Page 20 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride (Duchesses of Convenience #7)

Chapter Twenty

“Y ou look... breathtaking.” Only a few words were said, but they were more than enough.

Diana tried her best not to blush furiously at the compliment, and the way that her husband was looking at her. Surely, she was beyond such things by now? After all they had been through and all they had done, his reaction should not have only been expected, but welcome.

Even still, she felt her cheeks turn furiously red and she was forced to look away, focusing her attention back on the mirror as if to double check her outfit for herself.

“Somebody is shy,” Magnus chuckled. She saw him in the reflection, moving across the room and toward her.

“I certainly am not.”

“So, I didn’t see you blushing just now?”

“It is called make-up,” she dismissed, her cheeks turning an even further shade of red. “Despite what you may think, I do not always look like this.”

“Now that, I find hard to believe.”

She rolled her eyes at him in the reflection, but she wore a smile which she hoped he saw too, so he would know how much his words meant to her. A little over the top, sure, but that didn’t take away how wonderful they felt. Wonderful... just like this marriage.

Who could have guessed we’d come so far in such a short amount of time? And who could have guessed that everything would be so... so perfect? A word I hesitate to use, even if it feels so right.

It was beginning to feel like nothing could go wrong.

Even tonight, which had all the potential for unwanted drama and frustrations, had gotten off to a tremendous start. Although Magnus had not confirmed it during the day, Diana had suspected that, come this evening, he would join her at the Truscott Ball. After all, it was just two nights ago that they had spent the night together, still only cuddling, but that did not take away from the importance of the moment.

And since then, they had been near inseparable. Breaking their fast together each morning. Sharing supper of an evening. The girls too, always involved, while Magnus seemed delighted to see how well they were all getting along.

Things were progressing at a steady pace. Diana hadn’t tried to push Magnus any further on his personal life either. He had been open and honest with her once already, it had made a huge difference, and she knew that come time he would tell her more.

Needless to say, she wasn’t at all surprised to find him standing in the doorway of her room, dressed for the ball, acting as if he had always intended on joining her. And she might have said something too, but then he started to fawn over her and, well, Diana was happy to let his appreciation run its course.

“How long until we leave?” she asked, making a final check of her hair.

“The carriage is ready and waiting,” he said from behind her. Close now, he moved his hands to her hips and his lips went to her neck --

She slapped his hands away. “Not now.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you know how long it took me to get ready?”

“Oh, so that is what you meant when you said you do not always look like this?”

She rolled her eyes at him.

The dress was a two-toned number; the corset being a deep green, the skirt a lighter shade, and with golden stitched hems. A floral pattern swirled its way up one side, while the sleeves were long, but the neckline and shoulders were low. In that way it was both modest and revealing, covering just enough, whilst some skin was still showing and her curves protruded in ways that had Magnus salivating.

Standing behind her but to the side, Diana smirked to see that he had chosen an outfit to match. Mostly black, his cummerbund was a dark emerald green and the buttons were golden much like the stitching of her dress. When they entered together, as indeed they would, all eyes would be on them, and everyone would know that this marriage was above reproach.

“Shall we?” Diana turned about.

“I think it is time.” Magnus cocked his arm and she linked hers with it. Then, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. “Careful,” he said. “Do you have any idea how long it took me to get ready.”

“Oh, do you not always look like that?”

Together they laughed and made their way downstairs, sure to say goodnight to Josephine and Adeline on the way.

It was twenty minutes later when they arrived at Truscott Estate, one of the last to do so, based on the rows of carriages already parked about the grounds. Their carriage pulled up at the front entrance, Magnus climbed down and then helped her by lifting her about the waist. They linked arms again, wore smiles that were very much real, and as husband and wife, Duke and Duchess, they made their very first appearance in the ton .

All eyes were on them as they entered the Ball Room.

Diana found herself beyond relieved that Magnus had agreed to join her this evening, for she could not imagine having to go through this herself. The whispers, the snarky comments that would have followed, the rumors that would have swelled.

Rather, the feeling of being watched in this current context was not only elating but powerful. There was a sense of command that came with it. She was a duchess, on the arm of a duke, the two most important people in this room by far, and she could feel it. Those that watched weren’t doing so in judgement, but in jealousy and awe. The whispers she heard were encouraging. The eyes that followed buoyed her. A magnanimous smile on her lips, she held her husband closer, and the two seemed to float as the crowd parted for them.

“I think she likes it,” Magnus whispered out the corner of his lips.

“Just playing my role,” she shot back. “And try not to slouch. People are watching.”

He shook his head but continued to smile as they waded further through the busy Ball Room. Colorful frocks everywhere they looked. Servants carrying trays of drinks. Music playing softly, ringing from above. Dancing. Laughter. Movement in all directions. It was like so many balls and galas she had been to before, but it was also so very different.

