“Despite rumors to the contrary, I am not impolite.”
“Who was the better dancer?” Lydia asked.
“That is not a question befitting a lady,” Charlotte replied.
“Edmund spoke favorably of the Baron. Apparently, he is interested in courting you,” Mary observed.
“Yes, he mentioned something along those lines to me. I am undecided, however,” Charlotte said.
“It doesn’t seem that men like him will come along often. As Edmund tells it, he shares your interests,” Mary said.
“He does. We have even attended some of the same lectures together.”
“How wonderful! It means that you should never run out of conversation. Please say you will consider it. There is nothing better than being in love.”
“That presumes that she would love the Baron, cousin,” Lydia said with a teasing look in her eyes. “What if there was another who had already stolen her heart?”
“My heart is my own, thank you very much,” Charlotte replied haughtily.
“And yet there is something that has been on your mind today. Don’t try to deny it; I know when you are troubled. What happened when you danced with His Grace? Did he say anything meaningful?” Lydia asked.
Both Mary and Lydia leaned forward, hanging on Charlotte’s words.
“This idle speculation of yours is maddening. I don’t know why you are so fixated on the dynamic shared between me and His Grace.” Charlotte turned away in frustration, although she did feel a desire to open up about her feelings. It was getting hard to cope with them by herself.
“Because there is something between you. What? I cannot define it, but it is there for all to see. Even last night, he only danced with you and Lady Honoria. Doesn’t that suggest some level of affection?” Lydia asked.
“And me! He danced with me, too!” Clara piped up, looking up from her doll.
Mary laughed as she bent down and stroked Clara’s head.
“Yes, we’re all aware he danced with you, darling,” she said. Clara seemed happy that she was acknowledged and went back to playing with her doll.
“Lydia speaks the truth, Charlotte. Even Alfred has noticed it. And His Grace did seem freer when he danced with you. I think that is the best way to put it anyway.”
Charlotte pressed her lips together before she spoke.
“Then you all seem to be able to see something that I cannot. His Grace is… I am not even sure where to begin. True, we have enjoyed some stimulating discussions about literature, but our opinions differ about the fundamental matters of life.”
“Even Alfred and I do not agree on everything,” Mary pointed out.
“Mother and Father used to bicker sometimes,” Lydia added.
Charlotte sighed and put her hand to her forehead, massaging her temples.
“There are moments when he seems agreeable, and I feel that I can engage with him as an equal. But then there are other times when he is obstinate, and instead of speaking with him, I am receiving a lecture from him. He can change his mood on a whim, and I never quite know where I stand.”
Lydia laughed and brought her hands close to her chest.
“Why are you finding such joy in my predicament?” Charlotte asked.
“Because this is wonderful! I’ve been telling you that this is just like a love story. I don’t know why you aren’t listening to me. In every story, there is tension. All of this drama—it’s exhilarating!”
Charlotte tried to ignore the teasing element in Lydia’s voice, but it wasn’t necessarily easy to do. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Lydia, I do wish you would get these foolish notions out of your head. There is no drama between me and Nathaniel; there’s simply a difference of opinion.”
Mary and Lydia looked at each other. Charlotte wondered what was wrong. A grin spread across Lydia’s face.
