Joseph didn’t have a good temper at the best of times and the man’s words got under his skin, like an itch that would be impossible to scratch. He knew he was risking is reputation and that of the papers’ and he thought he’d be prepared for the criticism that was to follow but obviously that wasn’t the case.
“I doubt a hoity-toity Lord like yourself would understand, sir, but I’ve seen things – things that cannot be explained away as simply stories. I’m not about to ignore the truth because it’s inconvenient or hard to stomach.” He said, wishing he could grab hold of the man and shake him. He would have done, if he were anything less than a Lord, but he risked a charge that he could ill-afford.
“There won’t be a retraction and no amount of your bluster is going to make it so. I think you’d be better off leaving now, sir, before one of us says or does something we’d regret.” Joseph said, gripping the back of the editor’s chair so hard his knuckles turned white.
Lord Edgar was a foolish man. The newspaper business had ruined more than one man’s reputation and Joseph wasn’t in the mood to forget something like this. He’d get one of the copy-boy’s to follow him. There would be something – a mistress, money under the table, rent-boys – there always was and Joseph was more than happy to print anything found.