“I should warn you,” Magnus said as they continued to walk to nowhere in particular. “To brace yourself.”

“What for?”

The answer came seconds later.

Once the initial shock of seeing Diana and Magnus together settled among the crowd, like birds chasing seed, the lords and ladies who surrounded them flocked in close and attached themselves in a bid to be the first to greet them.

“Your Grace! Your Grace!” they cried out. “Lovely to see you.”

“You look dashing, Your Grace!”

“What a stunning dress!”

“I see married life suits you!”

“Find me later, we must talk!”

“Not so fast, five minutes of your time, Your Grace.”

“Your hair, Your Grace! You simply must give me your secrets!”

They came from everywhere. Quick and attacking. Mostly, Diana couldn’t tell who was speaking, and she simply smiled and nodded and tried to keep up. Magnus stayed by her, of course, his sturdy and strong presence acting as protection. And it was he who weathered most of the assault.

How long it went on for, she could not say. Finally, after too many minutes, the throng of interlopers began to thin, and she found herself and Magnus speaking to an uppity lord whom she did not know or care to. But over his shoulder, not so far away, she caught sight of perhaps the only person her she wished to see. Evelyn.

“Magnus...” She unlinked her arm. “I’ll be right back?”

“Hmm?” Magnus checked to see what she meant, caught sight of Evelyn, and nodded. “I’ll come find you.”

She was quick to duck around the uppity lord when she made eye contact with Evelyn who saw her coming but didn’t look in the least bit excited to see her. This caused a moment of confusion and Diana almost stopped her approach, and then she saw the reason.

When she did, she wished she had stopped.

“Your Grace,” Lord Herrod smiled in greeting as he stepped around Evelyn. His hand had been on her waist, but he dropped it so that he could reach for Diana’s hand. “Positively splendid to see you again.”

“Lord Herrod...” Diana balked, caught in two minds. One was to turn and run, the other was to say something snarky. But the sight of him so suddenly caught her by complete surprise, which was why she did nothing to stop him giving the back of her hand a wet kiss.

“Oh, do not look so surprised,” Lord Herrod chuckled. “Evelyn tells me that she was good enough to inform you of our courtship.” He stepped back to Evelyn, his hand again finding her waist. “And that you gave us your blessing.”

“She did?” Diana looked at Evelyn for answers, but Evelyn feigned sheepishness, casting her gaze elsewhere.

“Not that we needed it,” Lord Herrod continued. “Married to His Grace, as you are. You have certainly come up in the world, have you not?”

He was just as Diana remembered him. Charming? Perhaps. Cheerful? A little too much. There was a fakeness around the way he behaved, a clear effort to his saccharine temperament that suggested behind closed doors he was nothing like the man she was seeing.

“Yes, well...” She looked past Lord Herrod, trying to catch Evelyn’s eye. “Evelyn, you look lovely tonight.”

“Doesn’t she,” Lord Herrod picked up, not giving Evelyn a chance to speak. “A pearl beyond price and somehow I was lucky enough to capture her.”

“Capture or trap?” Diana said before she could stop herself.

Lord Herrod beamed. “I told you when we first met that I always get what I want, did I not?” He stepped in closer to Evelyn, holding her as if worried she might flee. “In this instance, once I heard of your engagement, my attention turned to your cousin, and I could not be gladder for it.” He looked at Evelyn, seeming not to notice how uncomfortable she was. “Fate works in mysterious ways, but I find where my life is concerned, it always works out for the best. Wouldn’t you agree, Evelyn?”

“Y -- yes,” she said softly.

Something was clearly wrong. Of that, Diana had no doubt. Even if she did not know Evelyn the way she did, to look at her, one would think that Lord Herrod was blackmailing her into being with him. Diana did not believe for a second that this was a mutual arrangement, which made her wonder how it had happened. Further to that point, why Evelyn of all people had agreed.

Her cousin wasn’t one for marriage or love. She was closer to a spinster than anything, a fact which Diana had never begrudged her as she was happy and that was all which mattered. All that was to say, it only made this that much more concerning.

“So, tell me,” Diana started pleasantly, still trying to catch her cousin’s eye. “How did this little union come about? I would love to hear the tale.”

“I bet you would,” Lord Herrod chuckled. “Let me just say that Cupid was waiting in the wings. Love at first sight, for how it felt. Isn’t that right, Evelyn?”

“Yes,” Evelyn said softly. She then glanced at Diana quickly, an obvious cry for help.

Diana knew that she should have kept her thoughts to herself. That this was not her business. And that if it was, this was not the time. But she loved her cousin, she would do anything for her. Also, hating Lord Herrod as she did, meant that she cared little for how the man might react.

