucian replied, his expression enigmatic.
Despite her determination to remain calm, Brynn felt herself growing defensive. “I will not have her turned out, as Mrs. Poole intended, Lucian. What Meg did was wrong, but she should not be the only one to suffer. The sin was her lover’s as well. I strongly suspect he seduced her, but even if not, it isn’t fair that the girl must be punished while the man can evade the consequences with complete impunity! ”
“No, it isn’t fair,” Lucian agreed mildly. “I will give you no argument there.”
When a wry smile curled his mouth, Brynn regarded him with suspicion. “I fail to see how my poor maid’s dilemma could be cause for amusement.”
“I wasn’t thinking of her dilemma but of your bluestocking tendencies. I was picturing how your notions of equality would sit with most of my peers.”
“Most of your peers are pompous stuffed shirts who believe women were put on this earth merely to serve them!”
“Calm down, love. We are not at odds here. Your passion is admirable.”
Her cheeks flushed, but her hackles settled down. Perhaps there was no need for belligerence after all.
“There is a simple answer to avoiding an illegitimate child,” Lucian observed. “The couple can marry.”
“Meg doesn’t think her footman would be allowed to wed without losing his position with Lord Bonamy.”
“I have influence with Bonamy. I’m sure I can persuade him to intervene. Her footman can be compelled to marry the girl, if need be.”
“But I don’t want her to be compelled to accept marriage against her will the way-” Brynn broke off. The way I was, was what she meant to say. Seeing understanding register in his blue eyes, Brynn bit her lip.
“I know,” she explained more diplomatically, “you might find it hard to understand, given your gender and your exalted rank, but for a woman, marriage can be worse than servitude. You have no idea what it is like to be subject to someone else’s every whim, to have no rights other than the ones your husband chooses to bestow upon you.”
His eyebrows rose. “Have I been so overbearing, then?”
“No… not entirely. But it isn’t pleasant to be totally at your mercy. How would you like it if you were dependent on me for every morsel of food, every scrap of clothing? If I could arbitrarily overrule your smallest decision, such as what friends you associated with? Or if I threatened to send you to the country if you disobeyed me?” As you threatened me. She could see Lucian’s comprehension.
“I wouldn’t care for it at all,” he murmured.
“Of course not. And Meg should not be made to wed her lover if she doesn’t wish to. I’m not certain she is in love with him, and I seriously doubt he is with her. He might resent having to pay for his transgressions, and Meg would bear the brunt of his anger. She would be better off alone than being pressed upon a husband who doesn’t want her, being forced to endure a bitter union.”
Thoughtfully, Lucian shook his head. “I’m not convinced even a bitter union would be worse than rearing a bastard alone.”
“Perhaps not, but the choice should be hers. I intend to provide for her, Lucian. At the very least to make certain that she has somewhere to live.”
“A better solution would be to dower the girl. Sweeten the pot, so to speak, so her lover will see her as a prize rather than a burden.”
Brynn pursed her lips in contemplation. Lucian’s suggestion did have practical merit. If finances were the major impediment, then dowering the maid would certainly smooth the path to a happier union. And it would allow her to avoid rearing a bastard alone, which would prove incredibly difficult…