15. Supper for three ... perhaps?

My return to Rogeringham was not long after lunch time so I went to my study and Barclay brought me some bread, some ham and mustard, to make up for missing the meal. I asked him to reimburse Henry for the money I had given to Mrs Dodgson.

"Mrs Dodgson, Your Grace?"

I laid out for him what had happened, even telling him my observations about her.

"Since you first asked me to discover what I could about her husband, Your Grace, I have heard rumours that Alfred Dodgson is a man who - shall we say - indulges. I had heard that he enjoys a wager but also that he is a heavy drinker, and people tell me that he has a heavy hand."

"He hits her?"

"I understand so Your Grace, his boast is that he rules his house with 'a rod of iron'."

"Barclay?"

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"Am I less of a man, because I cannot stand men who lay hands on a woman in such a way?"

"I would offer to fight any man who dared to suggest that was so, sir, except that I know you would deal with the matter far more effectively." He replied. "But if Your Grace was not there, I would gladly beat them to a bloody pulp on your behalf.

"There are some who say that women are merely chattels," he went on, "To be done with as a man wishes. I suggest that Your Grace's upbringing with a family of such formidable women as your mother and sisters, has opened your eyes to the error of that belief.

"As to whether you are less of a man? My answer is simply 'no', sir, you're the better man because of it. A man that beats a woman is a brute, and a man that brutalises a child is the lowest of the low."

"We were all 'corrected' as children." I told him.

"Yes sir, but sadly there are men who go beyond that. I shall ask Mrs Ellis's deputy if there are any cast-offs that could go to the family."

"Please do Barclay, I shall ask for my mother's help as well." Suddenly, I had an idea. "We have many tied cottages and estate workers; a gift is in order to all the families to celebrate Christmas and my accession to the title. Nothing extravagant, a goose or something like that?"

"It will be a near run thing in terms of time, Your Grace, what with the ball and all, but I shall engage Mr Dives and Mrs Ellis in this as well."

I was entering the events of the last few days in my journal when there was a knock on my door. It was Helena, with Charlotte and Caroline.

Once again, I went through the events of the day before and those of the morning. Charlotte went off to help Barclay get his task started, which left me with Caroline and Helena.

I invited them both to dine with me that evening in my chamber, the huge space I call a bedroom at Rogeringham Hall has sufficient room for a table and a setting for four people, as well as my bed and other furniture.

They both looked at each other in surprise, though they both accepted without hesitation.

Caroline wondered what she should wear for the occasion, and before I could answer, Helena suggested something light, and loose. They then left to primp and powder themselves in preparation.