Page 29

"It means society will be in an absolute frenzy! A special license indicates one of two circumstances: either an impending scandal, or a gentleman so thoroughly devoted that he refuses to wait another day." Charlotte leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "I choose to believe he is thoroughly devoted."

"It is a practical arrangement," Adelaide clarified gently.

Charlotte stared at her. "Practical?"

"Yes."

"You are marrying the Duke of Ravensmere—the man who has traveled abroad for thirteen years, and whom every eligible lady in England has sought to meet since his return—and you call it practical?"

"That is the reality of the matter."

The butler arrived with the tea service. Adelaide poured the tea while Charlotte observed her with intense scrutiny.

"Now," Charlotte said, taking her cup. "Explain the sequence of events. How does a lady who was managing estate ledgers in Kent three weeks ago become engaged to a duke?"

Adelaide added a splash of milk to her cup and stirred it slowly. "Julian traveled to Ashwood following his return to England, wishing to inspect the field notes his brother Thomas compiled. Cassian facilitated the meeting."

"Cassian managed the introduction?"

"He did."

"Cassian, who has attempted to direct your life since childhood."

"That description is not entirely inaccurate."

"Proceed."

"He arrived at Ashwood, we spoke, and he requested that I travel to London to assist in cataloging his expedition materials. The archive is vast, and he required someone familiar with the taxonomy."

"And you agreed."

"I agreed and traveled to town. We worked together in his library for a single day, after which he proposed marriage."

Charlotte set her teacup onto the saucer. "He proposed after a single afternoon?"

"He proposed in his library over a botanical specimen while I was correcting his altitude calculations."

Charlotte's eyes widened in astonishment before a warm, delighted laugh escaped her. "You corrected his scientific calculations, and he offered his hand? Adelaide, that is the most remarkable romance I have ever encountered."

"It was not romantic," Adelaide insisted quietly. "It was necessary. He requires a duchess to satisfy the legal covenants of an educational trust, while I require..." She paused, searching for the proper words. "I require a purpose beyond Ashwood."

Charlotte's laughter subsided, replaced by a gentle, discerning expression. "What do you mean, Adelaide?"

Adelaide looked down at her teacup, watching the pale surface of the tea. "I need to belong somewhere beyond Ashwood," she said softly. "I need to reside in a place where my practical usefulness is not the sole reason for my presence."

Charlotte reached across the sofa and took Adelaide's hand, holding it in silent support. After a moment, a knowing smile appeared upon her face as she leaned back against the cushions.

"You appear extraordinarily pleased with yourself," Adelaide remarked.

"Do I?"

"You do. What amuses you?"

Charlotte's smile broadened. "My dear Adelaide, do you truly believe society concerns itself with whether this is a conventional love match?"

Adelaide blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"All society recognizes is that the most celebrated explorer in the kingdom returned home after thirteen years and selected a lady no one anticipated him choosing. You are not merely engaged; you are the primary topic of conversation across town."