Marina gritted her teeth at the thought of such a rigorous existence, but she let him speak. She was sure she would have plenty to say when all was said and done.
Satisfied that she was not going to interrupt, Evan continued. “Lilly is a very sensitive girl. After … last year … that sensitivity only increased. But it should not be encouraged. Under no circumstances should you be sentimental with her or lenient with her. She needs structure, routine, stability. Perhaps with time that will stop …” he looked away for a moment, as if he caught himself from divulging a sensitive secret. “If her routine is the same every day, then she will know what to expect,” he said softly. “She will find safety in that routine. Do you have any questions?”
“Just one,” Marina said crisply. “When exactly is she allowed to be a child?”
Evan frowned. “She is five years old. Of course, she is a child.”
“All of her time is to be spent studying, taking walks, or working on an embroidery sampler?” She looked at him indignantly. “When is she allowed to play? When does she see her friends?”
“Prince William is her only friend, and she sees him every night,” he said. “They play fetch while she takes walks around the garden.”
Marina looked at him with exasperation. “Prince William is a dog. She needs human friends. Children her own age. Surely some of your neighbors have children that she can play with.”
“I assume some have children,” he said. “I cannot imagine all of them are celibate. But I do not like to think about such vulgar things.”
For a moment, he caught her by surprise so much that she wanted to laugh. She stopped herself at the last moment by biting her lip. “We should find out which of our neighbors have children. Some will be her age. We can arrange playdates for her.”
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Why would she want to play with other children? They are unpredictable.”
“Playing with other children will give her a sense of normalcy and stability. Thatiswhat you want for her, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is,” he said, looking faintly annoyed. “I just told you that children can be unpredictable. They could be cruel to her. Besides, I do not want her to leave the manor. She’s safe here.”
Even though he had done his best to keep his voice in a near-monotone, Marina picked up on his anxiety about his daughter.Of course, he’s worried about her. He’s already shown so much concern for me. I cannot imagine how much concern he would have for someone he actually loves.
She took a deep breath and continued to talk in a gentler tone. “I know you care for Lilly. We both want to see her happy and thriving. Do you agree?”
Hesitantly, he nodded. “Yes, I believe we can agree on that.”
“Good.” She smiled. “Then I will follow your rules about tending to her lessons, taking her for walks, and working on her embroidery sampler. But you must follow mine as well.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Go on, then. State your terms.” His voice held a note of warning, but he was willing to hear her out, so Marina saw this as a triumph.
“Lilly must join us for all of our meals,” Marina said. “And we willbothhelp her socialize outside of the house. It’s important that she knows how to behave comfortably around her peers. If she wishes to follow in your footsteps and become a recluse as an adult, then that is her choice. But we cannot make that choice for her.”
He looked a little annoyed at that. “Anything else?” he asked, his voice impatient.
“Indeed,” she said. “I also want you to spend at least an hour with her every day. If she is to have a stable childhood home, then she needs to spend quality time with her father.”
He looked conflicted for a moment as he considered her words before he finally answered. “I will consider having her join us for meals. And spending time with her for one hour, if she’s amenable to it. But there is no need for her to go and socialize with people. She is five, and I will not put her in danger by sending her out into the world.”
“I’m not saying we should send her wandering by herself like a knight errant! She will be perfectly safe going with her nanny or us to the neighbors’ houses, where she will play with other children.”
“You do not know that,” he said. “There are too many variables.”
The footmen came into the room to serve them tea and cake for dessert. Marina sipped the warm liquid. Between the tea and the stew, she was already starting to feel a little stronger, even though she knew she needed to take it easy unless she wanted to start feeling bad again.
“Perhaps you would feel more comfortable sending Lilly out to play with the neighborhood kids if you knew them better yourself. Perhaps we can throw a casual get-together here so we can all get to know each other better. It does not have to be something as formal as a ball. Perhaps a garden party, with games and music.”
“I told you there would be no social gatherings,” he said. “I have no interest in making my place in society, and I will certainly not be hosting guests in my manor. I enjoy my privacy too much.”
“Clearly,” she said, setting down her teacup. “But I’m not suggesting a ball, or strategies to ingratiate ourselves into society. This is for Lilly’s sake.”
“Absolutely not,” he said.
She shrugged and picked up her fork. She took a bite of cake, relishing in the sweetness. She was glad that her appetite was back now that the wedding was over. It would be a shame to miss out on such a wonderful dessert. “If you do not want to mingle with your neighbors, then I can take her to London,” she said. “You do not have to come. I know how much you detest the city, after all. She can stay with me at Shirley Manor, where my family can help her prepare for her debut.”
He watched her speak with growing horror. When she finished, he said, “Perhaps it will not be completely intolerable to have her meet some of the neighborhood children. They willnotbe coming here, but Lilly could be safe enough with her nanny, or with you.” He shook his head. “Certainly safer than London.”
