The conversation paused briefly as the main course of fresh-caught cod in butter sauce was served. Reverend Burk tried to steer the discussion to a Bible study he was planning for first-class passengers the next day, but Lady Persephone spoke over him, picking up the thread again.
“My own boys went to Eton. They loved their time there. Of course, they excelled in both athletics and academics. Reverend Crossman, were you both an athlete and a scholar?”
“I’m afraid my attention was drawn elsewhere.” There was a twinkle in the reverend’s blue eyes. He went on to regale us with stories of youthful escapades and the severe punishments he had endured as a result. Both Dr. Carson and the captain laughed openly, while the Burks looked bored. I caught Lady Persephone giving Sir Richard a disapproving look when he chuckled, and he was quiet after that.
On one occasion, John recounted, he had been caught climbing out his third-floor window at Eton to spend an evening drinking at the local pub with a friend and fellow student, George Chalmers.
I almost choked on my scalloped potatoes. The man who had treated me with such cruelty and indifference was John’s old school friend. I suddenly wanted to find a place to hide.
“George Chalmers, the government whip?” Sir Richard asked.
“The same,” Reverend Crossman said. “I certainly would not have predicted his future.”
“I should say,” Lady Persephone said. “He’s one of my cousin’s closest friends, my cousin the prime minister, that is. We had dinner with him just before we sailed, such a charming man.”
“He was a bit of an odd duck as a child, but he’s turned out rather well in spite of his misspent youth.”
“Well, I wouldn’t know about any youthful indiscretions. I never knew him as a child, but he’s one of my favourite people now.” Lady Persephone tried to catch my eye, but I kept my face focused on my food. “So warm and clever. In fact, Sir Richard is pressing him to come to the colony for a visit soon.”
“Really? It would be great to see my old school friend again.”
The shock of hearing George talked of in such warm, glowing terms was like a fresh slap to my cheek, but no one at the table seemed to notice my distress. I looked at Reverend Crossman with new eyes. Had he heard rumours about me? Did he think I had earned a reputation of ill repute? Would he look for favours that I was not prepared to give? I remembered my earlier misgivings about him, but I had been drawn in by his infectious charm. That wouldn’t happen again. I had too much to lose, so even as I smiled outwardly at his latest story of schoolboy misadventure, I redoubled my resolve to keep my distance from Reverend Crossman from now on.
Chapter Nineteen
Avoiding someone on an oceangoing vessel of no more than a few hundred people was easier said than done. I couldn’t risk bumping into the reverend on the decks, so when I wasn’t with Dr. Carson, I stayed inside the cabin with Hari for hours on end.
“You needn’t stay inside on my account,” Hari said as we settled into our reading chairs for the fourth day in a row. “I’m feeling much better these days. I might even go to dinner tonight. You should see if you can find Lady Persephone, perhaps have tea with her.”
“It’s just that I’m so caught up in this novel I borrowed from the little library by the dining room.” I waved the penny dreadful at her. “Can’t wait to see how it turns out.”
It was a lie. The book was deadly dull, so with nothing much to do to distract myself, my mind gave way to my worries. Out of everything that was weighing on me, the money Hari had taken from Charles was the most concerning. Could a wife be charged with theft from a husband? Possibly, I thought, but I doubted Charles would risk the scandal. He would demand the money back, taking it by force if he chose. If things didn’t go as Hari thought, what recourse would we have? How could we appease Charles? We had no power in the equation. I thought of Lady Persephone and her position of superiority over Richard because of her familial relationship with the prime minister. That’s when it struck me. Hari and I had another option, a back door to power over Charles.
“Hari,” I said, looking up from the book in my lap. I hadn’t turned a page in twenty minutes.
“Yes,” she said absently, still reading herself.
“I had a thought.”
Hari rubbed her eyes and set her book down. “What is it?”
“There’s a flaw in Charles’s plan to adopt Mary’s children. He has to convince the Committee of Privileges to allow an adopted child to inherit the title. He may or may not be successful.”
“We discussed this. It’s an opportunity for him to try with me.”
“Of course. And if you have a baby, that would be ideal. If, though, you continued to have difficulties, you… could look elsewhere for an heir.” I said it as gently as I could, not wanting to remind her of her problems.
“Where else? His cousin has no children, and he and his wife must be middle-aged by now.”
I took a deep breath before I spoke again. “Me. What if I were to have a son? Just as Charles is heir to his uncle’s fortune and title, my child might play the same role for Charles. A nephew by marriage has a far superior claim over an adopted child. It could give us the upper hand. We would be a route to Charles’s success, as opposed to an obstacle. Right now, he has all the power. This could be our chance to gain some
