Page 3 of Duchess Material

“What? I’d have to be blind to ignore either one of them, Margie.”

“She’s beautiful, but that’s not why I love her. She’s witty and she drives me up a wall with her competitiveness. I live for it.”

“She’s clever,” Margaret said. “I can tell. Arabella was not.”

“Mam, you don’t need to shit on her. We all know how it ended and how ridiculous it got.”

He could have gone on about how ill-advised things were with the ex-wife. She came in like a wrecking ball and left like a nuclear disaster. He was head-over-heels with her quickly, but it was ill-conceived. Ed was now much more cautious. He loved Natalie but wanted to proceed with a clear head. He knew things for Natalie were different. If they did the going-public thing, he would be on public parade every day of the week. Ed was not ready to be known as some sort of pants model who fell for a princess. He was happy to have her for now.

The problem with Arabella was her different level of investment. She saw Ed as a status symbol. She loved the idea of Ed—almost as a conquest—but bored of him quickly. He soured of her controlling behaviour and their lack of conversation. Ed wasn’t happy with a marriage of convenience. He wanted the whole thing.

“She’s just… she is still so hateful.”

“Yes, Mam. But does it do any good to engage?”

“I am just glad you’re getting out there,” John said. “But I worry that you won’t be able to stay out there, son.”

“Why not?”

“You always run around or go out with friends! Do you even get time to one another?”

Ed chuckled. “I can assure you that we get plenty of quality time together. I’m good.”

Margaret shook her head. “You men worry too much about sex. They’re in their thirties. What do you think they get up to?”

“But… how?”

“There are workarounds, Dad. I am not going to explain how I manage it, thanks. She was at the flat a lot. You just never would have known it.”

“She came to your shit little flat over the garage?”

“Often unannounced.” Ed smiled a bit at the thought of it.

Margaret sighed, “She must love you.”

John snickered.

Margaret began unpacking the photos. “I worry she is a wild lass, and you aren’t getting younger.”

“Are you suggesting my girlfriend is unable to commit? That I am?”

She didn’t take the bait.

“Look, we haven’t discussed anything in detail. You’re freaking out over nothing. Nat is brave and outspoken but she’s not too wild. She’s brilliant at pushing me out of my comfort zone. Yes, she can be exhausting at times. I am she’d say the same.”

“I can relate.” John looked at his wife.

Margaret rolled her eyes. “You want children, Edwin.”

“She will want them eventually. She isn’t opposed to them. She worries about being maternal enough.” Ed left out the implicit “she has no choice in the matter” part.

“Well, not all women. That’s no fault. And, anyhow, if she’s anything like Queen Margaux was, I would bet she’d delegate it to you,” Margaret said of Natalie’s grandmother.

“What?”

John explained, “Her husband, the Duke, he raised those kids. Quite modern of them. I can’t imagine the King would do the same.”

“I disagree. If you had seen him with George’s boyfriend’s kid, you’d know. He loves babies. I think you don’t give the King enough credit.”

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