"Is there a reason you are suddenly thinking about marriage?" Geoffrey asked.
"Uh… no," Richard said. "It's just that the king is planning to get married. Most of the men we learned with are all married now, some with children, and I thought, maybe it's time for me also."
"You are telling me the King of England's marriage treaty stirred domestic longing in you?"
"It could happen."
"To someone else, perhaps....Kingsmere does need a duchess. A woman's presence would do that house good," Geoffrey continued. "Not simply for heirs, though God knows the family line cannot continue on your charm alone. But balance. Warmth."
"I run Kingsmere well enough."
"You do," Geoffrey said. "Better than I expected, if I am being honest. You have done good work there. The tenants speak well of you. The accounts have improved. The estate is stable. But a duchess would give it roots. A household is not merely land, rents, and ledgers. It needs a woman's touch."
"I guess…" Richard sighed.
