Page 9 of A Wanton Adventure
“One foot in the grave.”
How was her aunt so different from her mother? They had the same parents. Diana didn’t understand it and once asked Aunt Winifred that very question. She’d said Diana’s mother was her parents’ favorite. Aunt Winifred was mostly an afterthought to their mother and father, spending most of her childhood with distant relatives. Once she became an adult, she was married off. After her wedding, Aunt Winifred happily moved overseas with her husband and stayed there until he passed away two years ago.
Her aunt had reached out to her, Clara, and Henry upon her return to England last year. Initially, they’d all been suspicious of her, but she’d gradually won them all over. Now, Diana couldn’t fathom her aunt not in her life.
“I think he is coming over here,” her aunt whispered excitedly.
Diana spotted him making his way to them and turned, not wanting him to think she was watching him. Her eyes landed on a young woman furiously scribbling on a pad as she observed a Grecian statue. Opposed to the rest of the visitors, who seemed to be there to be seen and socialize, the woman was working. Diana wondered what she was doing.
“Lady Hensley, I didn’t know you were a lover of history,” Devons said, bowing before her.
Diana took a deep breath and turned. “The same could be said about you, Mr. Devons.”
He grimaced. “Please, just Devons is fine.”
She sighed, and he chuckled. It was a deep, rich, alluring sound. “I’m not a formal man.”
She smiled. “Very well.”
“Diana, you must introduce me to your friend,” her aunt said, even though she knew very well who he was.
Diana stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Devons, please meet my aunt, Lady Clark.”
Devons bowed again. “It’s nice to meet such a lovely lady.”
Aunt Winifred tittered. “Oh, you are delightful.”
He winked at her, and her aunt grinned as if she’d received a puppy. She fanned herself and turned to Diana. “I think I will get some punch. Would you like some?”
“I will go with you.”
Aunt Winifred shook her head. “No. Stay and talk.”
Her aunt smiled impishly at her and left. Diana frowned at her retreating figure. What was she up to?
“You didn’t answer my question. What brings you here?” Devons asked with a smile.
“A friend recommended I attend.”
He looked at her with a wicked grin. “A gentleman?”
She blushed, which he seemed to take as confirmation. She wasn’t outraged by his improper question. She didn’t know why because they barely knew each other, but a sense of familiarity and ease seemed to exist between them.
“He should have escorted you.”
Not wanting him to get the wrong impression, she said, “A lady friend. I was hoping she would be here.”
Just then, they were interrupted by Lady Wesley and Lady Mattle. “Lady Hensley, it’s so lovely to see you.”
Diana forced herself to smile even though she wasn’t fond of Lady Wesley. The lady was beautiful, but she’d always struck Diana as intentionally mean. Devons stiffened next to her. Lady Wesley’s eyes raked over him as if she knew him far better thanshe should. Diana flushed at the obscene perusal, preparing to leave.
Devons’s bearing turned cold, and he appeared unaffected by her stare except for the tightening of his jaw. Something was amiss, but she didn’t know what. The lady glanced between her and Devons, her smirk turning colder the longer she studied them. “I see Lady Hensley found you. I recommended she spend time with you.”
His hard facade cracked for a moment, and he frowned at Diana. She looked back at him, confused. What was Lady Wesley talking about?
“She asked me about you. I told her we were on a little break. That you were wonderful to have fun with but to make sure you understood your place.”
Diana gasped. “Lady Wesley!”
