Page 30 of One Bed for the Bluestocking
“That’s right—you’ve mentioned them in passing.The one who recently married, enabling you to afford your school fees.”He grinned.“And the youngest, who loves cats.”
Kate laughed.He had a good memory.“That’s right.I sent her a painting of Marigold.She’s terribly envious.I expect her to descend on Edinburgh any day.”
He inclined his head.“That would be delightful.Does your family live close by?”
“Not too close.They live in Yorkshire.”
He leaned an elbow against the rail.“Whereabouts in Yorkshire?”
Kate did not care for the direction the conversation was taking.As a general rule, she tried to keep “Kit’s” background as close to the truth as she could without giving herself away.This made it easier to keep her story straight.But the truth, in this case, had the potential to raise additional questions.Questions such as,You grew up in Boroughbridge?Doesn’t Kenneth Weatherby hail from Boroughbridge?But you said you were only vaguely familiar with his work!OrYour sisters reside at Askwith Hall?Isn’t that the home of the Duke of Norwood?Why do they live there?
She decided that the time had come for a change in subject.“It’s a tiny village.You wouldn’t have heard of it,” she said breezily.“So, tell me about your family.”
Nat froze.He loved his family.Really, he did.
But, if he was being honest, he was still feeling insecure about his status as its least successful member.
He forced a smile.“In addition to my parents, I have three brothers and one sister.”
“Do they live in Jamaica?”Kit asked.
“All save my brother, Thomas, who is two years older than I am.He set up his practice in Glasgow.My younger brother, James, was over here for a while, studying at the university.But I haven’t seen the rest of my family in almost a decade.”
Kit’s eyes crinkled with compassion.“I’m so sorry.”He rubbed the back of his head.“I miss my sisters dreadfully, and I’ve only been parted from them for a couple of months.”
Nathaniel inclined his head.“Thank you.It’s one of the drawbacks of pursuing a career in academia.There is little flexibility in terms of where you settle down.Although I shouldn’t complain.I love Edinburgh.And at least I have Thomas nearby.”
“You mentioned that his practice is in Glasgow.Is he a physician?”
“He is,” Nat said, his voice emerging tighter than he would have liked.
Kit did not seem to have noticed.“Did he also attend the University of Edinburgh?”
It was a logical guess, as Edinburgh had the most prestigious and most attended medical school in the British Isles.
Nat decided it would be better to get it over with.“He did.As did my father and my other brothers.They’re all physicians.”
Kit’s eyes widened.“All of them?”
“Indeed.”He braced himself and confessed, “My father wished for me to study medicine as well.I actually enrolled in the medical school and even completed the first year of coursework.”
“Oh!”Kit cried.“But that would have been such a shame!”
This had not been the reaction Nat was expecting.“I’m sorry?”
Kit held out a hand, palm outstretched.“Please, do not mistake me.Medicine is a very important field of study, and I do not mean to insult your father and brothers.But…” He waved his hand as if struggling to find the right words.“You are such a talented naturalist.You will do important work over the course of your career.I am sure of it.”He looked at Nat then, and his eyes were sincere.“It would have been a great loss to science had you pursued another field.”
Nat’s throat constricted.He’d grown accustomed to evaluating his career using society’s assumptions—thatvaluableandlucrativewere synonyms.It felt almost audacious to suggest that his work was important.“I don’t know about that.”
“I do.”Kit’s voice trembled with conviction.“Believe me, I’ve seen the scientific output of a second-rate mind.I know good research when I see it, and your research is excellent.And your work is every bit as important as medicine.”He waved a hand.“Where would we be without science?The reason your brothers have medicines with which to treat their patients is because a chemist somewhere spent years of their life performing thankless experiments.The work might not always be glamorous.But the toil of a thousand anonymous scientists has advanced our understanding bit by bit and brought us to where we are today.”
“My parents would not agree.”The words were out of Nat’s mouth before he could think better of them.It was just so nice having a sympathetic ear for once.“I don’t wish to suggest that they aren’t supportive.But they worry about me.My mother, in particular, wishes I had chosen something more financially secure.”
“You will achieve financial security,” Kit said firmly.“Professor Kerr will resign the Natural History Chair at some point.I can think of no one more deserving of the position than you.”
Nat hesitated, unsure if he should confide that it appeared that day would come sooner than they thought.
Kit must’ve read something on his face, because the young man’s gaze sharpened.“What is it?”
