Unexpected Blessings

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‘But it does, because my father –’

‘Evan, please don’t start with that whole business of us being related. My grandmother Elizabeth and your grandfather Robin are brother and sister, but that isn’t troublesome. A genealogical chart would show that we are cousins a few times removed. So what! In this country it’s not illegal to marry even a first cousin, so we’re certainly within the law. And I don’t believe those old wives’ tales about children of cousins being born afflicted with something. My parents are cousins, yet Toby, Natalie and I are perfectly all right. Not that you’ve met Nat yet, what with her being in Australia at the moment. But you can take my word for it, my sister’s as perfectly healthy and sane as me and Toby.’

‘Oh Gid, don’t get angry, please don’t. I do love you very much, and being related has nothing to do with it. I do want to marry you. It’s just that my father seems to bear a grudge against the Hartes, and I want to find out why that is, Gideon. Can’t you understand that?’

‘Yes, I can. I know it’s important to you that my parents like you, and they do. In fact, they really approve of you. However, please understand that even if they didn’t like you, I would still marry you. They can’t live my life for me, and I would never permit them to influence me about my choice of a wife.’ He frowned, his eyes scanning her face as he finished. ‘Don’t you feel that way, too? Surely you believe in your own convictions, your own choices, don’t you?’