Page 12 of Dueling with the Duke
A Rare Appearance
Bridget appreciated her mother wrapping an arm around her as they walked back to be with everyone else. They had their differences over the years, but they loved each other deeply.
“It will be a wonderful wedding,” Bridget said.
“Yes, it will,” Penelope agreed.
“We both care about Margaret, and we will ensure this all goes smoothly,” Bridget continued. “I know we have had our share of disagreements over the years, and I know you wanted me to find a husband, but I am a lost cause now, Mother.”
Penelope stopped walking and faced her daughter, placing a hand on her cheek. “You are not a lost cause, my dear.”
“You need not worry. It is by choice, Mother. I have chosen one path, and Margaret has chosen another, and we will both be happy. You need to be happy for both of us.”
“I am,” Penelope assured her. She bit her bottom lip. “I will try.”
“I know you have worked hard for this wedding, and I won’t do anything to ruin it. I wish to see Margaret married more than anything, and she has chosen a wonderful man. How about we put our differences aside for these two weeks and work together to protect what you have built? We both know there are other forces at work that might bring ruin to our family.”
Penelope sighed. “Come on, let’s join the others before they begin to worry.”
When they reached the veranda, the men were clinking their cognac glasses together, and the women had small glasses of sherry. Margaret was also spooning blancmange into her mouth and had an even larger smile on her face than before.
Michael went to the serving tray held by the maid and took the other two glasses of sherry from it. He took them to Bridget and her mother.
“More drinks to celebrate my new family,” he said.
Bridget and her mother took the glasses appreciatively.
The veranda was filled with merriment, and Bridget knew she should put aside any petty squabbles and just have fun and support her sister.
“Lady Bridget, I saved you the chair next to mine!” Nicholas called from the edge of the veranda.
And just like that, some of the merriment evaporated.
“Well, don’t be rude,” Penelope urged.
“For me?” Bridget asked. “How kind.”
“Of course,” the Duke replied. “You were telling me earlier about Mary Wollstonecraft and Fanny Burney, and we never did get to finish that conversation.”
“No, we did not,” Penelope agreed.
It annoyed her that he had remembered the names she had said only once. She took her glass of sherry and went over to the chair he indicted.
When she sat down, Michael and Margaret, who were in close proximity, looked at her expectantly.
“Well, I was informing you that Mary Wollstonecraft,” Bridget stated, “aside from being one of my favorite writers, is also a very intriguing and interesting person. She has written some outstanding works, but she is also known as a philosopher who greatly advanced women’s rights and education. I admire her most for that, as they are issues close to my heart.”
“Mine, too,” Nicholas admitted. “Women should not be denied anything men have. This is all fascinating. Please, go on.”
Bridget still had a small audience. She felt the Duke was challenging her again, hoping to put her on the spot, but she was equal to it.
“Her seminal work is, of course,A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.A fascinating book that I encourage everyone to read, man or woman. Your Grace, if you have not read that book, which I presume you have not, as you did not know the author until today, then I urge you to read it. You will learn a lot from it about the ideas surrounding our place as women in our modern society.”
“I shall find a copy for my library,” the Duke said.
“She firmly believes women are the equal of men, as do I. Women should not be deprived of the same opportunities that men have.”
“I can drink to that.” The Duke nodded, before taking a swig of his cognac. He looked Bridget in the eye. “And are there any opportunities that I have had that you would like to have, Lady Bridget?”
