With the imposing building at her back, Charlotte could almost forget that she was on the estate at all.
“What a beautiful sight! Mary is a fortunate woman to be able to live here,” Agatha observed. Charlotte walked at a slower pace than usual to accommodate her grandmother. She held a notebook close to her stomach.
“That is yet to be determined. The Duke makes the final judgment.”
“Why would he want to stand in the way of love? Alfred and Mary look wonderful together,” Agatha said. She had reached a point in her life where she addressed most people by their first names in private conversation. Sometimes she even referred to the monarch as though they were old friends.
“I wouldn’t begin to guess his reasons.”
“He strikes me as a wise man. Handsome too. If I were a younger woman…” Agatha trailed away and tittered with laughter.
“Grandmother!” Charlotte gasped, her cheeks flushing crimson. She looked around quickly, relieved that nobody else was within earshot.
“It’s just the two of us here, dear. A man like him would make a good match. Frankly, I’m surprised he’s not married already. Then again, I find myself surprised by many unmarried people.”
“I agree. It would do Edmund some good to settle down. A wife might provide a sense of calm to his life.”
“I wasn’t talking just about Edmund.” Agatha stared at Charlotte, who made a point of looking away toward a particularly impressive arrangement of flowers.
“Getting married was the happiest time of my life. William was a fine man, like the Duke in many ways. I remember the first time I met him; I knew I would marry him. It was as though it waswritten in the stars. Oh, we had a grand time together. Dancing and riding… life is best when it’s lived with someone else.”
“He does not sound like the Duke at all. The man is, frankly, unpleasant and proud.”And entirely self-absorbed,she thought to herself. Their conversation in the library lingered in her mind. He still thought her aim was to trap him into marriage. He couldn’t even conceive of a reason that went beyond him.
Agatha waved away her words.
“Men often appear hard at first. When I was introduced to William, he barely smiled at me. When we danced, he was as stiff as a board. It took some time for him to show me his true self.”
“I would prefer not to be deceived. That’s why I prefer being out in nature. Nature doesn’t lie.”
“It’s not deceit; it’s just part of the game, my dear. A game all of us must play at some point because that is the purpose of life. Even your parents, as devoted as they were to their research, knew that well enough.”
Charlotte felt a twinge in her heart.
“They were fortunate to have met each other. They were of the same mind, with the same ambition. They understood each other.”
“Yes, they did,” Agatha sighed. “They were such a good match. I miss them dearly. They would have loved a place like this.”
Agatha looped her arm around Charlotte’s and patted her arm.
“They would have been proud of all three of you to see how you’ve all grown.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I do.”
“I want to make them proud, but I do not wish to compromise my own beliefs. And I would not want to sacrifice my interests for a husband. I cannot imagine someone like the Duke would approve of his wife researching nature.”
“As you said, it is difficult to discern the man’s mind. Every marriage is different.”
“But they all assume certain things. A marriage begets children, and during that time, I would have to stop my research. I wish to continue my parents’ work. A marriage would interfere with that.”
“Unless you met a man as understanding as your father.”
“And as mother was always at pains to point out, such men are rare.”
“There is still much we can learn about the Duke.”
Charlotte had to bite her tongue, for she knew him far better than the rest of her family.
