Chapter 26 #2
“He’s well, I believe. He seemed like a nice man. He was exceedingly kind to me.”
“Yes, yes, that’s Teddy all over. Oh, he was a dear.” She sighed again and a helpless look came into her eyes.
“You seem fond of him. He told me that he courted you, but you did not seem interested in him.”
Agatha’s sharp gaze flashed.
“Not interested? Well, I suppose I did end up giving him that impression, but only because it was the only thing I could do. I thought I was being kind to him and to myself. There’s no sense in hoping for what cannot be,” she said.
“To what are you referring?” Lydia asked.
Agatha settled her hands in her lap and adopted the tone she always took when she told a story about the past. While she had a habit of repeating stories to the point where her grandchildren only half-listened to her, Lydia had a feeling that this was a story she had not shared before.
“It was a long time ago now, far longer than I would like to admit. I was the diamond of the Season, and I had many, many suitors. But there was one man who stood above them all—Theodore Valemont.” A sense of awe came into her voice as she spoke his name.
“He was a dashing man,” she continued, “and there was something about his eyes that utterly captivated me. I felt as though I was the luckiest woman alive when he showed interest, and I fell in love almost immediately. Of course, I have always been the type of woman to do these things in a rush, but there was no doubt in my mind that I loved him. He was everything I thought a man should be, and when we spoke, I always got the feeling that he was rather in awe of me.”
“I believe he still is,” Lydia said.
Agatha wore a heartened smile. “That is good to hear. I have thought about him often over the years, even though I’ve tried not to.”
“Why would you try not to think about him?”
“Because it hurt to do so, Lydia.”
Lydia furrowed her brow. “I am confused, Grandmother. Didn’t you just say you should never regret anything? If you felt this strongly about Theodore, then why did you not choose him?”
“I did,” Agatha said sadly. “But Father wanted me to marry a duke. It is easy to be in control of one’s life when one has nobody older than them to dictate terms. I was a confident young woman, to be sure, but even I would not have dared rebelled against my father’s wishes.
Perhaps I should have… but we shall never know. ”
“But Theodore was under the impression that you loved Grandfather.”
“I know. I thought it would be easier for him if he believed that a better man had won. Perhaps it was cruel of me, but I did not want him to suffer. I wanted him to live a full life. Your Great-Grandfather wanted me to marry a duke, so I did. And I grew to love him in time. We made many fond memories together. But it was not quite the same as it would have been with Theodore.”
Lydia was overwhelmed by emotion as she spoke to Agatha.
Her grandmother had always spoken about her days in the ton with a carefree sense.
For the first time, Lydia was sensing genuine regret and that Agatha’s youth may not have been as wonderful as she had portrayed.
Lydia could imagine Agatha getting into an argument with her father, harsh words and threats being exchanged, with Agatha having no choice but to relent and abide by his wishes.
But now, Lydia was in a position to make up for all that.
She took Agatha’s hands.
“Grandmother, perhaps I can help you. I’m sure that I could arrange for you and Theodore to see each other again. Either you could come to Brighton, or we could bring him here. I know that it would mean the world to him to see you again, and I sense it would mean a great deal to you as well.”
“I’m sure it would, but such a thing is impossible. He remembers me as I was then, glowing with the vibrancy of youth. I would not want to dispel that notion. Better he remembers me that way than to see me as I am now,” she said in a dispiriting tone.
“But Grandmother—”
“That is all I will say on the matter, Lydia,” Agatha said, and then she rose from the chair, moving to where Rose and Charlotte were standing. Lydia was touched by the story and was determined to do everything she could to help rectify the mistakes of the past.
The rest of the day passed with good cheer, and it soon came time for Lydia, Victor, and John to return to the townhouse. The goodbyes took a fairly long time, and it was only when she settled into the carriage that Lydia realized how drained she was.
“My, that was a long day. I hope you did not find it too troubling,” she said.
“No, of course not. Your family is made up of fine, upstanding people, even if Edmund does veer towards the fringes too much for my liking.”
Lydia wore a wry smile. “You should have known him before Rose. She has tempered his wilder ways.” Victor pressed his lips.
“I had an interesting conversation with Grandmother. It seems that she recalls your uncle too. And as it turns out, she loved him as well. But her father wanted her to marry someone else, and she obeyed. Just think, Victor, if things had been different, they could have married!”
“What a strange turn of events. I’m sure Uncle Theodore will find that amusing,” Victor said.
“Oh no, we can’t tell him that,” Lydia replied.
“Why not?”
“It might destroy him. He has spent all this time thinking that she did not love him.”
“And wouldn’t it be better for him to learn the truth?”
“It would be crueler. However, I do have a thought although I require your help.”
Victor leaned away from her. “Lydia, I do not wish to get involved in these matters. It is unseemly.”
“What’s unseemly is allowing our beloved family members to be unhappy when with just a little interference we could bring joy to their hearts. Do you not want your uncle to be happy?”
Victor glared at her with a skeptical stare. “Of course, I do,” he admitted begrudgingly.
“Then we can help nudge them on their way. We should arrange for them to meet without knowing it of course. Grandmother has already told me that I shouldn’t interfere.”
“And yet you are doing it anyway.”
“Yes, because it’s what’s best for her. Anyway, we can have them meet, and they shall reunite and rekindle the past. Oh, it will be heavenly!” Lydia clasped her hands together and wore a dreamy smile. “Please say that you’ll help me.”
Victor sighed. “I suppose I must because otherwise you will not let the matter rest. Although I cannot promise anything. Just because they loved each other once it does not mean they will do so again.”
“I don’t believe that. Love is forever,” Lydia said.