Page 36 of A Duchess Bound
“I believe that was precisely what Perrault intended,” Catherine said. “Dorothy is right. One can never be too careful on the marriage-mart.”
“That is true,” Dorothy said. “See? Catherine agrees with me.”
“However,” Catherine said. “Dorothy, dearest, you must be terribly exhausted if you are so distracted.”
Dorothy bit the inside of her cheek. She would sooner die than admit the true reason that her thoughts were wandering so terribly. “It is nothing. Just a little fatigue.”
Catherine frowned. “You need to take care of yourself.”
“I do.”
“No,” Catherine said, giving Bridget a sideways glance. “No, you have always spent all your time and energy caring forus. I cannot recall you ever doing anythingjustfor yourself.”
“I am certain that I have,” Dorothy said. “Careis not a limited resource, like gold or silver.”
“But it is,” Catherine argued. “You must take some time to care for yourself. You have run yourself ragged on Bridget’s behalf, and none of us wants that.”
“She must secure?—”
“I know,” Catherine interrupted. “I know. Bridget must marry, and you are terrified that you will repeat the same mistakes with her that you did with me. But you will not! Bridget is a proper young miss and the most beautiful of us all.”
Bridget beamed over her teacup. “That is kind of you.”
“It is unquestionably true,” Catherine said.
The conversation lapsed into silence, and Dorothy sipped her tea. She must try to be less distracted. If her siblings were noticing her change in behavior, the rest of the tonwould as well. Worse,hemight notice.
If she refused his request, would the distractions cease? If she had no chance of being with him, would she cease to think about him entirely? Dorothy imagined that one could not obsess over a man forever. There must be some logical end to her plight.
“I think you need to do something for yourself,” Catherine said.
It took the full force of Dorothy’s will to listen to her sister’s words. “Yes?”
“Yes. After Bridget is married, you must find something that you enjoy. Something to pursue.”
“Like what?” Dorothy asked, laughing a little.
“Like writing a book!” Bridget declared. “Oh, you could write some sweeping romance!”
“I have never been a particularly good writer,” Dorothy said.
“Ask Elias for funds to build a seminary for young ladies,” Catherine suggested. “Begin a society to educate the poor. You are so kind that there must be some social cause for you to champion.”
“But not championtoofiercely,” Bridget said. “You want to do something that brings you fulfillment.”
“That is true,” Catherine mused. “I can imagine you becoming all too devoted to a cause and helping others at the expense of yourself.”
“You both worry too much about me.”
But there was something beautiful about the idea of doing something just for herself, just because it pleased her to do it. Dorothy’s thoughts did not turn to some social cause, however, for she was not nearly as noble as her sisters assumed. Instead, she thought of the encounter with His Grace and what he had promised if she would onlysubmitto him.
It sounded like a dreadful idea. A dangerous one.
But the thought of submitting to him made her heart race and her blood roar in her ears. It was something that sounded quite unlike her, or perhaps, itwasher—just some unacknowledged part of herself. A part she had always been afraid to face.
“I am intrigued by the idea,” Dorothy conceded. “I suppose that you are both right, although I am remiss to admit it. I have seldom pursued any interest for myself.”
Catherine smiled. “Indeed. It is well past time for you to, dear sister.”
