Page 25 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

“Isn’t the right, girls?” Diana spun back to look at the two girls.

“Y -- yes,” Josephine said. “We are.... we cannot wait.”

“Yes!” Adeline said, tripping over herself to stand beside her sister. “We lost the game. Yes?” She beamed at Diana. “And now, we must study.”

Miss Brooks narrowed her eyes at the two girls. “Yes, well... you best hurry inside then. You know how your father feels about you being outdoors. Go!” She shooed the two girls who were quick to scurry away.

On the way out, Adeline made sure to look back at Diana and smile. Josephine however... she still eyed Diana with a sense of reservation.She will be hard to win over. But this was a very good start.

“That was very well done,” Miss Brooks said as soon as the girls were out of sight.

“Excuse me?”

She offered Diana a coy smile. “His Grace was right about you, it seems. Very well done, indeed...” She tittered to herself and began to cross the study.

Diana stayed where she was, her stomach swarming with feelings of pride. Such a small thing in the grand scheme of this marriage but a huge step in the right direction. And that compliment paid to her at the end, Diana was tickled pink to think that the duke would be impressed.

Not that I care...she told herself, knowing that the duke’s esteem was all she cared about. If only the same could be said of his feelings toward her.

* * *

It was shortly after noon when Diana made her way toward the sitting room where she knew the two girls to be engaged in their lessons with Miss Brooks. She had made the girls a promise and she intended to keep it.

“What is this?” she asked as she entered the room to find the two girls hard at work.

Adeline looked up immediately and beamed. Josephine was a little slow to do so, and she didn’t beam, so much as she did frown as if she were confused.

“Lessons, Your Grace,” Miss Brooks explained. “Which I must say, are coming along rather well.”

The two girls were seated at a table, each with a book in front of them, while Miss Brooks walked back and forth behind where they sat in instruction. By the looks of things, Adeline was in the middle of reading a passage, but she closed the book and went to stand.

“Adeline,” Miss Brooks stopped her. “We are not finished.”

“I am afraid I must contradict you,” Diana sighed. “For today, I think, we can take a short break from lessons.” She winked at the two girls. “What do you say?”

“Yes!” Adeline cried out.

Josephine was still unsure. “Re -- really?”

“I promised you, did I not?”

“Your Grace...” Miss Brooks looked caught in two worlds. “I must protest – His Grace was adamant that the entire day be given to the two girls and their lessons. He would not approve.”

Diana hesitated on this point, wondering for a moment what the duke would say if he found out that she was overriding the girls’ lessons for playtime. But she also reasoned that it was more important for now to earn their trust. And besides, the girls were still of that age where they needed to learn to have fun as much as anything. To grow up without enjoyment was a sin, in her mind, and if she allowed them to play and live a little, that would see them open to her.

Besides, one afternoon could be missed.

“Oh, I am sure he won’t mind,” Diana said. “And besides...” She winked at the girls again. “What His Grace doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.”

“And if he does know?” a deep voice spoke from behind Diana.

Diana jumped in fright and spun around, taken by complete surprise to find the duke standing there watching.

She felt her face flush red as memories of the last time the two spoke swept over her. Despite her best efforts, she could not look at him, for to do so found her eyes tracing his lips, and then she remembered how they felt on her own and her heart began to race.

“Uncle Magnus!” Adeline was on her feet. “Dia – the Duchess has said we can take the afternoon to play. Can we? Please?”

“She has, has she?” He eyed Diana with an expression she could not read. Staunch and determined, like a bulwark standing against the coming tide. Was he impressed? Was he angry? She wished she knew.

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