She hesitated a moment, then shrugged. “Yes. And I could run the store as well or take a walk without fearing attack.”
“Men fear attack as well.”
“Not in the same way,” she said.
That was certainly true. “Do you see no advantages to being a woman over a man?”
“You mean like carrying a child? Being at the creature’s beck and call. To feed it, clothe it, teach it, all while the father is off—”
“Working hard labor to provide for you and the children.”
“And drinking it away with his mates?”
That was a dark view of marriage, but he couldn’t deny that it applied to so many. “Not all men drink what they earn.”
She shrugged. “I suppose you are right. But I would rather do the work and leave someone else to carry the child.”
“Hard labor hauling wares? Tilling fields?”
“Fashioning jewelry, my lord. That is my gift, if you recall. I merely wish to do it openly.”
He could not fault her for that. “I shall make you a bargain. If you do a good job on the brooch, I shall commission something from you and tell everyone that you are the one who fashioned it.”
Her eyes widened, and her mouth slipped ajar in shock. “Truly?”
“Yes. Of course.”
She didn’t take him at his word. Instead, she glanced back at Tom, who nodded.
“’E’ll do it. ‘E’s a strange one.”
Not exactly the ringing endorsement he expected. He shot his tiger a glare. “He,” he said.
Tom nodded. “He’sa strange one.”
Also, not the sentence he wanted repeated. He slanted a look at Miss Gold. “Do we have a bargain?”
She shrugged. “It’s not much of a bargain. I was going to do an excellent job anyway, but you are the judge and jury. There is nothing stopping you from saying the work is not up to snuff, and then away you go.”
“You do not trust easily, do you, Miss Gold?”
“Why would I have reason to? My father and grandfather are honest, but the only other men I meet are the ones who wish to pawn their trinkets for money.”
What a sad statement. “Those are not the best examples of mankind.”
“No, my lord, they are quite often the worst.”
“Well, I am counted one of the best. So, I shall endeavor to expand your experience of men.” That was not phrased the way he intended, but she took it calmly enough. She even ventured a smile.
“I shall endeavor to see you in a better light and allow you to impress me.”
And with that, he had to be content. Unfortunately, five minutes later, he proved exactly how inept he was.