Page 6 of Diana Adores the Puzzled Duke

“Not for me, thank you. I had some in digs before I cameover.”

Diana sat opposite him and folded her hands in herlap.

“Have you spoken to your parents about the walking tour of Switzerland?” he askedenthusiastically.

“I have not, Adam. I have given it a lot of thought. And I know you are excited about such a trip, but I can’t, in all honesty, subscribe to such a venture. It just isn’t right for us to travel abroad togetherunchaperoned.”

“But we will be going as a group. There will be plenty of people around at all times,” heinsisted.

“Yes, but they are all young people likeus.”

“Certainly, there will be some older people too. It’s not just foryouth.”

Diana stood up to emphasize her point. “I am truly sorry, Adam, but I just do not think it is advisable or wise. And besides, I am still in the early stages of my new novel and I would have to leave it for toolong.”

Adam looked dejected and hung his head and stared at his foldedhands.

“But might you reconsider if we were formallyengaged?”

“Adam, we have discussed this. You are still a student and when you graduate you will be entering your father’s publishing house and you need to establish yourself. And you will be making only a modest salary, to begin with. I thought we had agreed to wait until you were a fulleditor.”

“Yes, I know.” He looked up at her. “But I am so passionate about you. You know how I feel and it seems like there is an ever- receding horizon when it comes to us beingtogether.”

“Don’t make me be cross with you, Adam. You well know our mutualdecisions.”

“Yes, Diana,” he said in a resigned but equally complainingvoice.

Diana reached out to him. “Come, be a poppet and take me to tea atCarson and Bindell’s. You know how I love theirscones.”

Adam pouted. “But I already brought you the lovely custardtarts.”

“Yes. And that was very sweet of you, but we’ll save those for tonight’s sweet for the wholefamily.”

“You are a terrible tyrant,” he said, as he stood and took herhand.

* * *

Diana carriedtwo of Adam’s custard tarts wrapped in a towel to her neighbors two doors down—the spinster sisters, Abigale and KittyGoodwin.

Kitty opened the door. “Oh, Abigale, look who’s here—it’s the adorable MissDiana.”

Abigale called from inside the house, “I will put the kettleon.”

“Not necessary,” Diana said. “I can only stop a moment. I wanted to bring you these delicious looking tarts fromDelaware’sBakery.”

“Oh, my…” Kitty said, lifting the edge of the towel to examine the treat. “Come in for just a minute,though.”

Diana followed Kitty to their kitchen where she put the tarts onto a plate that Kittyoffered.

Abigale came over and, after taking a quick peek at the tarts, put her hand on Diana’s arm and said, “Have you heard about MabelStephenson?”

“I don’t believe so,” Dianareplied.

Abigale leaned in and whispered. “She has agrowth.”

“Really?”

“Indeed, and the doctors are not sure what to think about it,” she added, nodding with a “you know”look.