This Duchess of Mine(50)

She was silent.

“You likely think I should close the factory,” Elijah said.

“No—”

“If I close the factory,” he interrupted, “it won’t stop people from buying glass. And if I sell the factory, there won’t be anywhere for the workers to go once they’re blinded. The run of them from the other factories end up in the poorhouses.”

“Elijah…”

“I thought I might move the house to the country, where there would be air and cleanliness, and I could get a decent woman to live in and cook for them. But they hated that idea. They like living in Spitalfields, with all their old friends dropping by for gossip and a chunk of bread. We feed half the neighborhood.”

“Elijah…” she repeated.

“Knabby has a cook shop deliver meals. I probably shouldn’t allow Sophisba there but she keeps the men happy—”

“Elijah!” She touched his cheek and he finally focused on her.

“Yes?”

“I think it’s a wonderful house. I think you’ve done exactly the right thing. I have just two suggestions.”

“You do?” His eyes lightened. “You don’t think I should—”

“I don’t think you should change anything,” she said firmly. “But perhaps you could hire a young woman to play with the children and even teach them to read.”

“We could do that easily enough,” he said, looking surprised.

“And you should fix up some sort of head…piece, with glass in the front, so the blowers don’t get smoke in their eyes.”

“What?”

“Pie could carve a sort of helmet, like a soldier’s helmet. And there could be something in front, oh I don’t know what, something. And then some glass, so they could see the glass to blow it, but their eyes would be protected.”

He stared at her.

“You could try,” she suggested.

“Damn,” he said.

“Elijah! I’ve never heard you swear.” She started laughing.

“Damn and double damn.” But he said it slowly, thinking.

“I have a question. What do you mean that Sophisba keeps the men—happy? How exactly does she…”

Elijah wasn’t listening. “I can see what you’re suggesting. It would need light wood. Or leather. It’ll take thinking.” He looked up. “Sophisba is there only when her husband’s in the Clink. When he’s out, he makes her work the streets. She’s Mrs. Nibble’s daughter, you know.”

“No!”

“She has her own room. I don’t believe she actually performs personal services for the men. But she makes them happy.”

“Because she’s a young woman.”

“She flirts with them.” He reached out and picked up her hand. “I like your hands without gloves, Jemma. And I love your idea about the helmet. I think we can make that work.”

“You can figure it out, and then make sure that all the glassblowing factories start using them,” she said, beaming at him.

“What I want to do is flirt with the most beautiful duchess in London,” he said, turning her hand over and placing a kiss in the middle of her palm.

“I flirt best over a chessboard.”

“Then chess it shall be,” he said. “Do you ever play out of doors, Jemma?”

“Chess? And a picnic, you mean? That sounds lovely.”

“I must be at my chambers in the morning. But I could arrange a picnic for the afternoon.” There was a world of meaning in his voice.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. The carriage came to a halt. “I have an appointment for tomorrow afternoon, though you’re more than welcome to join me. Parsloe’s is holding an open session of the Chess Club and I intend to become one of the members.”

“They allow women? How marvelously forward-thinking of them.” A footman opened the carriage door.

“Not at all,” Jemma said. “I believe that it was entirely in error. They simply never thought that a woman could possibly play chess. Until the redoubtable Mrs. Patton came along. You do remember her from our Twelfth Night party, don’t you?”

“Eccentric and thoroughly intelligent,” Elijah observed. “With a sharp edge to her. Mrs. Patton told me that the House should be ashamed of itself for ignoring a Quaker bill outlawing the slave trade, and she was right.”

“Mrs. Patton realized that there was nothing barring a woman from going to an open session and simply playing everyone there until she won a spot.”

“Which she did,” Elijah said, laughing.

“She took herself there for a visit last year. No one can join until they win all offered games at an open session. I shall do so tomorrow,” Jemma said serenely. “And you are welcome to try for a spot as well.”