CHAPTER4
Phoebe picked up her teacup, absently adding in more sugar as she read the papers in front of her. Her breakfast table was set for one, as her aunt always preferred to spend her mornings in her room, particularly if she had been out the night before. Phoebe didn’t overly mind. It gave her time to read, to become caught up on the day’s news. Not that there was anything of particular interest today.
She was about to skip over the gossip pages — none of it was ever true anyway — when initials jumped off the page toward her, and she leaned in for a better look.
Lady P.W. was seen leaving the drawing room at the home of the Earl of T. with a look of consternation on her face. Minutes later, the Marquess of B. was seen departing the very same room. What were the two of them doing within — alone?
Phoebe threw the paper back down on top of the pile in disgust. Well, perhaps some of it was true. It was bad enough that the marquess had listened to her private conversation. At the very least, however, he had the courage to admit to it. Not like this particular coward, whoever it was, who spied upon people and then fed it to the gossip columns — and for what purpose?
She closed her eyes and resolved to push the entire issue — the words of the marquess, the reporting of their meeting — completely from her mind. She had more important things to see to.
She forced down two more bites of toast before pushing back from her circular rosewood breakfast table. She loved this quaint room, a little nook in the corner of the house off of the main dining room. She ate many of her meals here, alone or with her aunt, as it seemed silly to use the larger, more formal dining room, which was often cold and rather drafty.
She continued down the hall toward the study. It had once been her father’s, and while she had kept many of the paintings in the same style he had preferred, she had added her own touch to the room, making it slightly softer, a little more feminine. There was now an ornate brass mirror on the wall where an elk’s head — a hunting trophy — had once been showcased, and the portrait of her grandfather had been moved from its previous place of prominence to another wall in order to make room for a portrait of her parents within an oval frame. She looked up at them now, wondering what they would think of her latest scheme. Would they be proud of her, or would they frown upon her thoughts, and her resulting actions?
They had raised her to have her own mind, to believe that she could create possibilities for herself. Even if they would not have completely approved of her plans, she felt that they would understand it was something she had to do. Aunt Aurelia had been concerned over Phoebe’s safety, more than anything, when she explained to her the idea running through her mind.
But in the end, Aurelia had offered her support, for which Phoebe was particularly grateful.
She sat down now in front of the satinwood desk, running her hands over the gilded edges. When she closed her eyes, she could still see her father sitting here, bent over his ledgers and papers, his quill pen scribbling furiously. She missed him — she missed both of her parents. It had been the three of them for so long, and then everything changed when her mother became ill, her father soon following. Phoebe had always thought that if he had fought harder, perhaps he could have beaten it. Her mother had always been so frail, and she went quickly, but her father… his heart had gone with her mother.
Phoebe wondered if she would ever find a love such as that of her parents, with a man who would support her, who would love her for the outspoken woman she was. If not… well, she shrugged, she would create a good life for herself. Her parents had ensured she had the means to do so, at any rate.
Phoebe opened the top drawer of the desk, pulling out a piece of paper and laying it on the flat surface in front of her. She dipped her pen into the ink and then began making a list of everything she needed. The ideas beginning to flow, she found a new sheet of paper, beginning to organize her thoughts into sections, columns, and headlines. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, scribbling away on multiple pieces of paper until the desktop in front of her was scattered with sheets full of notes in her untidy handwriting. Despite the disorder, a swell of purpose coursed through her, unlike anything she had felt in a long while. This was it. Now, she only had to put her plan into action.
She stood to find her butler, to tell him to have the groom ready her carriage, but was startled when he appeared in the doorway before she could take a step forward.
“My lady? Lady Julia Stone here to visit you. Shall I tell her this is not a good time?”
“Oh, no, of course not,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I will greet her in the upstairs drawing room. Could we have some tea sent in?”
“Of course, my lady,” he said, and was gone as silently as he had arrived. Phoebe looked down at herself. She had a morning gown on still, though it wasn’t her best — an old navy dress that was comfortable more than anything. Her hands were stained with ink, and she didn’t even want to know what her hair looked like at the moment. Oh well. Julia would understand.
She gathered her papers, binding them together with a strand of twine as she made her way down the corridor to the drawing room. This had been her mother’s domain, but again Phoebe had simply put her own touch on it. The gold walls gave the room a feeling of grandeur, with the wainscoting, intricate ceiling roses, and gilded cornices providing a touch of extravagance. The delicate furniture was feminine, setting off the expensive pianoforte and musical instruments along the wall — instruments she never played, but that her mother had so loved.
“Julia, how lovely of you to visit!” Phoebe said with a true grin, bending to greet her longtime friend with an embrace. Julia looked as lovely as ever, of course, her blonde hair pulled back away from her face, with the slightest corkscrew curls round her forehead, her blue eyes wide.
“Of course,” Julia said with a smile as she took a seat upon the pink floral motif of the stenciled and gilt settee. Phoebe took the matching one across from Julia. Phoebe noted as she did so that, somehow, the tea had already arrived and was centered in the middle of the table in front of them.
“I had to speak with you about last night,” Julia continued. “You left so quickly, I was sure something untoward must have occurred with the marquess. Whatever could he have wished to speak with you about?”
“Oh that,” said Phoebe with a sigh. “Just another belligerent man making his opinions known.”
She no longer felt like discussing the entire conversation, now having something much more exciting of which to speak.
“But oh, Julia, following our discussion last night, I’ve made a decision. One that will change things — forever, I hope.”
Julia raised her eyebrows, leaning forward slightly at Phoebe’s exuberance.
“This sounds particularly consequential,” she remarked. “Do tell.”
“Very well,” said Phoebe with a grin, appreciating Julia’s interest. “Last night we were discussing one newspaper article in particular, but the truth is, that is only one of many. Even worse, most times women are not even discussed except in the columns of the gossip pages.”
“Oh yes, speaking of that, I saw —”
“That matters not,” Phoebe cut in, tired of any discussions regarding the marquess. “But this does. What became rather apparent is that nothing is ever going to change, because all discourse is created by men. Well, it’s time to take action. I am going to begin a paper, Julia. A newspaper that only includes the opinions of women, written for women. It will include everything they may be interested in. News articles — from a women’s point of view. Opinion pieces. Some articles on various pastimes of women — many of which I am not particularly fond, but I understand that many women are. Fashion. Advice. It will be brilliant.”
Julia’s eyes widened the more Phoebe spoke, and now her mouth opened in surprise.