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“He shuffled papers on his desk. “When is it not about Matilda? What is it now, the colour of her dress is not bright enough for you? Let the girl be.”
“It is about Charles.”
A level of discomfort appeared across the Earl’s face. Catherine had wondered if he chose to not deal with his daughter’s marital future simply because he did not want to envision his daughter with a man. And that was confirmed. He must have assumed that it would all just handle itself, and he would not need to lend his hand in helping to navigate them together. It was another thing that Catherine found irritating about her husband. If Matilda had been a boy, he would not have cared about discussing such a matter.
“She is not interested in him.” The Earl guesses.
Catherine stepped further into the room. “Correct, and Charles is now associating himself with some merchant’s daughter, or so I am told. I do not know how accurate that part is, but I have seen it with my own eyes. Matilda cares more about her silly little stories than keeping the attention of Charles. She is never going to find a husband with her face buried in books.
“Catherine,” He made a face signifying to her that what she had assumed was correct. He was already jumping onto the side of Matilda. “I could have told you this from the start. Charles is nothing like her. He is a man who dazzles when presented tothe public. He cares more about his social life than anything. Our daughter finds her enrichment through the mind. Her happiness should come first.”
Catherine rolled her eyes while looking away from her husband. “With all due respect, my love, you know that happiness is something that needs to be sowed, watered, and developed. It is not an instant thing. But more importantly, our family will not rise if this match does not go through. There are bigger things at stake.”
“Bigger than our daughter’s happiness?”
Her husband gave her a measured look as if he could see straight through everything that she was presenting to him. “What is this really about Catherine…and I don’t just mean this instance. What is it about Matilda that encourages you to be so hard on her? You never give her a chance to be herself without giving her somesort of rule or restriction. You’ve even gone as far as to take all her books away, the one thing she cares about.”
Catherine felt herself getting angry, furious at the fact that her husband was turning the situation around on her. But she tried her best to keep it contained. “This is not about me.” She stared out the giant window so that she did not need to look at him.
“Catherine…”
“Fine, if you must know…it is not easy raising a child when you know that you cannot have anymore. You will never have boys, and I live with this guilt. My one offspring is ruining our only chance atraising our family. Do you not see that pressure?”
“Catherine, my dear,” The Earl rose from his seat, walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. “Your work as a wife and mother makes up for any lack of sons. I do not think of these things. They do not matter to me, and they should not matter to you. There is never a reason to bear any guilt. Matilda is my pride and joy. I could not ask for more. Putting her into this world was a miracle that I am forever grateful for.”
Although the words were nice, she would not allow herself to shed a tear or feel any sadness. She did not enter the room to speak about fertility or anything related. She had gone in there to correct the situation with Matilda,which she still sought to do.
“The marriage pact needs to be sealed with an engagement. There is no other way. This needs to be done.”
“If this is what you want for our daughter, then it shall be. I do think that there is a better way, and I disagree. But, in order to advance our family, you may be right.
