Page 23 of The Replacement Duchess

“It is good to feel happy. You know, I thought that I was at my happiest when I was engrossed in one of my papers, but right now, at this moment, there is this feeling in me that I do not think I have ever felt before. Is this what true happiness is?”

“It is hope, and I dare say that I am feeling it too.”

“Di, I love you, but you are not the sort to feel such a way. Has the Duke won you over, after all?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that, but he is a very nice gentleman. Had we been in another family, I might have invited him to dinner so that you could meet him properly, and the two of you could start again, but unfortunately, I would prefer it if he and Father do not cross paths unless absolutely necessary.”

“Have you not seen Father today?”

“No, why? I assumed that he was in bed, nursing himself after overindulging last night.”

“Quite the contrary. It is the afternoon, and he has yet to drink. Can you believe it?”

Their fortunes seemed to be changing, indeed.

Diana almost did not believe her sister and thought that it was nothing more than a joke and she would see their father and quickly be proven wrong. He was still gruff, and not too pleased to be around them, but the stench of alcohol was no longer there. She wondered what had brought it on, though she was quite sure that it was her courtship with the Duke. That had been the only change of late.

Regardless, he remained that way until the ball. He was almost human by then, but then again this would be the first time that he would be around alcohol. Neither Diana nor Samantha dared ask him what he planned to do, as they did not wish for him to be defensive about it. It was better with nobody mentioning it and the Earl quietly continuing in his efforts.

“You look beautiful, Sister.” Diana beamed as they left the house. “Green truly is your color.”

“I am inclined to agree, although I must say that I never thought I’d see you in pink.”

“It is winning me over, as I hope the Duke will do.”

“Will he be there tonight?”

“He wrote to me and told me that he would. He thinks it is for the best that we are seen together more. If we do that, then perhaps these rumors may die down a little and we will be seen as relatively normal.”

“One must be normal to be seen as such.” Samantha smirked. “In any case, I do hope that between your dances, I shall have time to speak with him. I wish to know his true intentions with my favorite sister.”

“Your only sister.”

“Which also makes you my least favorite sister, so be careful.”

Diana laughed. Her sister was charming and lovely, and should she ever change her mind about marriage, she was sure to make a most incredible match—Diana had simply never considered the idea of getting married before her.

“I wish you had married first, you know.”

“Why? You are older than me, and so it is your birthright.”

“But you are my pride and joy. My work is not finished with you yet, and now I shall be going away. It was never meant to be your burden to stay with Father.Thatwas my true birthright, not marriage.”

“I hope that one day you allow yourself to be happy. It is not fair that you have done everything for me, yet you refuse to do anything at all for yourself.”

“I do not deserve this. I have not worked for it like you have.”

“You and I both know that I have not been working towards being a good wife, and even if I had, it would be due to you working twice as much as me. Who else would have trained her sister whilst caring for her father and trying to learn everything herself?”

“I like to believe that you would have, had it been reversed.”

“Of course, but only because I am so brilliant myself.”

The two of them laughed, but then Samantha took Diana’s hands in her own.

“I mean it, Di. You deserve to be loved. If you believe that the Duke can offer you that love, then I will make no further comment on the matter.”

“I do not want him to love me. I would like a husband that I can halfway tolerate. The Duke fulfills that role, and so I am perfectly content.”

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