“What do you – mean?” There was a little hesitation before she replied, “I am not sure if I ought to tell you – ” “But you must tell me, Aunt Alice. Papa is insistent that I marry the Duke and I realise that something strange must have happened to him. Otherwise he would not marry someone he has never seen, even my Papa’s daughter!” “It is the most extraordinary thing I ever heard. At the same time, my dearest child, you are sensible enough to realise that your father would be delighted to have such a distinguished son-in-law.” “I know, but no one ever thinks about me. After all, I have to marry him, not Papa. And what about him?” “I have always admired your intelligence. Indeed I am quite certain, from what you told me in your last letter about the extra lessons you were having in Paris, that you are by now extremely well-informed and talented.”
