“Well, perhaps,” Eugenia said. She lowered her voice slightly, even though there was no one else in the room. “To tell you the truth,” she said, “I was quite surprised when he didn’t marry last Season.”
“This isn’t his first Season, then?” Esther asked.
“Oh, no,” Eugenia said. “The Duke is five-and-twenty years of age.”
“And no one’s interested him yet?” Esther asked. “He must be picky.”
“I think so,” Eugenia said. “Of course, I’ve never had a Season before. But my good friend Sarah has. She’s two years older than you and I. And she tells me that at every ball, the Duke can be found standing off to the side, hardly taking any interest in any of the young ladies present.”
“That’s strange,” Esther said. “What's wrong with him?”
“I don’t know,” Eugenia said. “Sarah says he’s simply cold, and that he doesn’t want to attend social events. She says he considers them to be beneath him.”
“If that’s true,” Esther said, “then your mother is going to have a very difficult time getting him interested in you.”
“She would anyway,” Eugenia said. “The most eligible gentleman of the Season, taking a fancy to me? I'll be lucky to gain the attentions of anyone at all.” She laughed. “Besides, my mother might want the Duke for me, but I personally want nothing to do with him.”
“Really?” Esther asked. “Why not? Is he an unlikable gentleman?”
“Well, I’ve never met him,” Eugenia said. “But he doesn’t sound very likable to me. I would rather spend my time with a gentleman who’s interested in enjoying himself than with one who makes it clear he would rather be anywhere else.”
“Your mother won’t be happy," Esther said.
“My mother won’t be happy regardless,” Eugenia said. “Nothing I do has ever made her happy. I’ve given up hope of pleasing her.”
Esther’s heart went out to her cousin. “I'm so sorry it’s like that for you," she said.
“Oh, don’t be,” Eugenia said. “My mother may say hurtful things to me, and I do wish she wouldn’t. But in truth, there’s a freedom to knowing that nothing I do will ever be good enough for her. It means that I can do what makes me happy and not have to worry about her.”
“That’s a good point,” Esther said. “But what does make you happy?”
“I’m just excited to be attending my very first Season,” Eugenia said, beaming. “I know it’s different for you, Esther. I know you’re looking forward to making a perfect match and getting married. You’re so beautiful that I’m sure you won’t have any trouble. But I don’t expect to marry this Season. For me, the joy will be in seeing the beautifully appointed manors, the ladies’ gowns, the wonderful food. I’m looking forward to the parties.”
“Oh, I'm sure the parties will be wonderful,” Esther agreed. “I’m looking forward to that, too. And to the new gowns I have for the occasion.” Though, at the thought of her gowns, she couldn’t help feeling a pinch of guilt at the expense she had been to her parents.
I really must be sure to find a suitable husband to help them with their money problems.
This Duke Eugenia had mentioned—he sounded like exactly the sort she was looking for. There was no doubt that a Duke would have the means to please her parents.
And if it was true that Eugenia didn’t want him for herself…
“Don’t you ever want to get married?” she asked her cousin.
“Someday, of course,” Eugenia said. “I’d hardly hope to live with my mother for the rest of my life! She makes me miserable. But I don’t expect it to happen this Season. I suppose Icouldmarry right away if I settled for a much older gentleman, someone who’s aware that he’ll never find anyone else. Someone for whom my youth makes me appealing.”
“You don’t need to marry someone old enough to be your father,” Esther protested. “You could certainly marry someone your own age.”
“Perhaps,” Eugenia agreed. “But not while we’re this young. The gentlemen who are our age will spend this Season chasing the most beautiful young ladies. In future years, they may come to realize that they can’t do any better than me.”
“Oh, Eugenia.” It broke Esther’s heart to hear her cousin speak that way about herself.
“You know that my mother views you as competition for me,” Eugenia said.
“I didn’t come here to ruin your prospects,” Esther said. “I hope you believe that that’s the last thing I want.”
“Of course I do,” Eugenia said. “You’re not a cruel person, Esther. I know that. I know you only want the best for me. And yet, my mother has a point. You’re beautiful. I’ll have more success in a Season when I don’t have to compete with you. Perhaps next year.”
“Maybe you don’t have to compete with me, though,” Esther said.
