Page 88 of The Replacement Duchess

“Di!” she exclaimed, pulling Diana into an embrace.

Yet, regardless of how happy Diana was to know that her sister was not in any danger, she could not help but feel irritated with her. Samantha had caused such trouble, and for what? Because their father had tried to marry her off?

“Di?” Samantha repeated.

“Yes.” Diana nodded. “Yes, it is good to know that you are here.”

“How did you find me here?”

“I must have given my footman the same instruction as you did.”

“To continue driving until absolutely necessary?” Samantha giggled. “Well, I suppose I could have been nicer about it.”

“You could have refrained from giving them the last of your pin money,” Diana sighed. “Truly, Samantha, what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that it is time to take my future into my own hands. I am so tired of it, Diana. I cannot simply sit there and be pretty anymore. I must do more. I must be more.”

“You have always done and been more,” Diana pointed out. “You have always been able to do everything that a lady is capable of.”

“As far as Society is concerned. Diana, I want more than that.”

“And should you marry correctly, then you shall be able to. This is not the way to do this.”

Samantha fell silent for a moment. Diana hoped that she was listening to her, but given the disappointment on her sister’s face, it was quite clear that her hopes were in vain.

“So you are not here to join me?” Samantha asked finally.

Diana could not help but look at her incredulously. “No, of course not!” she gasped. “Why on earth would you think that I would?”

“So that I am not alone, of course. You have always told me that you would be there for me, and now I shall need you more than ever.”

“What you need is to go home and accept that you are a lady and you shall need to marry,” Diana snapped. “It bewilders me that you truly thought I would leave my husband behind to follow you into this harebrained scheme simply because you have to take your place in Society.”

“Is that truly what you believe this to be about?” Samantha laughed, exasperated. “You know perfectly well that I do notbelong in Society. You know all too much about my struggles, and how I know I will never find happiness among theton. I do not want it, and so I will not put myself through it.”

“And you expect me to do the same simply because you say so, is that it?”

“You are not happy!”

“I would not be happy as a nun.”

“But you would be free,” Samantha sighed. “Di, I am not doing this to make your life difficult. I am doing this because we have no other choice. We deserve so much more than to merely simper and nod when a man tells us to.”

Diana, tired of arguing, took her sister’s wrist.

“Diana, what are you doing?”

“We are going home. We are going right now.”

“You cannot. The horses?—”

“Will be fine. You are going to stay in Abaddon Manor with us until this ridiculous and spiteful idea of yours has left your mind.”

“What is so ridiculous about it?” Samantha demanded, shaking herself free. “Is it because you did not think of it? Let me remind you that you are the one who married a man whom you did not know simply because he wanted to marry me. If you wish to talk about spite, perhaps look inwards.”

“Yes, how cruel of me to save you from a marriage that you wanted no part in. Truly, I am the most terrible sister that one could have.”

“That is not fair.”

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