An Earl by Any Other Name(32)

"I meant what I said." She joined him next to a fallen log and they both took a moment to sit down side by side. She met his gaze earnestly, wanting so desperately for him to understand her point of view. "Put aside everything you know and imagine a world where boys and girls attend school together, have the same education and instruction, and must meet the same expectations. Women are already intelligent without the benefit of education, but now they would be informed and would care about politics and economics just as much as men are. There is no science to support any findings that women are in any way inferior. If given the chance to fly and not be stopped, what might we accomplish? Humanity could reach heights of achievement unhindered if we remove the shackles of low expectations."

She brushed a hand over the tall, brown grass, feeling the thickness of it scrape her gloved palms. The weight of his gaze wasn't oppressive, but rather encouraging. She glanced away for a moment, drawing in a breath and summoning her courage to speak to Leo about all that weighed so heavily on her heart. This wasn't just about being rebellious and wild; being a suffragette was about gaining freedom, obtaining a right to a full life. 

"Half-lived lives are not worth anything. I know that men focus on tradition and custom; it gives you comfort without fear of change. But you have to ask yourself. What is gained if there is never any change? Women have never voted before, so why should we change it? If you had a daughter, one you loved fiercely, who was brilliant in her mind and her heart, would you condemn her to live a life with a man who would see her as a means to an end? Just property? Would you want your darling daughter to have no rights at all? What if she was smarter than your sons? Would you want her to have no equality simply because of her gender?" She turned to face him, liking the way he was solely focused on her, eyes intense and mouth slightly parted as though thinking of what she'd said.

"But wouldn't my daughter have me or her husband to protect her and see to her needs?"

Ivy frowned deeply. Lord, getting him or any man to see light was an uphill battle she knew she would always face. "Imagine for a moment that your father was alive again and the restrictions he put on your life. Did you enjoy it?"

Leo shuddered. "Of course not. The man stopped me at every turn. I had no ability to do anything that I … " His words died away as he seemed to see her point clearly for the first time.

"Now you understand. It's the same for women. We feel no less caged than men in such situations, yet it is our daily lot. Look at it from a slavery perspective. A hundred years ago, slavery was legal. Now it is not. Would you argue that we should never have ended slavery? Or say that it was not in man's universal best interests to set him free? A woman without a say in her culture, her politics, her life, or her property is no better than a slave. The chains are invisible, but still they are there."

Leo stared at her, a strange look of dawning comprehension on his face. A flicker of hope stirred in her chest. Did he finally understand?

"By God, you are quite brilliant," he muttered, seemingly shocked at his own response. "I still think too many women are far too frivolous with nothing but petticoats on their minds. I wouldn't know if I could trust them to think logically enough to vote." He spoke carefully to her, not in the condescending way he had at tea when they'd first quarreled over the issue.

Ivy laughed. "Our sex will always prefer fashion-it is in our nature to look desirable-but men are just as frivolous with your obsessions over your clothes as well as hunting and gambling. Simply because a woman might not know everything to make an informed decision doesn't mean that she doesn't have the right. I have met plenty of men in London who know little of politics yet they still vote. A person shouldn't be deprived of their rights simply because you don't believe they are informed on the issues." A chill breeze made her shiver but she was glad he was listening to her at last.

"Touché." With a rueful shake of his head, he rose from the log and held out his hand. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"A hunting lodge. It's not far," he assured her. "I've been watching you shiver for the last half hour and can't abide the sight of it any longer. You could use a warm fire."

Ivy blushed. She was cold but didn't want him to see her as weak.

"I'm fine, Leo." His name slipped out again, and she hastily turned her face away, but not before she saw him grin as though he were privy to some secret and would not share it with her.

The wooded glen they entered a few moments later revealed a small brown stone lodge. It appeared well kept and inviting. Leo opened the door and gestured for her to enter first. A cozy bed was in the corner of the room and a brick fireplace stood ready for lighting, with logs and tinder already placed in the hearth. A small kitchen area provided an array of foodstuffs tucked in the cupboards. Ivy's lips pursed as she realized someone had brought food as though the visit to the lodge had been planned.