Page 24 of The Replacement Duchess

“Very well. In which case, I shall assume that you are happy and will not question you further.”

“Then the matter is settled.”

The ball was no different to the last, as far as Diana was concerned. There were too many people, and certainly too many with opinions that she did not wish to hear. Regardless, her gown was lovely, her sister was smiling, and her father was acting as human as she had ever seen him be. The rest of it was of little consequence.

Then she saw her suitor, and the opinions of others ceased to exist entirely. He was smiling, and she couldn’t help but notice that the smile only appeared when he saw her.

“Would you do me the honor of a dance, Lady Diana?”

“It would be my pleasure,” she replied with a curtsy.

Immediately, the whispers began once more.

“Can you believe it? I thought that it was some sort of joke.”

“No, they truly do seem to be courting. I cannot imagine it ending well, of course.”

“Nor can I. They are both completely mad, although I cannot say that I blame poor Lady Diana. After all, look at the only role model she has ever known.”

“Shall I say something to them?” the Duke offered. “It will not be anything too terrible.”

“Leave them be.” Diana laughed. “It is as you said, they simply lead uninteresting lives, and there is no cure for that. We are far better off pretending that they do not exist.”

“As you wish.”

It had been years since Diana had danced, and she had always been the one to lead when she taught Samantha. She was terribly concerned that she would step on the Duke’s toes, and that then he might truly be angry with her, but she seemed to remember what to do.

“So,” he said after a while, “it appears that I am finally having that dance.”

“Ever so begrudgingly, yes.” She smirked.

“Would you like to stop? We could do so right now, and you could run crying out of the ballroom and really give them something to talk about.”

She tilted her head as if she were considering it for a moment, just long enough for him to believe it.

“No, I believe this is quite alright.” She laughed, and after a moment of surprise, he joined her.

She couldn’t help but shake her head in disbelief at him.

“Surely you did not think I would truly wish to do that?”

“I never know what to expect from you. Sometimes I think you wish to marry me, then I wonder if this is all an elaborate way to learn my secrets, then I wonder if you are going to scream at me, then I think you are going to sing. I do not know what to do with you.”

“Marry me, it appears. And I shall tell you my intentions once this dance is over and we can speak properly.”

“Very well, although I do hope that they are good intentions.”

“I like to think that they are. I can only hope that you will agree.”

“I shall do my best to accommodate whatever your desires are.”

Diana’s desires, she realized, were heavily tied to the way his hand felt on her waist.

She had not expected to like the feeling of his arms around her. She had counted on one dance for the sake of being seen by those in attendance, having it be passable, and then never having to do it again. She had not counted on enjoying it, not at all, and now that she was, she did not know how to handle it.

At least she did not take the Duke up on his offer and flee the room. Instead, the dance came to an end, and she followed him outside with Samantha nearby, and she waited for the heat in her chest to dissipate.

“So,” he asked, “what is it that you wished to tell me?”

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