Page 63

“Perfect!” She smiled. “It shall be the most wonderful day, I am sure of it.”

It had been so easy to tell her that he would protect her, slightly more difficult to make her trust him, but now that she did, he did not know what to do. He was responsible for her now—her happiness and health depended on him, and it was no longer this lovely idea that had formed in his mind. It was real, now, and he did not know how to handle that.

However he did it, though, he would do it well. His wife deserved that much. At least, he thought, they had discussed the matter of the library, and now it would no longer be an issue. She would leave it be, and the matter would be settled.

Even as he thought it, though, he couldn’t help but disagree.

CHAPTER 18

The sun was warm, the staff had agreed to take some time off from their work for the day, and the Duke had forgiven her trespasses. Diana could not have been luckier.

She was aware that she had changed her mind about telling the Duke all too quickly, but she needed to do it. She did not want another relationship filled with dishonesty and going behind the back of another, as her father had done to her. She wanted honesty and goodness and kindness, and thus far she had found all of that with her husband.

As she placed a strawberry in her mouth, she realized just how fortunate she was to have had all of it happen to her.

“You must be the new duchess!” a young lady said to her, in an accent that she had never heard before.

“That would be me.” She nodded. “It is lovely to meet you.”

“And the same to you,” the lady said quickly, followed by a curtsey that she seemed to rush into, as though she had forgotten about it completely. “We did not think that the Duke would find a wife so quickly, but we are glad that he did.”

“And I could not be happier to be here. It is a lovely village, and everyone seems so content.”

“Well, we are. The Duke has been brilliant, just as his father was.”

Diana felt her husband bristle beside her, but he did not say anything.

“Will you come to the fayre?” the young lady asked. “We shall have many stalls, and there will be games, and?—”

“Helen!” an older woman snapped nearby. “You mustn’t accost the poor lady.”

“My apologies, Mother, but it is most exciting, is it not?”

The mother approached them, and the young lady (who appeared to be named Helen) introduced them.

“It is most exciting that we have a duchess, especially one that we do not know anything about.”

Diana liked that. It had been so painful in London, having everyone know who she was and not seeing her in a good light at all. Now she had a fresh start, a chance to be known as Diana, the Duchess of Abaddon, rather than Diana, the poor girl who had a deceased mother and a drunkard father.

Whatever these people thought of her would be because of her own actions, and that brought such power but also responsibility. Then again, it was a responsibility that she wanted.

“Please,” Diana said kindly, gesturing beside her, “sit with us. I wish to know all about you.”

The mother seemed to hesitate, but Helen practically dove beside her.

“We do not mean to intrude, Your Grace,” the mother said to Colin, but he was laughing.

“It is perfectly alright. The Duchess wishes to learn all about our county, and far be it from me to prevent that. Take all the time you need, and feel free to help yourself to anything that we have brought. There is plenty to go around.”

That seemed to be all of the permission that Helen needed to snatch up a slice of cake.

“My name is Helen Swinton,” she said quickly. “I am seven and ten years old, and I live with my mother. I shall not tell you her age, of course.”

“Please excuse her… spritely nature,” the mother sighed. “She has always been a spirited girl. It is quite remarkable, really. I thought that when her father died, that spark might die out, but here she is.”

The Duke seemed to stiffen beside her. At that moment, all three ladies seemed to realize how he might have taken what she had said.

“I understand.” Diana nodded. “I lost my own mother when I was six years old.”