The Pretender Read Free

and threaded her slender fingers together on the table before her. “I was just thinking about what you said earlier, of that pamphlet you read.”
    “Yes?”
    She glanced once at Isabella, the sister closest to her in age, who gave her a small dissuasive shake of her head.
    Elizabeth, however, pressed on.
    “I believe you stated that the pamphlet was ‘foolishness’ and ‘a waste of the paper on which it was printed . . .’ ” She paused, staring at the wall of his newspaper. “I wondered, though, mustn’t there be some interest in such writings if the publishers of these pamphlets are printing them?”
    The room went silent. Conversation ceased as all eyes turned to gape at Elizabeth. A moment passed. Then two. Everyone, including the footmen, and even her mother’s pet pug, Ming, braced themselves for the outburst that was sure to follow.
    But the duke simply lowered his newspaper, peering at his eldest daughter over its top. “What did you say?”
    Elizabeth sat up straighter in her chair, squaring her shoulders. “I simply wondered why anyone would go tothe expense and trouble of publishing works such as the one you mentioned if they truly were unworthy of print.”
    The duke’s eyes, the same hazel color as hers, narrowed.
    “After all,” she quickly added, “I am merely a woman and so do not have your grasp of such matters.”
    Her sarcasm, disguised in humility, went lost on the duke. He lightened. He even smiled. One could almost hear the others in the room breathing a collective sigh of relief.
    “Ah, my pet, you are too young, too innocent to grasp the true concept of scandal and controversy. You must therefore allow me to enlighten you.”
    Elizabeth nodded.
    “It is an unfortunate reality that two things—scandal and controversy—alone sell more newspapers and books than the greatest examples of literature and learning combined. The more shocking the subject matter, the more copies, I am afraid, go into circulation. It doesn’t so much matter if any of it is true. What it comes down to is that so long as the public continues to devour this rubbish, the publishers will continue to print it and fill their coffers to overflowing from it.”
    “I see.”
    Elizabeth waited several moments before she quietly added, “But did you not buy one of these pamphlets yourself, sir?”
    The duke turned to his wife. “What is it you are teaching these girls, Margaret?”
    “The child makes a valid point, Alaric.”
    “Valid?” The duke exhaled, looking again to his eldest daughter. “Yes, my dear child, I did purchase thepamphlet,” he paused, searching for a suitable explanation, “but only so that I might educate you and your sisters on what is proper and improper reading material.” He plucked a book of poetry from Matilda who was reading over her bowl of breakfast porridge beside him. Mattie shrieked at the unexpected assault while the duke waved her book through the air like a war banner.
    “This,” the duke said, his voice gaining as he swept the book outward for all to see, “this is proper reading material for genteel young ladies. Pretty words to create pretty thoughts. This, ” he went on, taking up the objectionable pamphlet, “is improper reading material, filled with nonsensical words that breed nothing but nonsensical thoughts.” He walked to the hearth and flung the booklet into the embers, then turned to frown at his children behind him. “You would do well to remember that. All of you.”
    The dutiful chorus sang out again, “Yes, Papa.”
    At the opposite end of the table, however, Elizabeth was staring at her father in stony silence. She watched him return to his chair and retreat behind his newspaper once again, effectively putting an end to any further commentary. She wanted desperately to counter, but as her mother had always told her, “a wise woman must choose the most opportune time and place for such debate.” The Drayton breakfast table when her father was