They left. They were gone. They’d come, and he’d not been forced to see them.
Marley knocked on the drawing room doors and entered. “They have departed, my lord, they will not trouble you again.”
“Well done, Marley,” Landry said.
“Yes, my lord,” Marley said.
“Really well done. I ought to give you more money than I do. Yes, I will arrange that.”
Marley appeared pleased. As well he should. As well Lady Edith should, as it had been her idea all along. The lady had such good ideas! He really did like to spend time with Lady Edith.
And then, there had been their conversation last evening. He’d hinted, vaguely he thought, that he was nervous about the idea of getting married. She’d told him he ought not to be. She’d said it was like anything else that was new. One ought to just go forward, step by step, and the proper road would unfold in front of his feet as he went.
He’d never thought of it that way. It began to give him ideas. After all, he did wish for children. He imagined he’d be a terrific father. His own father had been very kind, and he wished to be just the same. It had just always been his terror of women, or rather his terror of measuring up, that had seemed to make the thing impossible. But there was a calm to spending time with Lady Edith. She was so sure of everything and she did not look to him for direction. He was not in charge and it occurred to him that he did not like being in charge.
Now, he began to imagine that it might really be possible to wed. Assuming Lady Edith would have him.
He must just gather the courage to ask. Or maybe she would ask and he would not have to do anything at all.
