Thank you for your reply! I feel for Clara, too. The war has actually made him more anxious to marry her off. Taxes are rising and she's an extra expense. He remembers the Great War when almost an entire generation of men were lost and feels that men are about to become scarce, so wants to marry her now before there are few men left.

As you know, I've always felt that Bertie is capable. I think he would make a good leader for several reasons; one of which is because he cares about those men.