An Experiment in Love

Chapter 12

'My opinion hardly matters,' Chloe said. 'In law, and by the dictates of Society, a man is master in his own home.'

'He controls all the money, certainly,' Kit said.

'And elects the Parliament that decides the laws. He is entitled to beat his wife, provided the stick is no thicker than his thumb.'

'I do not think my one vote in the House of Lords is going to do much for suffrage reform,' Kit said. He put down his knife and appeared to be regarding his own thumb with distaste. 'But I can assure you that I would never dream of striking a woman.'

Chloe felt a little more cheerful. That had sounded heartfelt.

'And the houses would be under your control. Obviously, I would expect to be consulted about building work or changes to heirlooms, and so forth.'

That was normal. No great concession there. 'What about the children?'

'Chloe!'

She turned to her agitated sister. 'What?'

'Not at the dinner table.'

'It is important,' Chloe protested.

'Of course it is,' Kit agreed. The colour was up on his cheekbones again. It suited him, she thought, surveying him from beneath her lashes. 'It is very important and we will discuss it later, when we are alone.'

Penelope cleared her throat then muttered something about chaperons, although it isn't as if Chloe would...

Oh yes, Chloe would, given half a chance, Chloe thought with a little shiver. The interesting sensations that Kit's kiss had evoked came shimmering back and she shifted uneasily on her chair.

After dinner James asked Kit to join him at his club, but, to Chloe's delight, Kit said he had best continue drawing up a domestic treaty with his betrothed.

'Poppycock,' James snapped and ordered his carriage.

Penelope announced that she had no intention of sitting gooseberry while her sister carried on her outrageous conversation and took herself and a novel off to the small drawing room.

'The children,' Kit prompted when they found themselves alone in the library. He shifted a tray of rock samples off a chair for her. 'Two of each?'

'I think we should discuss numbers as we go along. We may not be so fortunate.' She hoped they were, a large family would be delightful. 'But their upbringing—you would not whip them, would you?'

'I do not whip children, horses or servants,' Kit said. 'What sort of beast do you take me for?'

'A male beast.' Chloe smiled to show she was teasing him. 'But you will allow the girls to be educated?'

'Of course.' He hesitated. 'Chloe, I am just a man, a conventional man. I will do my best to be fair, to discuss things, to listen to your opinion. I cannot promise I will always do what you want though.'

'That is not what I meant!' She leaned forward, wanting to rub away the line between his eyebrows that formed when he frowned. 'I don't want to marry a doormat, that would be dreadful. I enjoy arguments.'

The frown deepened. 'I'm not sure I do. I was hoping for domestic harmony, not a debating society.'

'I understand,' Chloe hastened to reassure him and stopped herself from launching into an explanation of what she meant by argument and how harmonious she hoped things would be. Now who is being a doormat? But he was expecting to wed some conventional young lady, not me. I must be unsettling to him, just as he is to me, poor love. Some of those conventional womanly wiles might be timely now.

If only I had any.