Page 81 of The Replacement Duchess

“So you were saying that you enjoy being a duchess.” She nodded. “Aside from your duke, that is.”

“I do. It truly does feel as though I am important. I am quite popular in the village, which was my main concern to begin with, and according to Colin, I have some good ideas about how to make it flourish. It is all rather exciting, although I am sure that with time, it shall become quite difficult.”

“Tiresome?” Samantha suggested.

“Possibly. After all, when have you seen a duke that is happy to be one?”

“I have met but one duke, and I have never known quite what to make of him.”

As the carriage came to a stop, having arrived in the village, Diana couldn’t help but think the same thing.

CHAPTER 24

Diana had quickly become attached to the village, and given the look on Samantha’s face, it was quite easy to see why.

Everyone there smiled. It seemed like such a small thing to notice, but when all those in London rarely smiled save for the false ones in front of others, a real smile was something that was very welcome indeed.

“Your Grace!” a gentleman said brightly as they stepped out. “I must thank you personally for what you have done.”

Diana noted the milk in his hands and knew at once who he was.

“It is a pleasure, Sir,” she said politely. “The Duke and I are happy that you are able to provide for us, as I am sure that your workload shall be much greater now.”

“With the deal that he and I made, I have enough to have a gentleman aid me, and so in totality, it shall be even easier than it was before. It has been a blessing, truly.”

“Oh, Di,” Samantha sighed wistfully when he left. “You truly are doing great work here.”

“It is only a deal with a farmer.” Diana smiled. “Although I do hope to do more with my time here. I was thinking of hosting a party of some kind, although I shall have to discuss it with the Duke.”

“It sounds like a marvelous idea. Perhaps you might host it in winter? That way, you could almost treat it like Christmas. You could ghost it on Saint Thomas’ Day!”

“What a splendid idea! Then again, it is not as though we have ever truly celebrated Christmas.”

Their father had never made any sort of effort to have any form of festivities, but Diana had always given her sister a card, and Samantha had given her some biscuits that she would prepare in the kitchens when nobody was looking. It had been a pleasant enough day, but to truly celebrate it would be another thing entirely.

“You should come too,” Diana said quickly, but she saw how her sister looked at her.

“Perhaps our half-brother shall be there,” she sighed. “It would be better to spend it with him, otherwise he may spend it alone.”

“I am sure that Father will find it in him to celebrate it this year, should he be there.”

“A part of me hopes that he does not. I know that he only cares for the gentleman because he is to be the heir, but even so, it shall be too painful to watch. I do not wish to see our father cavort around with his son as if all of his troubles are over, as if his being there magically means that nothing bad has ever happened. I refuse to see it. I cannot.”

“Then that is all the more reason for you to visit,” Diana suggested, to which her sister nodded.

“Then we can discuss it with the Duke,” Samantha said carefully. “I don’t suppose he will object to it.”

“Of course not. You are family, after all. Regardless of how the Duke and I are towards each other at the moment, you are every bit as much his sister as you are mine, he has said so himself.”

Samantha seemed to sit straighter at that.

“I hope so, because I simply cannot see myself calling this other man my brother. It is not his fault, not at all, but I cannot do it. He is not real to me, not yet at least.”

“I know how you feel, but we may well be surprised! He might be a good man, and we must give him the chance to show us that.”

“Your Grace!” a bright voice came.

“Helen!” Diana smiled. “It is so good to see you.”

---