Page 45 of Diana Adores the Puzzled Duke

“That will be helpful,” she said. “But tell me, have you yet read any of my books?” she askedpointedly.

Robert felt embarrassed to admit. “Quite honestly, I have not. And I am sosorry.”

“Then, when we return, I shall give you copies of my books. Autographed, of course,” she added with asmile.

“And I promise to read themall.”

“But only if they amuse you. You might find them too tame for your taste. Do not feel obligated to read further if the stories do not grabyou.”

Robert nodded, and then looked up at thesky.

“It seems to be clouding up. We might want to return to the dock. If it starts to rain we can let the storm pass, sheltered in my house. I can start a fire and brew up a pot oftea.”

“As youlike.”

They packed the picnic hamper and returned to the punt and Robert began poling upriver.

“How are those amusing friends of yours that we had tea with the day of our walk in themeadow?”

“Quite as bizarre as ever, I assure you. But I quite enjoy their company, and they seem able to put up withme.”

As they went up river, they passed under a weeping willow tree and a wayward branch caught hold of Diana’s hat and snagged it into theriver.

“Oh…” she exclaimed, as she reached quickly for the hat. But she had reached too far and, before she knew it, she tumbled over the side of the punt, causing Robert to struggle to remain standing, as she landed in the river. But as the river was quite shallow at this point, she managed to stand upright—the water only coming up to her waist. Her hair had come loose and hung matted around her face as she picked river weeds from her hair and dress, and spitted out riverdebris.

Robert could not help but laugh outloud.

Diana was not pleased with that and she sputtered as she tried to lift herself into the boat, nearly tipping it over and sending Robert into the drink aswell.

“Stop. Let me help you or you will send us both floating out tosea.”

He took her by both arms and lifted her high enough so that he could grab her by the waist and place her safely in thepunt.

“My hat,” she explained, as she turned to see it floating downriver.

Again, Robert could not help but laugh. “I will buy you a new one. In fact, I shall buy you a whole new outfit, as I am sure your dress is ruined aswell.”

Finally, after recovering from the shock of falling in, Diana began to laugh. “This only tops off my rather bizarre last fewdays.”

“We are not far from the house now, and I shall get you inside and dried off before you know it. I think my sister keeps some dresses at the house and we will see if we can find you something to wear until we can get you backhome.”

“This has certainly been a memorable outing. I am so glad we left before it began to rain. Just think what might have happened if ithad.”

That set them bothlaughing.

And within the next hour Diana had dried off, Robert had lit a fire, and Diana, wrapped in a dressing gown with her legs curled under her, seated on a comfortable chair by the fire sipping tea. Amelia’s dresses had not fit Diana so they had her dress drying by thefire.

“This is a lovely little house,” she said looking around theparlor.

“It is a nice place to get away to. I sometimes come here to write when the pressures at home get to be toomuch.”

“It is difficult for me to imagine that you have too many pressures as anEarl.”

“You have no idea. Property and money bring a whole set of their own problems. I sometimes think about what it must be like to live the simple life of say… an academic like your father. The life of the contemplative appeals to megreatly.”

Diana laughed. “Until your leasehold runs out and you are forced to scramble to keep yourhome.”

“That has happened to you?” Robert asked withconcern.