Just as Frances had predicted, she’d been seated next to Sir Reginald at the dinner table the previous evening. Lucas had heard a great many references to the Prince Regent’s future visit coming from the knight’s oversized mouth. Otherwise, the meal had been quiet, and yet again, no one had recognized Lucas.
Frances rolled her eyes. “Sir Reginald went on and on about the prince’s imminent arrival.”
“Yes, I heard the prince is coming on Monday,” Lucas replied.
Frances nodded. “Not soon enough for Sir Reginald, I assure you.”
Lucas laughed. “Do you expect the dinner conversation to worsen after the prince’s arrival?”
She shrugged. “I cannot see how it will improve. As I said, there’s nothing more boring than dinner conversation at a ton event. Absolutely no one wants to talk about what I want to talk about and the few people who do aren’t at this particular party.”
Lucas leaned one elbow on the tabletop, eyeing her intently. “What is it that you’d like to talk about, my lady?”
Frances opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it.
“What?” he prodded. “You were about to say something. What was it?”
She leaned forward and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “May I tell you a secret, Mr. Lucas?”
He nodded. “Of course, but why the secrecy?”
Frances’s gaze darted back and forth, and an adorable smile popped to her lips. “Because I’m not supposed to be talking about this at Lord Clayton’s house party. I promised my mother.”
“Talk about what?” Lucas prodded, on tenterhooks waiting to hear what she said next.
Frances appeared to contemplate the matter for a few more moments before a wide smile spread across her face. “Wait a moment.” She blinked several times. “I promised Mama I wouldn’t speak about politics or the poor laws to any gentlemen at this party. I never promised Mama I wouldn’t speak about it with a footman.”
“Speak about what with a footman?” Lucas replied, his eyes narrowing.
Her smile widened. “You asked what I liked to talk about, Mr. Lucas. The answer is politics. And I’m perfectly able to keep my promise to my mother and discuss both politics and the bill with you.” She clapped her hands together. “Oh, I knew I liked you since the moment you first helped me avoid Sir Reginald,” she declared before promptly blushing again.
“Wait. You’re interested in politics?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“Yes, politics, laws. Decisions that are being made that affect everyone. Things that really matter in this country. Unlike hair bows.” She punctuated her speech by pounding one fist atop the table.
He rested his chin on one propped-up hand, fascinated by this discovery about her. He’d never heard her speak so emphatically. “‘Things that really matter’ such as?” he prompted.
“Such as the Employment Bill for one thing.” A frown covered her face.
Lucas’s brows shot up. “The Employment Bill?”
“Yes, did you know there is a bill that will be voted on by the House of Lords when they return to Parliament this autumn? A very important law.”
Lucas expelled his breath. How much did he dare reveal to her about his knowledge of the law? He chose his words carefully. “I believe you mentioned that before. What do you know about it, Miss Wharton?”
She eyed him up and down, pursing her lips. “Spoken like a true male, Mr. Lucas.”
He chuckled. “My apologies, my lady, it’s just that I haven’t known many women who were interested in such things.”
She tucked a curl behind her ear and crossed her arms over her chest. “And I haven’t known many footmen who were either, so I suppose we’re both guilty of being surprised for no reason.”
“Fair enough.” He narrowed his eyes on her. “But I’m curious. Tell me. Are you for or against the law, my lady?”
She shuddered, closing her eyes briefly. “Against it, Mr. Lucas, completely, entirely, unequivocally against it. As you should be!”
His dropped his chin to his chest and scratched the back of his neck. “Is that so?” Blast. Blast. Blast. Damn and blast. She wasn’t just against it. No, she had to be ‘completely, entirely, unequivocally’ against it.
“Yes.” She nodded vigorously. “Frankly, I don’t see how anyone with a heart beating in his chest could be for it. In fact, I came in here to look up the history of such laws. I’ve every intention of researching the history of similar laws in order to sway more of the vote against it.” She turned in her seat to face the enormous collection of books. “I’ve simply no idea where to begin.”
“First, tell me what you don’t like about the law,” he prodded.
“Well, for one thing it gives more rights to the noblemen running large estates, and less to the poor tenants and farmers. It puts more money in the pockets of men who are already quite wealthy. It does nothing for servants and the working class but give them even fewer options to find work without references from what may well have been awful employers.”
Lucas swallowed. All of those things were true when looked at from a certain point of view, but he saw each of those issues in a completely different light. “Is there anything you like about the law?” he asked tentatively.
She tapped her fingertips along the tabletop for a few moments before saying, “Honestly, the only good it does is repeal of some of the harshest conditions of the trade acts.”
The Trade Laws were archaic laws that gave the working class almost no rights. The repeal of the worst parts of the trade acts was one of Lucas’s favorite parts of his brother’s bill. At least he and Miss Wharton could agree on that.
Lucas stood. “Follow me,” he said, starting toward the opposite side of the room. “I know where the law tomes are.”
“You do?” Her voice held a note of surprise.
Damn it. He hadn’t stopped to consider that it might seem odd that a footman knew where certain books were in his master’s huge library. He thought it best to change the subject. “May I ask
