“I would like to speak with you,” he said.
“Of course.”
She did not question it. She did not hesitate. She simply nodded slightly and waited for him to lead. Julian gestured toward the smaller sitting room nearby, the same one in which she had spoken with Halford not long before. She entered without comment, and he followed, closing the door behind them.
“I heard you speaking with Halford,” he said.
“I see. Yes, we did have a discussion earlier.”
The answer came easily.
“I shall assume you know one another, then.”
“We have met before. I know him from my time in London.”
There was no further elaboration offered.
“He sought you out privately.”
“He did.”
“And you permitted it.”
Eleanor’s expression did not change.
“There was no reason not to. Do you disagree?”
A brief silence followed, not empty, but carrying something that neither of them addressed directly. In truth, Julian did disagree, for an unmarried man had taken a married lady to a room to speak with her alone, and he did not appreciate it.
That, he told himself, was all it was.
“What did he want?” Julian asked.
Eleanor did not answer immediately. She moved slightly further into the room, her attention shifting away from him for a moment, seemingly in consideration of how she would respond.
“He wished to apologize,” she said at last. “For how matters were left between us.”
“I see. How large was the grievance?”
“Not large enough for pistols at dawn. You may make of that what you will.”
“Did you accept it?”
“No.”
The word was clear, unambiguous, leaving no room for misinterpretation. Julian was secretly pleased about that, for he did not like the idea of anyone doing such a thing.
“He offered something else, too,” she continued. “He has influence in London. He claims he can restore what was damaged. My name, my standing, my place there– he believes it can be corrected.”
“And you believe him,” he said.
“I believe he has the means to do as he says. He has assured me that he can, and I am inclined to agree.”
Silence followed, as Julian wondered just how urgent such an action was. To his knowledge, Eleanor's standing was not terrible at all. She was liked well enough, although he was aware that she had been considered a fool after what had happened to her. Then again, many ladies fell for similar things. It was not something that ruined someone for the rest of their life.
“So you are considering it,” Julian said. “Is that what you are saying?”
“Yes. If that is what I decide, I shall be in London again shortly, and out of your way.”