“But…” Maria tried to continue but could not.
“Percy stressed to me that he did not want to marry her. He insists it is you he has feelings for, but he feels obligated to try and save his family’s estate. And it was his resistance that forced his father to beat him.”
Maria looked at Harry with tears in her eyes and asked, “And do you think she will accept his proposal?”
“He has not proposed yet. She has just lost her father and there will be a period of mourning. Even he knows he cannot ask her right now.”
“But he might. Even if they cannot marry until after the mourning period he might ask her.”
“That I believe is his intention. His father is fiercely insistent that he propose as soon as possible.”
“You know I want what is best for him, Harry,” Maria said in a childlike voice.
“Oh, Maria, you cannot mean that.”
“But I do. I know that what I have to bring to a marriage is not sufficient. And if his family must marry money to survive, then they must. I can understand that.”
Harry was being torn apart inside. “You are a saint. I am not certain I could ever do that.”
“But you are a man. You can act. I can only hope and wait.”
“Yes, but I have feelings for Anna that I have never expressed. However, Anna has made it clear she has feelings for Percy and I have stood back not wishing to deny her preference.” Harry stood and began to pace. “But I fear for her happiness and, even though she says she loves Percy, I feel almost certainly it would be a huge mistake for them to marry.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“I want you to come with me to talk to Anna. I want her to know the truth behind whatever Percy may say to her to convince her to marry him. I cannot stand by. Together, you and I must open her eyes to the Duke’s plan.”
“But Anna is my friend,” Maria replied. “If she truly loves Percy, do you think it would matter to her that he needs the money. Would she not gladly let him have it out of love for him?”
“That is what we must determine. If she truly loves him and is not swayed by what we tell her, then I am prepared to step away and wish them joy with all my heart.”
Chapter 23
Percy returned from his attempted meeting with Anna and found his father waiting for him in his chambers.
“Oh, Father…”
The Duke stood as Percy entered; his walking stick was in his hand, not for support, but ready to strike if need be.
“Did you see her?”
“I did.”
“And how did it go? Do you have any progress to report?”
Percy turned away to his desk so as not to let his father see his face, and said, “She was most welcoming and cordial. Of course, she is currently consumed with the preparations for the memorial service and we were unable to discuss more than her efforts for those arrangements.”
“But did she seem sympathetic to you?”
Percy turned back to his father with a bright expression. “Oh, yes. She smiled, and we briefly discussed the flowers for the service.”
The Duke was becoming impatient. “Flowers! What does that have to do with the two of you marrying? What else? Did you say anything that might further your suit with her?”
“I told her of my deep esteem and suggested that soon after the memorial service I should like to take her for a walk or a ride.”
This agitated the Duke even more. “Oh, Percy. You are useless! Love! You must discuss love, children, the future. Those are the things that will lead her to accept you as a husband.”
“I did suggest that she should come here to dinner. I said I wanted her to meet you and Mother. She said she had already met you both several times, but I said that was only superficially and that I wanted her to get to know you in a deeper more meaningful way. I wanted to say—get to know you as family—but I thought it was too soon to suggest that.”
