Loving the Enemy

Chapter 1

The only person she could have these conversations with were her father, and sometimes her brother — when he was around, which were very infrequent. Even then, her father did not indulge her on many occasions.

He'd once remarked that if she were a man, the House of Lords and the House of Commons wouldn't stand a chance against her. She'd bemoaned then that she were not born male, and that her sex — though considered fairer — lacked many privileges. And any privileges she enjoyed as an unmarried person diminished the moment she took on a man's name.

Lady Healey had been horrified to hear her only daughter dismiss the prospect of marriage and had tried to change Adelaide's mind about it.

There had been many a disagreement over this with her mother until she'd promised to at least try and be agreeable to having a Season.

Thus, here she was, in London, smiling, dancing, meeting new people.

Attempting to not feel trapped in her circumstances.

Doing her utmost to make the most of it.

Trying to formulate a plan where she wouldn't incur the greatest loss of power, that she'd be able to do the things that matter to her most even after marriage.

Later that night, as they made their way home in the carriage, her mother rattled off the list of men she'd met at Lady Holland's that would make good husbands — based on their income and ancestry — and she wanted to Adelaide to continue furthering their acquaintanceship even while they were in the country.

She'd met some of them multiple times since the start of the Season. She'd even had the opportunity to converse with them.

However, none met her requirements of what made a "good" husband. She knew she needed someone who had political leanings, who cared about the things that she cared about.

Someone who could make the changes she couldn't do on her own.

Although not marrying would also be ideal.

Even if people called her a spinster and her mother abhorred the idea that her daughter would be alone for the rest of her life, being her own person and not at the mercy of someone else who had absolute power over her was more than satisfactory.

But she couldn't allow her mother to know of her ideas. Not if she wanted to eventually persuade her parents to let her have her dowry for herself should she not be able to find a suitable husband.

No, she had to appear as if she were searching for a husband. Otherwise, her mother might suspect her of deliberately undermining the process. And she could see that she had succeeded thus far, for her mother seemed none the wiser. Though in the countryside, she wouldn't be under intense scrutiny by her mother, and she was looking forward to that respite.

Adelaide stumbled upon an idea.

"Mama, will you allow me to marry someone if he sat in the House of Commons?"

The viscountess stared at her, and even in the poor lighting that filtered in from the lamps on the streets, she could see a cautious expression on her mother's face.

"Why do you ask, dearest? Have you met someone who sits in the House of Commons?"

She shrugged. "Not particularly. I was just curious."

"There are sons of peers in the House of Commons. Are you referring to marrying them?"

"I suppose, yes." It was as best an evasive answer she could give without showing her hand.

Her mother frowned — and she knew the answer she'd given was not satisfactory, and that there were doubts in her mother's mind — but her features smoothened into a smile soon after.