Page 10 of A Lady's Wicked Revenge
As an unmarried woman, she was only allowed minimal movement on her own, virtually none outside the bounds of the Leeson grounds unless she was chaperoned, and Uncle James was unlikely to acquiesce to much of anything after she had spoken to him so roughly.That early encounter in which Uncle James chased me back to my room notwithstanding, I may as well take full measure of my prison—the grounds really are fairly lovely. Sunlight and fresh air might be a tonic at this point.
And I suppose I am not completely without allies, even shut up in this house,Diana reasoned.Even if I am all but barred from leaving, I may be able to find some way to summon them to visit me here. I am a resourceful girl … at least, that was what Mother used to tell me.
By the time she was clean and dressed in an attractively sheer gown of pale red, Diana had seized on a plan that seemed satisfactory, if only for today. It was yet early in the morning, so she could be reasonably sure she could slip out of her room without being bothered by the staff or any other occupant of the immense house. Evading her mandatory breakfast with Uncle James, she would instead take a nice walk around the grounds, perhaps read a book outside.
She might even see if she could persuade Missus Fessler to send a note to her best friend Leah Reid, inviting her for a visit. Uncle James might have something to say about that, she thought ruefully, but if she were lucky, she could pass at least an hour or two in the gardens with Leah before he noticed and sent her away.
Diana took another look at herself in the tall, ornate mirror that hung on the wall. She already looked much improved since the day before: her pale cheeks had regained a modicum of their rosy hue, and now that she had taken the time to wrestle her red-gold curls into some semblance of order for the first time in weeks, she decided she looked halfway presentable.There. Not so much like a corpse anymore. The necessary first step for actually living again, I suppose.
But Diana was interrupted before she could spring into action by a furious protest in the form of a wordless gurgle. Diana looked over at the empty dishes of her dinner, then down at her stomach with dismay. “How on Earth can you still be hungry after the food Aunt Priscilla brought last night?” she asked in consternation.
Again, the plaintive organ made its dissatisfaction known, and Diana had no choice but to interrupt her day’s plans before they had even started, shaking her head in frustration. Opening the door as silently as possible, Diana peered out into the corridor.
The long hallway looked like a very different place in the golden early-morning sunlight that streaked through the windows. Activity echoed from somewhere deep in the bowels of the house, though Diana could see all the doors in her line of sight were still closed, including the grand portal at the end of the hall. Deducing that the staff had awoken to begin their day’s duties, but her wicked guardian still slept, Diana crept out into the world, closing the door softly behind her.
Her skin tingled with electric anticipation as she tiptoed to the stairs, then breathlessly slid down them in her soft leather shoes. She paused before reaching the first floor, detecting some movement out of the corner of her eye. After a few seconds of holding her breath, she realised she was merely catching sight of a young family of starlings saluting the day from their nest outside one of the windows.
Diana could not stop herself from grinning in pride at her adventure. She felt like a child doing something that was not allowed, and for the first time in ages, all her problems seemed to evaporate, leaving her feeling like she weighed no more than a feather. Stifling a giggle, Diana stole into the main corridor that led to the dining room, past which she was reasonably certain she would find the kitchens.
By now,Missus Fessler should be there starting her day with George,she reasoned, tongue peeking out of her mouth in concentration.I’m sure I can persuade them to let me secret away some bread and a handful of strawberries. Then I should be able to get into the library and pick out a book to read in the garden before anyone realises I’m—
She stopped, frozen like a statue by the sight before her. There, beyond platters piled high with more food than Diana usually saw on the familiar table, the shape at the side of the table was a familiar one seated at the far end. Her heart pounded in her chest as she thought for an instant it was Uncle James, lying in ambush for her, and her fear did not lessen appreciably when she recognized Colin Mullens’ loose, dark curls and imperious smile.
His eyes were already on her, and on his lips was a smirk of recognition of having caught her in the act.Drat it!she thought, fearing her plans had already been spoiled.Now I suppose he will alert his father to my movements, perhaps have the household follow me to make sure I do not run off or do something similarly daft.
For a long while, the figure simply looked at her, his eyes roving up and down her lithe form. Hoping she was not shaking visibly with nervous energy, Diana stood firm, refusing to blush or bolt in response to this inspection. As Colin gazed at her, she stared right back at him, her eyes picking apart his affectedly casual posture and half-empty plate of food before him.
Eventually, Colin nodded his head gently towards the chair opposite him. And though most every part of her told her to flee, to run off into the gardens or beyond the bounds of the home that had become her prison …Diana yielded, walking cautiously to the chair and sitting. Hoping whichever lone voice within her had compelled her to take this invitation was her good sense, she wordlessly helped herself to a hunk of bread and a hard-boiled egg and began eating.
* * *
It took Colin a long while to get over the shock at Diana’s appearance at the table. He had half-assumed she would stay in her room, too angry with his stepfather or too fearful of his wrath to dare set foot out her door—if she hadn’t run off in the night, that is. Realising she was content to eat in silence, he continued to work on his own breakfast, assuming eventually she would grow weary of the quiet.
Finally, after five aching minutes, he could take the silence no longer. “It’s not often I have the opportunity to share my breakfast with another,” Colin said abruptly.
Diana’s eyes shot up to him from her plate, wide and charged with fear or anger or some mix of the two. She said nothing to him, instead only staring at him with her icy blue eyes.
Good Lord,Colin thought,it really is like dining with a wild animal or a savage who has never encountered civilisation. How extraordinary!
Colin gave her a reassuring smile, hoping it might disguise how funny he found her reaction, irritating though it otherwise might be. “In fact, I don’t think there has been another early riser in this house besides me in … well, ever,” he continued jovially.
Still Diana only glared at him, speaking not a word in reply as she continued to devour her breakfast. He noted that her muscles were knotted, face flushed with ire, but despite her continued savage muteness, her table manners did demonstrate a young woman of practised breeding.
He shook his head, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.Perhaps we can see just how far she intends to take this silent game,Colin thought wryly.Even if she does not intend to speak, that’s no reason I have to have my breakfast in silence. Besides, if I annoy her sufficiently, she may have another outburst like she did last night, and that would be quite a sight!
“I know you’ll enjoy your time in our home,” said Colin with as much casualness as he could muster. “If Missus Fessler has not already driven you screaming out into the street with her chatter, you should find it most pleasant here.”
Diana glanced up at him, her pale blue eyes alight with irritation. Then, without speaking a word, she turned her eyes back down to her breakfast, which she continued to consume with grim determination.
Colin smiled, immediately attracted by the challenge before him.If anyone can get a rise out of this young lady, I know I can.
“Then again, I imagine a bit of chit-chat might be a welcome thing now and again. Though there are certainly conversation partners I would choose over good old Missus Fessler. Do you have any friends who have been to visit you here, perhaps?”
He waited for an answer to his question, taking a bite of his breakfast and tamping down a chuckle at her continued stubbornness. When no reply was forthcoming, Colin thought he might try a different tactic. “At least the weather is suitable for sitting and stewing indoors. Sir James told me yesterday was the first day without rain in nearly a month.”
And, “Mother and Sir James will be having a dinner party this evening, if you haven’t already been told. Good news for you, I imagine: more people to talk to, including some rather interesting friends of the family, and there’s less likely to be any destruction of property. The food will be much the same; I’m sorry to say.”
Then, after no more than a breath, “You would scarcely believe what passes for music at balls in Spain, even at the more reputable establishments. It’s all that wretched guitar music, still, if you can imagine dancing to such a thing.”
