Page 3 of A Lady's Wicked Revenge
“Ah, there you are.”
Diana drew in a breath to steel herself. She had been hoping the door to Uncle James’ study might be closed, as it usually was; this would give her a moment to catch her breath and ready herself before subjecting herself to whatever scheme he had lying in wait for her. Instead, Diana saw two pairs of eyes gazing out at her from the ornately furnished room.
Chapter 2
Eyes in the Shadows
James Leeson was not an unhandsome man. Despite the resentment she bore him day and night, Diana could not deny that he was always seen in the most stylish garments, and he obviously took a great deal of care in styling his grey hair and bushy moustache. This morning he appeared to have dressed himself to look even more impressive than usual, with a well-cut black suit and a diamond winking from his third finger.
Even so, it was plain to Diana that he was a man who was thoroughly uncomfortable with everyone and everything in his presence, starting with himself and his own station in the world. And though she now saw Uncle James in his preferred habitat, standing amid all his finest worldly possessions in his beloved study, she could scarcely notice anything at all apart from the ravenous hunger that suffused every part of the man.
Deciding she would tweak the man’s nose with a bit of sweetness, Diana smiled at him from the doorway, curtsying gracefully. “Good morning, Uncle. Did you have a pleasant night’s sleep?” From the sour expression on Uncle James’ face at these words, Diana could see that her feigned politeness had not fooled him. She could not help herself from feeling some grim pleasure at that.
“Diana Hann,” said James, gesturing to one side without acknowledging her question. “I’d like to introduce you to Mister Gerard Dunn.” Diana had the misfortune of catching sight of the suggestive lift of her uncle’s eyebrows at these words, and she felt her gorge rise for an instant until she turned to face the quiet young man.
Despite herself, Diana’s first instinct was to note that the man was hardly the monster she had pictured over these last weeks of hearing his name. Gerard had sandy blond hair neatly brushed to one side of his wide, lantern-jawed face.
His clothes were clearly expensive, though they seemed ill-fitting on his lanky frame somehow, as though the stiff black jacket and deep red cravat had once belonged to a smaller man. Gerard’s dull brown eyes only darted up at her briefly before returning to look awkwardly at the floor.
What’s the matter with this man? He seems to want to be here little more than I do. What could he be so afraid of?
“M–miss Hann,” said Gerard, bowing stiffly. He reached out a hand, and for a moment, Diana feared he meant to kiss it, but he quickly returned his hands to nervously clutch in front of him. “It’s, ah … it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Their eyes met, and his crooked teeth showed in a warm, open smile.
What a perfectly … adequate man. I suppose this could have turned out much worse,Diana thought, finding herself returning his smile with a polite, thin-lipped one of her own. Then a flash of anger shot through her at this idea.It would have been easier if he had been a monster. Especially as I have no intention of marrying him.
Saying nothing, Diana turned back to face her uncle, feeling Gerard shift his weight awkwardly at her side. Uncle James gave her a meaningful look, jerking his head briefly in the direction of Gerard. A tempest of anger was raging behind his staid façade, Diana saw. The last time she had defied him in front of others, he had been furious with her. Sighing softly, she faced Gerard once more, awaiting whatever pleasantries he intended to assail her with.
“So, you … ah …” Gerard rubbed the back of his head with one hand, glancing around the room as if in search of an appropriate conversation topic. “How are you … that is, Sir James has a lovely home. Are you finding it to your liking?”
Diana looked at Uncle James with disbelief.Does he really expect me to act well-mannered in the face of this kind of questioning?The man’s shaggy eyebrows dipped ominously. “Yes, thank you,” Diana muttered in reply.
“Ah, good, good. That’s very … good.” As he spoke his answer to this, Gerard’s voice grew lower and quieter, trailing away into nonverbal utterances of assent. This topic apparently exhausted, Diana waited in silence for a long while as Gerard tapped his fingers against one another anxiously, occasionally looking up to flash her an embarrassed smile.
Evidently, I must not only allow myself to be courted but I am expected to do all the work of courting myself?Diana felt her eyes narrow with anger.And all for a marriage meant to please none but Uncle James?
The idea of marriage had once held great appeal for Diana, as she imagined it did for most girls. She could hardly count the number of times her mother or father had lovingly chastised her about her constant daydreaming about this or that handsome young man of the ton. One day, she imagined, she would be swept off her feet by the son of some minor lordling.
In her more ambitious flights of fancy, she would be wooed by someone loftier if less likely—a dashing duke, say, or perhaps an exiled French nobleman. It hardly mattered who the particular gentleman was, she had said laughingly to her friends; no matter his identity, before long, she would meet her husband, have a grand wedding ceremony, and plumb the depths of nuptial bliss over hundreds of happy days and happier nights.
But then, that had been before everything had gone wrong. And now, when she was in the very depths of grief, when all her true family was barely at rest in the cold earth—nowwas when Uncle James expected her to be obedient and submit to a quick and inexpensive marriage?
Not on my life,thought Diana, her rosy curls dancing around her as she set her chin in determination.Uncle James may be my guardian and have the power to legally compel me to do as he bids, but he is not my father. No matter who he has chosen for me, I would sooner die than give him the satisfaction.
Though it felt like a year or more of waiting, in truth, Diana could only take half a minute of this interaction before she curtsied once more to Uncle James. “Thank you for introducing us, Uncle. I am always pleased to make the acquaintance of one of your friends,” she said, hoping her unspoken request to be dismissed would be received.
Uncle James folded his arms and snorted like a bull. “Mister Dunn has travelled all morning for this visit,” he said in a clipped tone. “As a member of this household, Diana, I thought you might be a good enough hostess to take him to see the Leeson estate grounds, as he has no doubt heard so much about.”
“I scarcely know the place well enough to get around myself,” Diana blurted before she could stop herself. Uncle James’ smooth, full face flashed an alarming shade of pink. “… But of course, I would not want to be an ungracious hostess.”
The would-be patriarch nodded, his stony features relaxing somewhat at this concession. “Fine. Have Missus Fessler accompany you. Missus Leeson and I will join you for a family luncheon in the dining room in an hour or so.” With that, he slumped back into his chair and turned back to his writing desk.
You can suffer through this encounter, if only to spare yourself unnecessary misery,Diana told herself, trudging out the door with Gerard in tow as she tried to restrain the urge to flee back into her room.An argument in front of strangers will only set Uncle James more firmly in his position, stubborn ox that he is. Save the argument for later. You don’t have to marry this man.
After all, it’s only a walk. What could possibly come of a little thing like that?
* * *
The Leeson estate’s grounds were not terribly large and were in ill repair for all Uncle James’ boastful talk. Even so, Diana found herself happy at last to be allowed to breathe fresh air and feel the warm sunshine on her face … as fresh and warm as such things were here on the outskirts of London, that is.
