Page 92 of Romancing the Rifleman
“Forgive me, my lady.I am not at liberty to say.”
Diana arched an eyebrow.“So mysterious.Well, you may tell my brother that I will be able to attend.”
“I’ll try to make it over as well,” Harrington said, “but I’ve been summoned to Horse Guards to discuss my next assignment.Hopefully, my meeting will have concluded by then.”
James blanched.“His Grace instructed me that I was not to leave until I had extracted a promise that you would both be present.”
Diana exchanged a curious glance with Harrington.“Well, Marcus will have to manage his disappointment.My husband’s career must come before… whatever this mysterious summons might be.”
James turned to Harrington.“With whom will you be meeting?”
“With General James Gordon,” Harrington supplied.
“General Gordon,” James muttered, pulling a small notebook and pencil from his breast pocket.“His Grace can send the general a note, advising him of the need for your meeting to conclude prior to two.”He nodded to himself as he tucked the notebook away.“The duke will take care of it.I am sure that he will.”
“James,” Diana said, unable to conceal her exasperation, “please tell my brother that he is not to meddle in army business.It’s unbecoming.This is Harrington’s career!”
James bowed deeply.“Never fear, my lady.His Grace will know precisely how to handle it.I daresay he can smooth everything over by extending General Gordon an invitation to the…” He trailed off, clearing his throat.“Never mind!”He reached behind him for the doorknob.“It was wonderful seeing you, my lady!Lieutenant!”
“James!”Diana protested.“I insist that you tell me what is?—”
“Until this afternoon!”James cried, and then the door clicked shut behind him.
Diana rubbed her brow, exasperated.“My brother is a plague.”
Harrington laughed, coming up behind her and rubbing her shoulders.“Your brother is a duke, which I suppose is its own form of pestilence.Are you truly surprised?”
She sighed.“No.Well, you are wanted at Horse Guards.I take it I am not to visit Latimer House before two, but perhaps I will drop in on Izzie and Lucy.”
But much to Diana’s annoyance, none of the Astleys were at home when she called at their townhouse on Cavendish Square.
Their longtime butler, Yarwood, clucked sympathetically when she asked where they had gone, and at such an early hour.“I am terribly sorry, my lady.But I have been sworn to silence.”
Diana bit back her irritation.She knew that none of this was Yarwood’s fault, and Marcus was the one who deserved her ire.“Never mind,” she said brightly.“I shall head to the Nettlethorpe-Ogilvy manse and see what Izzie is up to.”
Yarwood cleared his throat.“My apologies, Lady Diana.But I fear you will find that Lady Isabella is similarly occupied.Unless you wish to spend the morning with Mr.Nettlethorpe-Ogilvy’s parents, I would advise you to give their household a wide berth.”
Diana smiled tightly.“Thank you for the warning, Yarwood.”
Lacking any other way to pass the time, she sent one of the Pulteney’s footmen over to her brother’s stables to fetch her mare, Artemisia, and spent the morning riding in Hyde Park.That it was not the fashionable hour was an enticement rather than a shortcoming, as the park was empty and this was the only time of day when one was permitted to gallop.
She returned to the hotel to find that Marcus had sent over her lady’s maid, Veronique, along with a few of her old dresses.She allowed Veronique to dress her in a silk gown and poke and prod her with the curling tongs for what felt like an inordinately long period of time until she looked like her old self, the sister of the duke, the richest heiress in all of England, rather than a humble officer’s wife.
Harrington gave a low whistle when he returned from Horse Guards.Diana smiled as he met her eyes in the mirror.“Do you prefer me in silk and seed pearls, then?”she teased.
He pressed a kiss into her palm.“I prefer you with that smile on your face.Shall we go see what your brother is up to?”
She rose from the padded stool.“Let’s.”
Diana felt her throat constrict as the carriage Marcus had sent for them drove between the familiar pair of lion statues flanking the drive of Latimer House.It only grew worse as the door was opened by their long-time family butler, Ellery.When little Alaric ran into the room, arms extended overhead for “Aunt Diynah” to pick him up, she began sniffling, and by the time Aunt Griselda came down the stairs and enveloped her in a hug, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Lucy and Izzie broke the tension by flying into the foyer, crowing with delight and almost bowling her over in their enthusiasm.And by the time Marcus strolled into the room, Diana was laughing through her tears.
He scowled.“Why are you crying?”
She gave him a baleful look.“Happy tears, Marcus.I am merely overwhelmed at seeing everyone again.”
He leaned close to whisper in her ear.“And you are still happy in your marriage?”
