Page 37 of A Duchess Bound
“Agreed,” Bridget said. “And if you require any assistance, we shall help you find some project to pursue!”
Dorothy chuckled. “Thank you both. But that will have to wait until you are married, Bridget.”
She would not wait to answer His Grace. When she next saw him, Dorothy would deliver her answer to him. She would sayyesand tell him that they could not pursue an affair until Bridget was married. But would he still want her if she asked him to wait?
Dorothy bit the inside of her cheek. Her siblings were worried about her. If she accepted Gerard’s proposal, she might be less distracted. Rather than the aching need that coiled in her body, she would be satisfied. And instead of agonizing over how she might answer him, she would have given her answer already. This might be a beneficial solution for all involved.
“Bridget will be married quite soon,” Catherine said. “Even my husband was impressed by the interest in her. It is unparalleled.”
Bridget’s face reddened. “It is more than I anticipated. Sometimes, I would even say that it is a little overwhelming.”
Catherine nodded sympathetically. “Have you managed to find any especially suitable men out of the bunch?”
“A few,” Bridget said. “I have not felt that love at first sight like I wanted to, but…”
“I do not know iflove at first sightreally exists,” Catherine said. “To know is to love. That is what I believe.”
“Yes,” Dorothy said. “If you are fond of any particular young man, you must tell me. We can ensure that you are given ample opportunity to speak with him, and I will search the scandal sheets again?—”
“Iknow!” Bridget exclaimed.
The young woman placed her saucer and teacup on the table with such force that the porcelain rang loudly.
Dorothy blinked, startled. “Have I upset you?”
Bridget sighed and shook her head. “No,” she said. “It is only that I—I am feeling suffocated by both of you! Elias, too.”
“Suffocated?” Catherine asked.
“Yes! All any of us have talked about is my marriage, and I am beginning to feel a little as though you both think I am incapable of finding a suitable husband on my own. I am not a child anymore.”
A lump rose in Dorothy’s throat. She had not considered that Bridget might find all the attention to be a little overwhelming. That had been unkind of her. But Dorothy also felt a little twinge of hurt curl in her chest. She wastryingto be a good sibling and ensure Bridget had a safe and comfortable life. Dorothy haddevoted so much time and effort to the cause, and she felt a little…
A little upset. Maybe it was selfish of her to feel that way, but she did, regardless.
“Even you, Cat,” Bridget said. “We seldom see you, and since your arrival, you have talked about nothing except my marriage. How is your estate? How is the ball that you are planning? What about Hannah and Hesta?”
Catherine finished the rest of her tea in a rather unseemly gulp. “The estate is fine. Not much changes there. William has been pursuing some new irrigation techniques, which he believes will help the local farmers. I will admit that it is all quite uninteresting to me, but he is passionate about it.”
Bridget wrinkled her nose. Perhaps, she was likewise uninterested in irrigation techniques.
“I am sorry that I have upset you,” Dorothy said, tracing a finger around the rim of my teacup. “That was never my intention.”
Bridget’s words still hurt, but Dorothy would never say so. She would not wish to wound her sister in the same manner that she had been.
Bridget sighed. “I know it was not your intention. In some ways, that makes everything worse.”
“But you have told us,” Catherine said, smiling tightly. “We shall try to be less overbearing. You are right on one account. You are a young woman, and you are old enough to look after yourself. We can help you, but we do not need to do everything for you.”
“Thank you.”
“And perhaps, you can speak to Elias,” Catherine said, turning to Dorothy. “I have no doubt that he is being equally overbearing.”
“He is,” Bridget said dryly. “Worse, I think he is dissuading certain gentlemen from approaching me.”
“Well, if they are friends of his, they probably would not make suitable grooms,” Catherine pointed out. “I adore our brother, but the company he keeps does leave something to be desired.”
“Indeed,” Dorothy agreed. “I have seldom seen such insatiable rakes.”
