“That’s a very fair point, Mr. Sinclair. Why shouldn’t a woman be permitted a medical license? Goodness knows whenever I’ve fallen ill, it’s always been a woman to take care of me.”

“Elise,” the dowager marchioness intervened in a reprimanding tone, and Nora suspected she used that tone often on her niece. “Don’t encourage such nonsense. Miss Langley doubtlessly wants to start a household of her own soon. She will not continue her work as an . . . herbalist into the future.” Lady Elise’s aunt uttered herbalist as though it were a dirty word.

“Not everyone’s vocation is marriage, Aunt,” Lady Elise said sharply. Perhaps too sharply? A quick glance revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Birchwood both looked perturbed at that announcement from the woman they clearly hoped to be their future daughter-in-law.

“Rubbish. Every young woman is after marriage.” The baroness tittered. “Trust me.” She waved her spoon in a small circle. “We had three daughters and they could scarcely wait to leave our house to start households of their own.”

Nora lifted her napkin to her lips to stifle a laugh as it occurred to her that these daughters may have been in a rush to marry simply to escape their parents.

Lowering her napkin, she declared very soberly, “I can assure you I am not in a hurry to start my own household. But then I suppose I’m an anomaly in that regard.”

“Anomaly indeed.” Somehow the dowager marchioness managed to take a sip from her glass through pinched lips. Impressive.

“Nonsense,” the baron intervened. “Only the ineligible females profess no desire to wed.”

Nora stiffened, but fixed a smile to her face, pretending not to be offended at being characterized as ineligible.

“Your sister is married to the Duke of Warrington, is she not, Miss Langley?” the dowager marchioness asked.

“Yes.” Nora nodded, glad for the change of subject. She was quite done discussing the validity of women practicing medicine.

“Was there not some notoriety surrounding him?” She looked contemplative as she posed the question. “He never comes to Town.”

“Town life is not for everyone,” the Duchess of Birchwood chimed in.

“Yes, but does he not neglect his duties in the House?” The lady shook her head in disapproval. “Some people have no sense of duty.”

“My brother-in-law happens to prefer country life,” Nora explained, trying to keep the defensiveness from her voice. “And he’s quite besotted with my sister, his wife, and she, too, happens to prefer life in Brambledon.” Nora shrugged as if the matter were as simple as that.

“How singular.” The dowager marchioness shook her head, visibly scoffing, clearly not thinking it romantic or acceptable in any way.

“This Brambledon sounds as though it begs a visit,” the duchess put forth with a kind smile for Nora. “It sounds positively charming.”