Page 16 of A Lady's Wicked Revenge
“Diana!”
She drew in a stunned breath, unable to believe the apparition she saw before her. It was a familiar young woman she saw, with long brown curls cascading down past her narrow shoulders and an elegant sea-green gown. Then the shock was transmuted into glee, and Diana was on her feet to embrace her friend with both arms, heedless of the sidelong glances this breach of protocol earned from James Leeson and sundry guests.
“Leah! My God, is it really you?” Diana laughed, feeling tears rush to her eyes.
Leah’s laughter trickled happily into her ears, and Diana felt herself squeezed tight. “Well, I certainly hope so!”
All the relief and comfort that had been denied her over the last month came flooding back into Diana in a sudden torrent. Not only was she once again in the company of a beloved friend, but Missus Leeson had done as Diana asked her after all and sent an invitation on her behalf—Someone in this bloody house has a heart after all, then!Diana shook in her friend’s arms, afraid she might melt into incoherent tears. “Oh, there’s so much to tell you! I have missed you so much, my dear friend. I can scarcely put it all into words!”
“Well, I see no need to cut our reunion short,” said Leah, pulling away and giving Diana a comforting smile. “It seems I’m to be seated right next to you, anyway. Between you and Mother, that is.”
Diana started at the words, suddenly aware of the presence of Leah’s mother standing by her side. She blushed as she paid Missus Reid a more appropriate greeting, then took her seat as the last of the other guests did the same, and the first course of the grand meal was brought out by silent servants.
“I can scarcely believe the vastness of this dining hall,” said Leah quietly in Diana’s direction. “From the street, one really gets no idea just how enormous this house really is.”
Diana nodded, feeling herself laugh under her breath. “Best of all, the room is so massive that I can scarcely hear whatever it is Uncle James is going on about at the head of the table,” she said, nodding in the direction of her guardian. Indeed, the pair could see him standing and orating something in a grandiose fashion, but at this distance from the far side of the table, his words were rendered into incomprehensible echoes.
“Don’t worry; I’m sure you can find someone down here to bellow at you if you’ve begun to miss it.”
Diana shot a look in the direction of the words and felt herself almost choke at the sight of Colin Mullens and that slimy friend of his seated just a few places away from her. Leah put a hand on Diana’s knee as if to hold back the temper that she knew was roiling, but Diana spat, “Only if you’d like to give me the chance to break some dishware, Mister Mullens,” before turning back toward Leah.
“Is this that the stepson of Sir James’?” Leah whispered behind a raised hand.
“Why? Have you heard anything of him?”
“Only a few whispers here and there. They say he’s a reputation for being a bit of a wastrel, prone to spending a good deal of time in taverns and social clubs of mixed repute. Though on the whole, I’ve heard he is an upstanding, witty, loyal young man. For a bachelor, at least.”
Diana looked scornfully in Colin’s direction, dismayed to see he was already staring in her direction. “Some people are just blessed with a far greater reputation than they deserve,” she growled.
“What’s happened? Has he done anything untoward? Oh, Diana, you must tell me!” Leah enthused.
But Diana could scarcely take her eyes away from the piercing green orbs of Colin Mullens, which stayed trained on her with a keenness that frightened her. “Not here,” Diana said, taking a sip of her soup and finding it cold already. “I’ll tell you everything, but not in front of so many people. Will you come and see me tomorrow afternoon?”
“You couldn’t keep me away.”
The first course was consumed without incident, as was the second, though Diana found herself tasting none of it. She forced herself to look away from Colin, but she somehow could not keep her mind fixed on her conversation with Leah and her mother. By the time the meat was served, she had grown hot with resentment, feeling that this single moment of happiness in the company of her friend had been stolen away from her by Uncle James’ stepson.
“Why, Mullens, I must say, you really have done Miss Hann an awful injustice,” said Adam Radcliffe in a mock whisper to Colin. He looked over to her and winked before continuing, “You didn’t mention how much lovelier she is when she is angry.”
Colin shushed his friend, stifling laughter. This only served to encourage Adam, who went on in a louder voice, “I haven’t the faintest idea what could be causing it, but she must beveryangry indeed at this moment if you catch my meaning!”
Diana’s eyes narrowed. “You are a learned man, aren’t you, Mister Radcliffe?” she asked through gritted teeth.
This seemed to take Adam aback. “I … am not usually so characterised. But I have been to school, yes. From time to time, anyway. When I am not occupied with more worthwhile pastimes, such as those concerning the fairer—”
“Zoology?”
Adam chortled at this, and Diana’s eyes narrowed still further. Before he could loose the ribald joke he seemed to have loaded and ready to fire, she said quickly, “Perhaps you have had the opportunity to study examples of aposematism, then.”
Adam blinked at her, uncomprehending. Diana felt Leah poke her in the ribs as though to warn her to stop, but she could not resist continuing, “The bright, beautiful colours of a reptile or insect are used to communicate something very particular to its prospective predators.”
“‘Danger,’” said Colin brightly. Adam looked to him with dismay. “Or ‘stay away,’ depending on the animal.”
“Precisely, Mister Mullen.” Diana looked to Adam with as much venom as she could conjure, daring him to ask for further elaboration. She must have been at least moderately successful, as she could see a shiver run down the man as he withered beneath her gaze.
“I … see,” stammered Adam Radcliffe. Diana glared at him, and it was not more than a second before the man averted his eyes lest he be scalded. He took a long sip of his wine, giving himself time to collect his thoughts, then glanced back up at Diana. “That was most … well, ah, educational, Miss Hann. Th … thank you?”
Diana returned smugly to her dish of food, satisfied that she had shut down Adam’s advances for good and all.
