“It seems the landowner is for you.”
“Now you see my problem.”
“Yes. You must choose. It is a difficult problem. Is that what vexes you?”
“In part.”
“And can I help you resolve it?”
“Perhaps… but first, let us talk aboutyourproblem.”
“My problem? “
“You heard me.”
“I do not have any matrimonial problems. I do not intend to marry.”
“That is your first problem.”
“Are there more?”
“Several! Must I spell them out?”
“I would by no means curtail any pleasure of yours.”
Charlotte sought any signs of censure or haughtiness on the colonel's face, being quite familiar with all of his myriad forms of both, but found only attention mixed with confusion—both understandable enough.
“You have the exact opposite problem to mine. I have too many good options to choose from, while you have almost none.”
Charlotte took a deep breath and counted the difficulties on her fingers.
“First—Youmustmarry, despite your current disinclination for the topic. I know Mr Darcy made you a landowner, or soon will. You have a responsibility to the land, to the tenants, to the people under your care. It comes with the privileges. You must marry, and marry well.”
The colonel thought about that a moment and merely nodded in reluctant acceptance. His mind worked on something of a tactical analysis—which was not going well. He had clearly not considered all the ramifications of being a landowner, or frankly, he had probably considered scarcely any of them.
“Second—You will need a woman with a bit of a dowry, as you might have an estate but will not be all that wealthy. You need something set aside for your widow should you decide to feed the worms early, or for second sons and daughters and the like. Regardless of how big the estate is, you have a duty to pass it on intact to your son. You cannot afford to marry with no concern for fortune. It would be irresponsible.”
His brow furrowed. “I always knew I needed some fortune in my old situation, but had not thought it all the way through in my new one; but you are correct.”
She nodded, satisfied that she did not have to belabour the point.
“Third—You will need a woman of some character and a strong will. She will see your neck sooner or later, and your honour demands you tell her the full story. She will need to know whether to soothe you or slap you when you wake up with nightmares. Not every heiress will agree, and many will run screaming. If one does accept you, then you will never know if she reallyacceptsyou, or if she is being forced by her family or circumstance.”
The colonel stared at her for a moment and allowed that she had the matter calculated much better than he did, and that she was correct.
“It seems a hopeless business.”
He could not quite interpret her expression then, as she stared at him so intensely, he could not have broken eye contact had she struck him in the head with her workbox again.
“Number four—should you manage to find this mythical woman…Richard… she willneverlove you the way I do. She will never feel what you have been through. She will never experience the things I have experienced with you. No other woman will ever be able to have you solve both of our matrimonial problems in one fell swoop.”
She did not break eye contact, but waited for the dawning comprehension that gradually filtered through him, through his brain and straight into his heart before his face lit up like the sunrise. She had been afraid to say the last… so afraid… so timid… so… so… so… so in love. In a move only a soldier would understand, she had bet her entire life and heart on one gallant charge. She knew he loved her, but he wouldneverhave the courage to make a move, and he would be honour bound to oppose any rational move she made. It was all or nothing, and when she saw it was to beallin his eyes, her face lit up to match his.
The next moment found them springing towards each other like two great clashing armies, and the next found her arms around his shoulders and his around her waist as he spun her around the room like a ragdoll.
Eventually, he stopped, putting her down without relinquishing a thousandth of an inch of separation between them, and kissed her as if his life depended on it. Perhaps his lifediddepend on it. Perhaps hers did as well. Their hearts certainly depended on it, and it was but a moment before the colonel letout a yell such as he had given in the biggest battles of his life, which brought everyone in Rosings running in panic, only to be given the wonderful news.
Eventually, as congratulations slowed and he surrendered his intended to a warm embrace from Salina, and another more dignified but just as heartfelt one from his Aunt Catherine, he remembered a bit of protocol that had been missed.
