He leaned against the door jamb, half in the shadows.
âI like her, she has a spark.â
âShe does,â Rob agreed with a broad smile.
âHow long has it been now?â
âEight months, father,â he replied. âAs Iâm sure you know full well.â
Lister nodded slowly. âI just wanted to be certain.â He raised his head. âItâs long enough to be serious.â
âYes, it is.â
âWhat about the girl?â
âHow do you mean?â Rob asked.
James Lister spread his hands in exasperation. âAre you just a way to fill her time or is she in love with you?â
âSheâs told me she loves me.â
Lister raised his eyebrows. âAnd I suppose youâve said the same to her?â
âI have,â Rob admitted, feeling himself redden.
âTheyâre not idle words, I take it?â
âNo,â Rob replied fiercely. âOf course not.â
Lister stroked his chin thoughtfully. âYou know there were rumours about her a year and a half or so back? People said she was running wild.â
âShe told me all about it,â Rob said, an edge in his voice. âBut there was never anything improper.â
Lister removed his spectacles and polished them with his kerchief. âHas there been with you?â he asked.
âNo, there hasnât.â Rob paused. âWhy are you asking me all this, anyway, father?â
âBecause I donât want you coming home one day and announcing youâre betrothed to the girl, thatâs all,â he said, his voice firm as iron.
Rob bristled. âWhy not? I love her, so does Mother â you just said that you like her yourself.â
Lister shook his head as if his son was stupid.
âLikingâs fine, lovingâs fine, I suppose,â he said, âbut sheâs not a girl for you to marry.â
âI thought you respected Mr Nottingham. You recommended me to him for a job.â
âHeâs a good enough Constable,â Lister acknowledged. âAnd he can be fine company at times. But heâs not the right class socially.â All the pleasantry had gone from his voice. âTell me, what do you know about your Constable? About his past, I mean.â
âNothing, really,â Rob admitted. âIâve never felt the need. I know there was money when he was young, but it went and he lived as best he could.â
âHis father was a wool merchant â quite middling, the wife brought all the money to the marriage,â his father explained. âHe discovered she was having an affair and threw her and their son out. She had to make her living as a whore while the lad begged and stole.â
Rob stayed silent, staring at his father. Heâd heard hints of the story, nothing more. But the Richard Nottingham he knew was the Constable, an excellent one, too, a man he admired, that heâd learned from.
âI donât see how that affects Emily,â he said, concentrating on keeping his voice under control.
Lister snorted. âIâd hoped youâd managed to acquire a bit of common sense by now, Robert. Weâre a respectable family. We have a long line, we have some money, weâre not scrabbling in the dirt for our pennies. We have a reputation. I wonât have my son marrying the granddaughter of a whore.â
âSo the Constableâs daughter isnât good enough for your son?â
âNo, sheâs not,â Lister answered sharply. âYou see how her father dresses; the man might as well be wearing rags. And the girl? She works, she teaches.â
âWhat are you saying I should do?â Rob asked. Anger was growing inside him, but he kept it carefully tamped down, his fists clenched tight at his sides, nails digging into his palms.
âDrop her. Or keep on walking out with her if you want. Bed the bitch if you can, if sheâs slut enough. I donât really