Page 7 of The Replacement Duchess

“Then do not argue. I can see the professor—he is just over there! Would you like to accompany me?”

“No, thank you,” Diana replied, although she had to admit that some intelligent conversation was precisely what she needed at that moment. “It is your moment, and I would hate to intrude.”

“Nonsense! I would love for you to speak with him too. It may even give me some credibility, prove that my family is not a complete lost cause.”

“We are not lost causes!”

But they were. They were, and they knew it, and it seemed that thetondid too. They were shut-ins, motherless, and practically fatherless. In fact, fatherless would almost be preferable to the drunkard that they would be faced with when they found him. There was no amount of airs and graces that could excuse that, and sometimes Diana didn’t know why she ever tried in the first place.

“Diana, you really are pale. Can I maybe fetch you a refreshment?”

“No, go and see that gentleman of yours, I insist. I will be right here when you are done.”

“Are you quite sure?”

No, she was not. Not at all.

“Yes, of course, now go.”

Even with the small laugh she had injected into her words, she knew that her sister didn’t fully believe her, but either way, she turned and walked towards the professor, leaving her alone.

It was not terrible, being alone. Diana quite enjoyed it; it gave her time to think and dream, although as of late she had been thinking too much and dreaming too little. Besides aiding Samantha and helping run her household, there was hardly anything for her to do, so her free time was typically spent alone, in silence, thinking.

“Good evening, Miss,” a voice came. “Is something wrong?”

She looked up to see a gentleman standing before her. In truth, the first thing that she noticed was the way his pale blue eyes stood out from his tanned complexion and mess of dark hair, but she couldn’t tell herself that. He towered over her, though she had to admit that for the first time that evening, she did not feel at all threatened.

“Not at all,” she said quickly, “I was simply going to go to the refreshments table.”

“I wouldn’t if I were you. The lemonade here tastes… well, it leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Is it too sour? I hate it when lemonade is like that.”

“Incredibly so. In fact, I am simply grateful that nobody had to bear witness to the face I made upon taking a sip. I do hope that that plant over there appreciates it more than I do.”

“You did not!”

“Of course I did, why wouldn’t I? I did not like it, and I am not going to stand here all evening holding a glass of lemonade that I am not going to drink. Is that what you would do?”

“Yes,” she bluffed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I am to dance.”

“Are you?” He eyed her carefully. “Because I do not see any names on your dance card.”

She quickly put her hands behind her back, feeling her cheeks flame. “He did not write it down.”

“To be sure. Well, he is a fool, because if I were him, I would have written my name three times and had you to myself for the evening.”

“A charmer, is that what you are?”

“Something of the sort.”

“A rake?”

“Someone that requires an escape for the evening. Perhaps we might leave it there?”

“I am more than happy to. I could use an escape myself.”

She willed herself to stop talking, to stop telling a stranger so much about herself when she had never, ever been the sort of person that did, but he seemed so kind that she could not help herself.

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