Page 19 of The Replacement Duchess

Five and twenty and being courted by a murderer. Diana decided that that was just her luck, and she had made her peace with it.

Then she scolded herself for believing it. It was a silly rumor, nothing more, and there was no reason to pay it any mind. She was never the sort to listen to such horrid things, and she had once prided herself on that. She was not going to be like the other members of theton; she loathed them and refused to see herself in them.

But she saw the look on Samantha’s face.

She knew instantly what the look was. It was one of fear, something that her sister rarely ever had. She was fearless and bold, every bit as much as Diana was herself, with the exception that she knew when to act like the perfect lady. Maybe that was the real reason why her father failed to mention her existence to the Duke, not that it mattered anymore.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Samantha said wistfully. “He told me we did not have to marry, and in all honesty, it would not have reflected badly upon us to have rejected a duke, not when he is the duke in question at least.”

“Samantha, you never pay any heed to such gossip. Why now?”

“Have you seen him? There was a sort of look in his eyes, and at first, I thought it was one of a deranged man, but as we talked, I realized it was more so one of desperation. It changes nothing, however. You do not wish to marry him, and you had no reason to say that you would. Why did you do it?”

“Because,” Diana said, as if she had a good reason, “I pity him. I do not wish to believe these rumors. Perhaps they are the same as the ones about us and are completely fabricated by people with nothing better to do.”

“But who would do that to a duke? That would be too dangerous if it were not the case. Besides, the rumors about us are not fabricated. I dare say they are completely true.”

“They are not.”

“Oh? So we do not have a drunkard for a father? Has he not squandered every last penny on whiskey at White’s?”

“Not every last penny. We have our dowries.”

“If we are to believe Father, which I do not. It was for the best that we did not wish to marry, and now the Duke shall receive quite the shock.”

“If you are right, that is.”

“I am hardly ever wrong, not when it comes to him. For example, I knew the second he appeared in the doorway that something very bad indeed was going to happen, and now look where we are.”

“I do not think that it is all bad. I mean, even if Father has squandered our dowries, it shall be of no consequence to the Duke, with all of the money that he has, and it will serve you greatly in your endeavors not to marry at all. Perhaps you would do better to see things in a more positive light.”

“How are you so calm?”

“What other choice do I have, Samantha? If I do what I truly wish to, and scream until my body is sore and run until I cannot any longer, what will that achieve? Nothing at all. I have chosen what is to happen to me, and given the fates of others, I dare say that I am fortunate.”

“Unless the rumors are true, and he truly is a horrible and murderous man. Then you would be the most unfortunate lady in all of England.”

“You are not amusing.”

“I am not trying to be! I know that we are in agreement that the rumors are downright bizarre, but that is not to say that we can trust this man completely.”

“Why do you not trust him? He was completely understanding of your situation.”

“He also found a man who seemed to be a terrible father and asked to marry one of his vulnerable daughters who would be less likely to refuse him in the first place. Do you not think that is strange?”

“I think that, if he planned to give someone a better life away from a terrible father, he certainly chose right with us.”

“I just want you to be careful,” Samantha sighed.

“Remind me of who the older sister is here.” Diana smirked.

“You are not thinking properly, and so it is my duty to help you do so.”

“I am well aware that I am not thinking clearly, but I am acting in your best interests, so that is what will happen. I do not regret it, you know.”

“If you are sure, but you must promise me that if he does not make you happy, you shall call it all off. I shall gladly be ruined, truly.”

“I cannot allow that.”

---