Chapter 144: Joining the March
“Please, Arthur—help me. I have money. The Gray family has plenty of money, enough to pay whatever you ask.”
After receiving the letter Arthur had retrieved, young man Beau of the Gray family once again begged Arthur for help.
He knew about his family's stance toward the women's rights movement. In the eyes of the Gray family, the movement was deeply tied to the Braithwaite family. Even the fact that the rally could be held smoothly was thanks to the Braithwaite connection.
After all, the current head of the Braithwaite family was an elderly lady who also supported the suffrage rallies.
“All right… for the sake of the greenbacks.”
Arthur finally agreed to Beau’s request.
…
Meanwhile, Davey arrived at the gathering point for the women’s rights rally with two of his men.
“Mrs. Calhoon, this is Davey Callander. He’s very interested in our rally.”
Seeing Davey, Penelope naturally introduced him to Mrs. Calhoon.
Mrs. Calhoon looked at Davey—dressed like a gentleman of high standing, with two subordinates following behind—and said with pleasant surprise, “Welcome, Mr. Callander. As you can see, we’re almost entirely ladies here. It’s rare to see men.”
Her reaction wasn’t out of shock—rather, she had been expecting him. Penelope had already spoken with her about Davey.
Securing wealthy supporters was vital for the women’s rights movement. The cause demanded money, and up until now it had been the elderly Lady Catherine who provided most of the financial support.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Calhoon. I’ve always believed that women should enjoy the same rights as men—not just the right to vote, but equal opportunities in education, work, and politics.”
“If Mrs. Calhoon is willing, I’d be honored to join this protest march and offer whatever modest help I can for the safety of all the young ladies and women participating.”
Davey’s words delighted Mrs. Calhoon; it was clear he genuinely supported women’s rights.
Women alone could rarely create enough public impact—only with more wealthy backers could the movement gain a louder voice.
“This is the best news I’ve heard all day, Mr. Callander. With your support, I’m certain this march will be a complete success,” Mrs. Calhoon said joyfully.
…
Arthur and Beau soon arrived as well.
“Beau—what are you doing here?”
Penelope, happy to see him, immediately tensed up.
“I can’t let you go through with this, Penelope. You could be killed,” Beau whispered.
“I’m prepared to risk my life for this, Beau. You know that.”
“And you don’t need to worry too much. We’ve gained Mr. Callander’s support. With his help, the march will go smoothly,” Penelope said, glancing toward Davey, who was still speaking with Mrs. Calhoon.
Arthur also turned to look and caught sight of Davey at the same moment Davey noticed him.
“Excuse me a moment, ma’am—my friend has just arrived,” Davey said to Mrs. Calhoon before walking over.
“Oh, Arthur! I never expected to meet you here. What a pleasant surprise!”
Davey pulled Arthur into a warm hug.
“Davey, I’m only helping a poor young fellow chase after his love,” Arthur said with resignation.
Penelope’s expression stiffened. She hadn’t expected Beau to show up—and certainly not at the same time her family was planning to arrange a match between her and Davey.
Worse still, Arthur, the one delivering their letters, turned out to be Davey’s friend. There was no way to hide anything now.
“I… I’m so sorry, Mr. Callander. I… I—” Penelope stammered, unsure how to explain.
Beau sensed something was wrong. “Penelope, what’s going on?”
Davey slipped an arm around Arthur’s shoulder and smiled. “Everyone has the right to choose and pursue their own love, Miss Penelope. I know very well what Mrs. Braithwaite has in mind, but the truth is—I already have someone I care about.”
“So please, Miss Penelope, don’t feel guilty about any of this.”
Relief washed over Penelope. If Davey had told his mother about her and Beau, it would have been a disaster.
“Thank you, Mr. Callander,” Penelope said earnestly.
Beau didn’t know the details, but he could guess it was tied to the Braithwaite family. For now, at least, things seemed to be turning for the better.
At Beau’s request, Arthur once again took on the role of the march’s coachman.
Mrs. Calhoon would never ask Davey to drive the wagon—but Arthur was a different story.
On the way to the march, Davey and his men simply rode on horseback beside the carriage.
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