Page 30 of The Replacement Duchess

“The very same things that you think yourself, is that it?”

“I do not wish to have this conversation again.”

“Good, because there are things that are not for young ladies’ ears,” their father said commandingly, as if he had not been the root cause of their hearing far worse things in their childhoods.

“The Duke is here for you, Lady Diana,” the butler announced in the doorway.

Diana had never been happier to have a meal interrupted.

The Duke was waiting for her in the hallway, and as much as Diana did not wish to see it, she could not help but notice how he lit up when he saw her. She wondered if she had been doing the same thing so noticeably, and from the way her heart was fluttering in her chest, she had to admit that it must have been the case.

“Have you read what has been said about you of late, Your Grace?” she asked as they walked. “I do not mean to pry, and if you do not wish to discuss it, then we need not do so.”

“I am aware of what people say about me if that is what you mean.”

“Not exactly. Frankly, I do not even know what people say about you in theton, but I received this, this morning.”

She handed him the gossip rag, and he scanned it before handing it back to her.

“Pay it no mind.”

“What?”

“There is no need to pay any attention to it. Truly, I do not understand why ladies read them in the first place.”

“It is not only ladies that read them, I assure you.”

“No, of course not. Ladies that have nothing better to do, children that wish to learn abouttonin the only way available to them, and servants that could be doing far more appropriate things.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Do you see what I mean? You ladies wish to be spoken to as if you are gentlemen, but then when we do so, you act like this. Such words are not for your ears. Might we leave the matter there?”

“We certainly will not. I shall have you know that plenty of gentlemen read these, whether they care to admit it or not. As for your thoughts on servants, it astonishes me that you would say such things when yours cater to your every need. You do not know what it is like to struggle.”

“You do not know a thing about me, and you shall refrain from acting otherwise.”

“You will not be telling me what to do. Certainly not whilst we are not married.”

They continued walking for a moment, and Diana knew that she should have been angry, but instead, she was confused. Something had to have happened since their last promenade because this was not the gentleman she had come to know. He was not the sort to snap at her, or show anger, or to have such views as those he had expressed.

“Regardless of what you might think,” he said after a while, “these scandal sheets mean nothing. It is never the truth that is printed, and the only ones that believe it are those incapable of thinking about matters for more than a few mere seconds.”

“Women, children, and servants if I am understanding correctly, though it is entirely possible that as a weak-minded and simple lady, I have it all wrong.”

“That is not what I meant.”

“Yes, it is.”

Silence fell again. To be sure, Diana pitied the Duke and all of the rumors swirling about him, but in any case, that gave him no right to speak to her that way.

“All I am trying to say is that you do not need to listen to these things,” he sighed. “I am trying to help you.”

“Well, offending my entire sex in the process is not the most tactful way to approach it.”

“No, you are right.”

She wanted to continue with her comments, but an admittance that she was right was as close to an apology as she could expect, so she let it go.

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