“Yes, but if it isn’t him then it’ll be Lord Carson or the younger son of the Duke of Roring, whose name I scarcely remember. I swear more appear each day, and Papa won’t let me get away with not being married until I’m your age, you know that.”
“I do, but I also don’t think he expects you to marry the first gentleman who shows interest. Despite his many flaws”—Clara snorted at this—“he isn’t trying to get rid of you. He’ll want the match to be the best match for all involved. You have plenty of options.”
“But isn’t it seen as some sort of omen if one doesn’t marry in their debut Season?” Clara whispered. Shame and something else that Isobel couldn’t quite identify laced her words.
If that was the case, Isobel had collected quite a few omens. “Well, why don’t you want to marry, is the question.”
“You can’t tell Papa. Swear it.”
“Unless you’re plotting something truly devious, I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Clara gave her an insistentlook.
“I swear!” Isobel exclaimed.
Her niece pulled the covers all the way up to her nose as she said, “I want to go to medical school.”
Isobel’s heart cracked. She knew all too well how it felt, wanting to be someone or something she couldn’t be. “Oh, my sweet girl. They don’t allow women into those institutions.”
“I could be the first,” she said. And her fire swept through whatever uncertainty she had been feeling as she rolled on her back and slapped the covers down with her arms. “Or I could apprentice with a midwife or a doctor. That’s what I truly want to do anyway. I want torevolutionizethe way women are treated when it comes to their health, especially concerning childbirth. If we are going to be seen as nothing but brood mares, the least society can do for us is make it to where we don’t die in the act.”
Ah, that was the real reason, then. Her mother, Hetty, had died giving birth to her. Everything suddenly made sense. Her thirst for knowledge was fueled by something much deeper. If anyone could convince a medical school to let her in, it was Clara.
“Well,” Isobel said, nodding slowly, “I think it is a fine idea. And perhaps if you said it just like that, your father would have no option but to listen. You can also get marriedandbecome a midwife.”
“Do you really think Papa would allow it?”
Isobel sighed. “I don’t really know,” she answered honestly. He was fiercely protective over Clara and was always concerned for her well-being. Isobel thought about the last thing he’d said to her. He saw it as a woman’s role to marry, like the rest of society, but would he deny his youngest daughter this?
Clara blew out a noisy breath. “Me either, but I suppose I can be brave and at least ask him. Now, what’s wrong with you? Beyondhaving caught a cold. You’ve been particularly mysterious and glum these last couple of days.”
Clara had always been overly perceptive. There was no point in lying about this. “I feel … heartbroken,” Isobel replied. Even the word made her want to cry, but she wouldn’t dare do so in front of her niece.
“Hmm,” Clara hummed. “Are you in love with someone, then?”
Isobel’s heart palpitated.Love. “What makes you say that?”
“Because for a moment there, I thought you had maybe started to fall in love with Lord Richard, but that isn’t the case, is it? Especially after that dreadful afternoon with his parents—donotget me started on that debacle again.Oooo,do tell me who it is. It’ll distract me from my own sorrows,” she said, dramatically placing the back of her hand to her forehead.
Isobel groaned. Had she truly been so open with her emotions? She didn’t think so. Clara just had the uncanny ability to sit quietly and observe so as not to alert her father to the fact that she should be in a lesson.
“You’re not acquainted with him,” she said carefully. “And it doesn’t matter. We can never be together.”
“Is he married? Is he a prince? No—a servant, then?” Clara’s enthusiasm grew with each guess.
Isobel flapped her hand to make her stop. “None of those, but it doesn’t matter. I’m to be wed to Lord Richard.” Even if she could get out of the marriage, it was too late. Ved was probably already gone.
“That’s the only thing stopping you?” Clara asked much louder than she needed to, incredulity dripping from every word.
“Not exactly,” Isobel said miserably. “Even so, I can’t end a betrothal for no good reason only to wed someone else.” Hell, she wasn’t sure the bruises she had would be a good enough excuse. But even if she dared to, she had no way of reaching Ved if he werealready gone.
An ache ricocheted through her ribs at the thought.
“How about if the reason is that his head is so far up his own ass?”
“Clara,” Isobel groaned, but couldn’t help but smile at her sincerity.
“I’m merely saying,” she amended, “there are several reasons to call off the wedding. You didn’t know about the special license, nor did you really even get proposed to the correct way. I’m surprised he even got you a betrothal gift, that’s how sudden it was. Probably snatched it off some unsuspecting fool on his way over that day.”
