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“Nor do I know. That is why I was not asking about the Duke. I am asking about our father. You do remember that we have one, do you not?”

“However could I forget?” Samantha sighed, then laughed sadly. “I believe he left an hour ago. Why do you ask?”

“You are terribly inquisitive today, are you not?”

“If I am, it is simply because I am terribly bored.”

“Ah, you finished the book you were reading.”

Samantha nodded. It was not unusual for her to almost lose her sense of purpose when she finished a story, as if she did not know what to do with herself. Diana envied that—if only her purpose could be so small at that moment.

That was not fair of her. Samantha was to have a greater role than she had ever anticipated; all of the work that a lady running a household would have without the loving marriage to go along with it. Samantha would be caring for the Earl, and it was not what she had ever thought she would be doing.

“It truly was brilliant.” She nodded. “I do not know what else to do with myself, for the time being. I cannot read another, not just yet. I must think on the last one first.”

“In which case, think on it. There is no need to do anything else.”

“No, of course not. You have everything in hand, yes?”

“As I so often aim to do, Sister.”

“And you are sure that you are happy with this?”

“I would not have done so if I were not.”

But in truth, Diana was not happy with what she had done, and she had done it regardless, but Samantha would never know that to be true. She could not know it to be true.

“Might you have the time?” Diana asked, noting the silence that had settled between them.

“It is no longer calling hour if that is what you mean.”

It was not, but it did mean that she did not need to ask that. The Duke would not be coming that day, though Diana was unsure of how she felt about that, which did not help her.

“In which case, I was wondering if you might wish to accompany me to the modiste? Father might be chipper at the moment, but he is hardly going to show his face there in order to arrange the preparations for my wedding gown.”

“Wedding,” Samantha echoed. “Yes, of course. My apologies, Sister.”

“Samantha,” Diana said gently, “I promise you that I am happy. There is no need for you to worry. Besides, you are the one who wished for me to make a match in the first place!”

She nudged her younger sister playfully, but Samantha’s worried expression refused to soften.

“I wished for you to marry for love, not—not whatever this is!”

“And who is to say that, eventually, love will not bloom?” Diana laughed, hoping that it might aid in convincing her sister, not to mention herself. “You have read plenty of books such as that. Is it so fantastical to say it could happen to me?”

“Not with him. I know that we are far beyond the gossip and scandal of high society, but he does not seem completely trustworthy to me. I do not know why—he has been the perfect gentleman to me, but there is something wrong. I do not like it.”

“You will have to learn to,” Diana replied firmly. “This is not ideal, I know, but it is how it must be now. Besides, it is the first time that you and I have seen Father smile in years. If I am to leave you here, it ought to be with a happy man, yes?”

“I cannot believe that you are to leave after your wedding. That makes it all even worse, and I did not think such a thing was possible.”

“It is not as though I will be gone forever!”

But Diana knew the look on her sister’s face. This had nothing to do with her and everything to do with their mother. She had not planned to go away forever, either.

“Regardless,” Samantha said calmly, taking a deep breath, “I shall miss you terribly. You are all that I have ever known, besides Elizabeth of course.”

“And you shall have her when I am gone. I shall not need a lady’s maid more than you, and I am quite sure that arrangements can be made so that I can have one.”