notion popped into her head. Could she help Lady Fowler not just with a donation, but with actual work? She knew that some women did help like that by writing out copies of the letter and by other tasks.
“There’s a Lady Fowler . . .” she said hesitantly.
“A lady, miss? That sounds suitable.”
“Perhaps not. Lady Fowler is a social reformer, Peg.”
“What’s one of those?”
“She wants to put right things that are wrong.”
Peg poured herself more tea and added four lumps of sugar. “That seems good, miss. More tea?”
Bella agreed. “I think Lady Fowler is frowned upon in the highest circles. She writes a letter every two months and sends it to many people around the country. In it, she details wrongdoing among the aristocracy. She encourages her recipients to spread the word so as to bring about change.”
Peg’s eyes were huge. “How many letters?” she asked.
That was a question Bella had never asked. “I’m not sure. I think over a hundred.”
“All that writing. What a wonder she must be!”
Bella was fighting not to laugh. “She only writes the original. She has helpers to copy it. I would become one of them.”
“Oh,” said Peg. “If that’s what you want to do, miss. But I’m no use at that. I can write a bit, but it’s hard work.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to do that, Peg, especially when it could be dangerous. Lady Fowler is merely sending letters, but some of the content must offend powerful people.”
Peg chewed. “Then why do you want to do it, miss?”
“Because Lady Fowler also urges changes in the law to protect women from male tyranny.”
“Ah, I see, miss.” Peg took another slice of bread and butter, then added a slice of cheese.
Bella thought Peg would soon be round as a tub without extra layers of clothes, but she was enjoying her servant’s appreciation of these treats. For her own part, she was considering the complications Peg brought.
Some of Lady Fowler’s helpers lived in her house, and she might have asked to do that, but she could hardly take a servant there. What was more, those resident ladies were the neediest, the ones left by fathers or husbands without enough money to survive. She couldn’t take a place.
She’d have to set up her own home somewhere nearby, with Peg as her housekeeper. That was a daunting task, but having a plan made her feel much steadier. Again, she tested it on Peg, who said, “If you can have your own home, miss, why bother with this Lady Fowler?”
“To support the work.”
Peg merely shrugged, but Bella accepted that her question had been a good one. The honest answer was that she was afraid to be in the world without acquaintances of any kind. Once she’d known and been known by half the county, and even had friends. Fair-weather friends, however, for none had attempted to support her in adversity.
Peg was chewing thoughtfully. “If it’s what you want, Miss Bella, but it’s not as it should be for a pretty young lady. You should be dancing and flirting and preparing to marry. Naughty of you to run off with a man, but—”
“Peg, I didn’t!” Bella should have realized that even the villagers would believe that story. “Oh, Peg . . . I was abducted. Snatched when out in the grounds.”
She told her story, but without hope. Why should Peg believe her when no one else had? As always, she skipped over Captain Rose. Another mysterious gentleman would only make matters worse.
At the end, Peg said, “Well, and it’s a sad business, miss, but it’s over now, so you put it out of your mind.”
“I wish I could, but you must see it means I can’t resume my place in society. So I will devote my time and some of my money to noble work. But if you don’t want to be connected to such things, I’ll arrange for you to return home.”
Peg considered for only a moment. “I’m not giving up my adventure so soon, Miss Bella, and from the sounds of it, you’ll need someone to look after you.”
Bella
“There’s a Lady Fowler . . .” she said hesitantly.
“A lady, miss? That sounds suitable.”
“Perhaps not. Lady Fowler is a social reformer, Peg.”
“What’s one of those?”
“She wants to put right things that are wrong.”
Peg poured herself more tea and added four lumps of sugar. “That seems good, miss. More tea?”
Bella agreed. “I think Lady Fowler is frowned upon in the highest circles. She writes a letter every two months and sends it to many people around the country. In it, she details wrongdoing among the aristocracy. She encourages her recipients to spread the word so as to bring about change.”
Peg’s eyes were huge. “How many letters?” she asked.
That was a question Bella had never asked. “I’m not sure. I think over a hundred.”
“All that writing. What a wonder she must be!”
Bella was fighting not to laugh. “She only writes the original. She has helpers to copy it. I would become one of them.”
“Oh,” said Peg. “If that’s what you want to do, miss. But I’m no use at that. I can write a bit, but it’s hard work.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to do that, Peg, especially when it could be dangerous. Lady Fowler is merely sending letters, but some of the content must offend powerful people.”
Peg chewed. “Then why do you want to do it, miss?”
“Because Lady Fowler also urges changes in the law to protect women from male tyranny.”
“Ah, I see, miss.” Peg took another slice of bread and butter, then added a slice of cheese.
Bella thought Peg would soon be round as a tub without extra layers of clothes, but she was enjoying her servant’s appreciation of these treats. For her own part, she was considering the complications Peg brought.
Some of Lady Fowler’s helpers lived in her house, and she might have asked to do that, but she could hardly take a servant there. What was more, those resident ladies were the neediest, the ones left by fathers or husbands without enough money to survive. She couldn’t take a place.
She’d have to set up her own home somewhere nearby, with Peg as her housekeeper. That was a daunting task, but having a plan made her feel much steadier. Again, she tested it on Peg, who said, “If you can have your own home, miss, why bother with this Lady Fowler?”
“To support the work.”
Peg merely shrugged, but Bella accepted that her question had been a good one. The honest answer was that she was afraid to be in the world without acquaintances of any kind. Once she’d known and been known by half the county, and even had friends. Fair-weather friends, however, for none had attempted to support her in adversity.
Peg was chewing thoughtfully. “If it’s what you want, Miss Bella, but it’s not as it should be for a pretty young lady. You should be dancing and flirting and preparing to marry. Naughty of you to run off with a man, but—”
“Peg, I didn’t!” Bella should have realized that even the villagers would believe that story. “Oh, Peg . . . I was abducted. Snatched when out in the grounds.”
She told her story, but without hope. Why should Peg believe her when no one else had? As always, she skipped over Captain Rose. Another mysterious gentleman would only make matters worse.
At the end, Peg said, “Well, and it’s a sad business, miss, but it’s over now, so you put it out of your mind.”
“I wish I could, but you must see it means I can’t resume my place in society. So I will devote my time and some of my money to noble work. But if you don’t want to be connected to such things, I’ll arrange for you to return home.”
Peg considered for only a moment. “I’m not giving up my adventure so soon, Miss Bella, and from the sounds of it, you’ll need someone to look after you.”
Bella
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