“Only if you promise to keep them to yourself,” Maria said, biting down on her lip.
“Oh, so it is a secret?” Violet asked.
“Not a secret, per se,” Maria pursed her lips, “but perhaps, you may think of it as something that is close to my heart and that I should like to keep it closely wrapped. If that makes any sense to you.”
“It means that you must care about the subject deeply,” Violet began to nod in understanding.
To that, Maria could not argue. Yes, she did care about the subject deeply. It would not be a lie to say that.
“Shall I guess the subject? He is tall, impossible, and answers to the name Stephen?”
Despite herself, Maria’s mouth twitched.
“I wondered if I’d grown readable,” she muttered under her breath, feeling embarrassed at how quickly Violet had been able to read her.
“To those who love you, entirely.” Violet’s tone softened, “Now, tell me what it is you wish to talk about the duke?”
Violet was watching Maria again in that careful way. It made her feel entirely too vulnerable, and suddenly she felt as though her throat would close up.
“Hmm?” Violet prompted gently.
“What if...” Maria struggled to let out the words. “Well, what if I told you that I would prefer if we did not discuss him?”
Violet shot her a puzzled look.
“But if it is him on your mind, it would be fair to assume that you would want to discuss him?” she said. “You are suggesting that this is not the case?”
“Indeed,” Maria slowly grasped Violet’s hand. “Think of it as a favor that you are bestowing upon me by letting me feel distracted.”
She did not mention that she always had him on her mind, and therefore, it was a relief not to think about him for only a few moments.
“Well,” Violet considered her words with some seriousness. “What is it that you would want to discuss with me instead?”
“Other things,” Maria admitted, eyes on the rim of her cup. The words pressed hard at her throat. She let a breath go and tried again. “Anything else would be fine, truly. Tell me, what is it that fills your days lately?”
Violet thought over the words for a minute. Maria was worried that she might push again, but the words that came out of her mouth next eased her worries.
“In earnest, motherhood is the one thing that consumes most of my time lately,” she said. A look of wistfulness overcame her eyes as she spoke, and it was immediately clear to Maria that it meant a great deal to her. “Would that be something that you’re interested in hearing about?”
“Absolutely,” Maria replied so quickly that she even surprised herself by her eagerness.
She did not know that the topic interested her so, but very well. It is what it is.
“Well,” Violet smiled sweetly. “It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, similar to what it was like falling in love with Nicholas.”
Ah. Love.
The word stopped like a thorn in Maria’s throat, and she composed herself.
“And did you always know that it…” she paused to gather her own thoughts, “well, that it was always right for you?”
“I cannot say that my own journey was not without difficulties,” she replied.
“I find that hard to believe,” Maria said.
“Why is that?” A wistful look overcame her face.
“Well, for one thing, Nicholas and you are very much in love with one another. I doubt that the two of you had issues. There seems to be no indication of it.”