Page 105 of Enslaved
Prudence looked closer. She appeared decidedly fatigued; her eyes had a slumberous look about them. Yet she seemed divinely happy. “Where were you all these months?” Prudence demanded.
Diana had debated with herself over what she should tell Prudence. Should she tell her some plausible tale, should she concoct some scenario that her aunt could swallow? In the end she had decided to tell the truth. Neither Prudence, nor Richard either, would believe her, of course, but that really wasn’t her problem. No matter what story she told, Prudence would believe exactly what she chose to believe.
Diana stated the facts without embellishing them. “When we left Hardwick Hall that morning I was in a dilemma about marrying Peter. I took a walk up on the heights and went into an antique shop where I came upon a Roman helmet. I tried it on and it became stuck. I believe I fainted. When I woke up, I was in the same place, but in a different time period. I cannot explain how, but I was transported back to when the Romans occupied Britain.”
“Rubbish!” Prudence said flatly. Diana had run off with some man. By simply looking at her, Prudence could tell she had lost her innocence. “Richard, I should like a word alone with Diana, if you would excuse us, dear.”
He obliged Prudence, thinking as she did that Diana had been with her first lover and couldn’t possibly admit such a thing in his presence.
“You have behaved scandalously!” Prudence accused when they were alone.
Diana put her head on one side as if considering her behavior. “Actually, I have, Prudence. The things I wore were scandalous, the things I said were scandalous, and the things I did were quite depraved. Quite deliciously depraved.”
Prudence turned an unbecoming shade of carmine. “You have been gone fornine months.Did you have a child out of wedlock?”
Diana gasped. “Leave it to your respectable mind to suspect such a thing. No, I’m sorry to say, I did not have a child, and it is the one thing in all this I deeply regret!”
“Oh! You will show some respect when you speak to me, young lady, even though you obviously have no respect for yourself!”
Prudence turned and stalked toward the door, yelling out for her husband. “Richard, I refuse to deal with your ward. She is out of control. She is not in her right mind!”
Richard, hearing Prudence’s shocked hysterics and reading between the lines that Diana had been ruined, said hastily, “When Peter arrives, I think we’d best have the wedding as quickly as possible.”
Diana stood up. She wanted to tell them that was impossible, but she knew she must tell Peter first. She owed him that courtesy. “Whether we marry or not is between Peter and I. It is none of your business.”
“It most assuredly is our business, young madam,” replied Prudence. “You are under our control for the next two months. Tell her, Richard.”
“That is true, Diana, whether you like it or not,” Richard confirmed.
“I am under yourguidance,not yourcontrol,”Diana replied, raising her voice to match theirs.
In the front hall Charles Wentworth and Mark Hardwick looked at each other with concern. “Shall we intervene?” asked Charles.
“We shall,” replied the earl decisively.
Chapter 33
The raised voices ceased immediately and silence filled the air as the two men entered the drawing room. Mark broke the silence.
“This is Dr. Wentworth, who has been caring for Diana since I found her unconscious. Charles, this is Prudence and Richard Davenport, Diana’s guardians.”
Richard stepped forward to shake the doctor’s hand. Prudence nodded stiffly.
“I’m very pleased with Lady Diana’s progress, but I feel I should advise you that she is not completely recovered.”
“In what way?” Prudence demanded.
“She has suffered a trauma. Luckily she has recovered physically.”
“But not mentally?” Prudence cut in.
“There is nothing wrong with her mental state,” Charles said firmly. “She has not fully recovered emotionally. She needs time for that.”
“What about the lies she’s concocted to cover up the truth of where she’s been all these months?”
“I would not call it lying when she firmly believes what she has told us.”
Diana opened her mouth to protest. They were speaking about her as if she were invisible. Mark put a finger to his lips and reluctantly she obeyed him.