“Evelyn, is everything --”

“Diana!” Diana’s mother appeared as if from thin air. “There you are, dear.” She stepped into Diana and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I have been looking all over for you.”

“Hello, Mother...”

“Ah, Lord Herrod.” Her mother turned and purred, offering a hand for the earl to kiss, which he did thusly. “And Evelyn. Oh, what a pairing the two of you make. I was just saying now, agreed by all, that the two of you together...” She exhaled and smiled. “A match made in heaven.”

“I could not agree more,” Lord Herrod said.

Ah, now I understand...

Her mother was to blame for this pairing. Of course she was. Having lost Diana to Magnus, she must have scrambled and pulled some strings to convince Lord Herrod to take a look at Evelyn instead. Or maybe Lord Herrod was easier to convince than that? Evelyn was a beauty, so there was no reason he would not be.

The confusion still lay in Evelyn, and why she was going along with this in the first place. How had her mother convinced her? Or forced her, more like.

“And your first ball together,” her mother continued to gush over the two. “The first of many.”

“I do hope so.”

“Evelyn, why the long face? Perhaps a dance – yes,” she said and then stepped forward as if she meant to direct them to the dance floor. “Lord Herrod, Evelyn is quite the dancer, you know?”

“Is she now?”

“She is. Evelyn? Tell him?” Her mother widened her eyes at Evelyn.

“I...” Evelyn forced a smile. “I am, Lord Herrod. And if you wish it, we may dance.”

“I shall take you up on that,” Lord Herrod said. “But first, I must visit the washroom. Lady Langham, if you might keep an eye on Evelyn for me...” He winked at her playfully. “I do not want anyone else trying to steal her.”

“Oh, stop it,” Diana’s mother cackled.

“I shall be back in a moment,” Lord Herrod said. “And then, that dance.” He smiled at Evelyn, and she forced a smaller one back. This seemed to please him, allowing Lord Herrod to let her go finally and then vanish in the crowd.

The moment they were alone, Diana’s mother turned on Evelyn.

“What is the matter with you, girl?” she hissed. “The least you can do is not act as if you are at a funeral!”

Evelyn winced. “Sorry. I did not mean... I am just tired.”

“Pish-posh, tired. I know this might not be how you envisioned your life turning out, but it is the best you could hope for. And after all I have done...” Her mother shook her head. “I expect you to be on you best behavior, Evelyn. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” Evelyn said meekly. “And I am sorry.”

“Mother,” Diana spoke up. “I am sorry, but has it occurred to you that Evelyn does not wish to be courted by Lord Herrod?

“Excuse me?” her mother turned on her.

“Do not act so surprised,” Diana continued. “I have seen them together for less than five minutes and it is as clear as day that Evelyn is not happy.”

“Is that so?”

“Tell her, Evelyn?” Diana looked to her cousin for support, expecting her to speak up finally. Before she got the chance, her mother cut in.

“Diana, I appreciate that you are concerned for your cousin’s welfare, but have you stopped to consider the very real fact that this is none of your business.”

Diana leaned back, shocked. “What?”

“You heard me well enough,” her mother said. “You might not have wished to marry Lord Herrod – you made that perfectly clear. By the grace of God only, you were able to find a better option. Your cousin does not have that luxury.”

“Yes, but still, that does not mean she needs to be forced --”

“Nobody is forcing anything,” her mother spoke over her. “And I do wish that for once in your life you would mind your own business.”

“And I wish that you would not speak to my wife like that.” Stepping in beside her, Magnus appeared. A hand on her waist, he stood tall and proud and powerful. It was enough to see Diana’s mother shift back as if the sun had been shone in her eyes.

“Your Grace, I was just saying --”

“I heard well enough,” Magnus continued, his tone warning. “Yes, Diana may be your daughter, but she is my wife, and I suggest the next time you plan on speaking to her in that manner, ask if it is a tone befitting of a duchess.” He looked down at Diana’s mother, who suddenly looked lost for words. “And then simply don’t.”

Diana was rendered momentarily speechless. Never in all her life had she seen someone stand up to her mother like that. And never in all her life had she imagined it to be so successful.

And it wasn’t just that he was standing up to her mother, but that he was standing up for her. He had no idea what the conversation concerned. For all he knew, Diana had started it. But he stepped in nonetheless, putting himself firmly in her corner, acting as any husband ought to. Truly, Diana didn’t think she had ever found the man so attractive as right then.

“Good,” he said with a firm nod. Then he offered Evelyn a smile. “And Miss Goldsmith, how are you this evening?”

“I am...” She smiled politely. “Very well, Your Grace.”

“And I love to hear it. Now, I do not wish to interrupt but I am afraid I need to steal my lovely wife from you both. Diana...” He looked down at her. “Would you care for a dance?”

To that, Diana had just the one thing to say. “Try and stop me.”