Courting

Nesta asked with so much heaviness in her heart. But she did not let her father respond before she continued.

" I know you well father and I know because you have worked with him and seen how good he is, you decided to choose him for me." she said looking at her father.

"You are just like your mother, my dear. You know what I am thinking before I even say it out loud. Yes, that was what I intended, for you two to meet each other and warm up to each other enough to consider spending the rest of your lives together." he started.

"Lord Bramford is a good man, something I know you are aware of yourself. I have seen the way he treated you back at Devonshire, how you were comfortable with each other, how he did not judge you with my scandal, how he has respected you and your honor as a lady.

I see the way you look at each other and that makes me happy with my decision to introduce you two. So yes, if you must know, bringing him to Devonshire was all my doing and it was not only for business." Lord Weaver explained to his daughter all his schemes to bring the two of them together.

"But you look worried, my dear, is anything the matter? You do like him, right?" He asked when he still saw the frown lying on her forehead.

"That is the problem, father. I like him, I like him too much. I think I might be falling in love with him, but he has not yet made his move to ask for my hand in marriage.

I was hoping that was what you two discussed that made you stay back given the fact that some beautiful moment passed between us tonight. We spent a month together in Devonshire and we have spent time here together too, is that not enough time for a man to decide if he wants to be with a woman.

Now I am more than worried he will never take the action I want him to take and ask for my hand, that is what troubles me father." She said, pouring her heart out to her father.

Lord Weaver sighed and went ahead to sit with his daughter on the sofa inside his study. "You know, what you are feeling is absolutely normal." He said, making her look at him confused.

"You are only saying this because you never got the chance to experience real seeking out and courtship. The chance was taken away from you. During every season, most especially after the opening ball and maybe the next one, all the lords that are ready for marriage seek out the young ladies that are old enough to be in the marriage market, I mean, these ladies have paraded themselves as available at these balls so the next thing is for them to start getting callers in their respective households. Interested suitors calling them to get to know them, hang out to eat, go out to spend the afternoon together and all other fun things that will interest and charm the particular lady."

Lord Weaver started explaining how things were done because he could understand where her worries were coming from. He has thought of speaking to the man in question regarding his intentions with his daughter and to know if he would have to go to him with a proposal himself instead. But he understands how things were done so he has decided to remain calm and trust in his judgement of the man but right now he needs to convince his daughter to do the same thing too.

"Many men come to seek a lady out for courtship and it is difficult for a lady to choose because she has too many options for courtship alone not to talk of marriage.

These things span out till either the middle, towards the ending or the ending of a season before a decision is made and we finally have a wedding to celebrate. Do you understand what I am saying?" Lord Weaver asked Nesta.

"So you mean it is supposed to take this long and I don't have to hurry and ask for his hand instead?" Nesta asked to confirm she understands everything her father has been saying.

"Woah, where did you get such ideas from Nesta? It is only the men that ask for a lady's hand in our society, not the other way round, my dear." Nesta's father said, smiling at his daughter's eagerness to be together with Lord Branford.

"You must learn to exercise patience. I am sure Lord Bramford does not want to hurry things because you are the only choice you have, he wants to ensure that when he does ask for your hand and if you do accept it will be because you choose him and no one else.

I did not hear this from him but I am quite confident those are his exact thoughts." Lord Weaver explained, quite confident about his own deductions.

"So when the lords come calling, you will respond to their calls, entertain them and get to know them. Remember, you are to dance with any lord that comes asking for a dance at tomorrow's ball regardless of any animosity you bear towards them.

You need to know everybody acted in their best interest, something we can not completely fault them for.

One thing about our society is that everybody is important, you might still need the help of these people later on in life, they have treated you badly but you need to learn to forgive especially now that some of them are willing to reach out again, you just need to be more careful on who to trust but you must never toss anybody aside. Smile your way through their hatred and scornful looks.

Do you understand?" Lord Weaver explained to Nesta why she must accommodate these people and find peace with them.

"So you mean I will have to dance with them when they come asking, won't Lord Bramford be jealous seeing me with other men?" she asked, not entirely liking the idea that she has to tolerate them all.

"Lord Bramford is mature enough to handle himself besides he does not hold a claim to you yet. Seeing you with other men might even help him make up his mind faster, don't you think?" he said looking up at Nesta amusedly and finally laughing when he saw the wheels turning in her head.

"I must release you now, my dear. I want to catch my rest before tomorrow and you should too, tomorrow is another day of a lot of activities. Goodnight, princess." He said kissing the top of her head.

"You are right, father, I must let you rest. Goodnight, and thank you." she said, hugging him before she made her way out of the room.