Page 104 of The Replacement Duchess

“I threatened your father!”

“Well, perhaps he needed to be threatened. If it is what will make him a better father, then I am all for it. Besides, he chose to speak to my husband in a rude manner, and I am not the sort to excuse that, not when such treatment is directed to the man I love.”

“I do not believe that I shall ever tire of hearing you say that,” he sighed with a smile. “Come, we ought to return home.”

“A terribly long journey,” she sighed.

“Well, it is not as though we are welcome to stay here, is it?”

“No, I suppose not.” She smirked. “Then again, you do have your old bachelor lodgings here, do you not?”

Colin brightened up immediately. “I do, indeed!” he replied, before mock panic flashed across his face. “Ah, but there is only one room to sleep in. Fear not, I will take the sofa!”

“You will do no such thing.” Diana giggled. “I do not care what is proper and improper. No more separate bedrooms, no more separate beds. I will not stand for it.”

“Well, if the Duchess insists.”

“I do, and what is more…”

“Yes?” He grinned playfully.

“I would like to treat this as our honeymoon,” she said carefully. “I know it is not strictly the done thing, so to speak, but we never truly had one, and so I think now is the perfect time if my husband is willing, of course.”

“Oh, heiswilling.” He nodded. “He most certainly is.”

They went to Colin’s London lodgings, not caring if anyone saw them or said a word about them, because they were truly content with what they had with each other, and so nothing else mattered at all. There were no servants there, given that they had not been given any notice, of course, but Diana simply laughed and prepared dinner for the two of them, as she had had to do for herself and Samantha in the past, and then the two of them ate and then retired to their bed chambers.

And then nobody saw them for several weeks.

EPILOGUE

In spite of the event being Diana’s idea, she had to admit that she was now rather nervous, indeed.

For a good while, she had wanted to find her aunt in order to properly thank her for all that she had done, but she did not know the first thing about finding a family member, especially one who lived far away and whose only connection was someone that they could not ask for a favor. That was the case for Diana, for even though Samantha had assured them that she was being treated better now, the Earl would not likely be willing to aid Diana in her search for his sister.

Now that Diana had made a discovery, however, it felt like the time was right.

Their honeymoon (or rather, their second one) had lasted for three months, and it had been wholly blissful. Now that they had returned to Abaddon Manor, they were ready to take on their duties as Duke and Duchess, and Diana had discovered that they would be filling one of their roles sooner than expected. This alsomeant, however, that she would have to tell Colin, and although she was certain that he would be overjoyed, she did not know how to tell him.

“I have had a breakthrough,” he said brightly, appearing in the drawing room as if on cue. “You shall like to know what I do.”

“As shall you.” Diana smiled. “But do go ahead and tell me.”

“I have found her!” he exclaimed. “Rather, Miss Thornton has found her. She has managed to locate your aunt and has written her address for you, so you may write to her whenever you wish. She is welcome to come and stay any time. You might also like to invite Samantha, unless the situation with your father is too precarious.”

“Would it be selfish of me if I only invited my aunt?” she asked, shifting in her seat. “It is not that I do not want Samantha here, of course, but it has been so long, and I do not want to have to share my time between the two of them, although I would so love to arrange a time for the two of them to see each other too.”

“Then that is what we shall do. Samantha will understand, she always does.”

“You seem rather excitable.” Diana smiled. “What is on your mind?”

“Only that I have a beautiful wife, and that I have solved a mystery, of course. It is always quite satisfactory to do so.”

“I can see that.” She giggled.

“It will be nice to have company,” Colin continued, still abuzz. “Although I must admit, I do so love it when it is only the two of us. I cannot imagine our life being any different, can you?”

Diana stiffened. “Do you… prefer it being just the two of us?”

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