Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

" W elcome back, My Lady," Margaret acknowledged as she entered her personal sitting room. "Is everything all right, My Lady?" Margaret asked, her gaze concerned as she caught the look on Diana's face.

"Everything is quite all right, Margaret," she replied, feeling the way her face flushed at the memory of Mathew holding her, staring at her … she had felt certain that he would kiss her … but …

"There is something, My Lady. What is it?" Margaret asked shrewdly and she sighed.

"He was … so different today. All those things that I've read about him … what I've experienced so far since we've been married … he was … kind … open. It was … I felt …" but she had no real words for what she felt. And Margaret seemed to realize that. A smile spread across Margarets face but she didn't push.

"And the houses?"

"Oh, there was nothing like what we wanted," she replied flippantly. "But we have made an accord."

"Is that so?" Margaret asked, her eyebrow raised.

"We are to have a party," she announced, eyes sparkling with pleasure.

"His Grace has allowed a party?" Margaret sounded confused and she laughed lightly, feeling … almost giddy at the excitement of it all.

"He did," she agreed. "And so will need to get started. It shall be small, but we shall finally have a party of our own!"

She immediately snatched up a piece of paper to start making a list of the people she would invite.

"That is truly something," was the response and she smiled without looking up from her paper. "Shall you begin the planning of it immediately?" Margaret asked, smiling indulgently from her place across the room.

"I do not wish to forget anything," Diana replied, jotting several more notes.

And in fact, over the next several days she jotted a great number more notes, always thinking of something else she wanted to do or some better way of executing her plans.

"Diana?"

She had been just going back to her room from lunch when she was brought up short by his voice. But it was certainly not unwelcome, just a surprise.

"Mathew. I have not seen much of you these last several days."

"I have been busy. But I hear tell so have you."

She positively beamed at him, excited to share the details of the party she had planned but at the same time she held back, concerned that sharing too much of her big plans would frighten him off. What if he changed his mind?

"I have been planning a party. It shall be small, as we agreed. Just our families, but it shall be a wonderful event."

"That is good," he replied, though she could see the level of concern in his eyes. "I hope that you will enjoy it."

"I hope that you will as well," she replied and he gave her a wry grin.

"That may be a bit much to hope for. But I shall be happy enough if you are happy."

She smiled again and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face as well.

"There shall be some time for you to grow used to the idea. And perhaps when the time comes you shall feel happy about it. Perhaps even happy enough to host a second."

"Ah, you are getting ahead of yourself, Diana. We have not even had the first party yet and already you are expecting more." But his admonishment was delivered with a smile and she was quite confident he was jesting with her. And that he would allow her to have another party, even before he knew what the first would entail.

"Perhaps we shall have the party of the Season after all. With all the ton in attendance and a full orchestra and all."

"Is that not the spectacle that you made of our wedding?" Again, teasing and she could not help the smile that spread even wider across her face.

"Perhaps. But we shall have to do even better, do you think?"

"I think a small party is certainly not going to be considered the party of the Season. And it is a small party I have agreed to host."

"Ah well, we shall see what the future may hold," was her reply.

"I shall let you get back to the planning then. For a small party only," he told her, striding quickly away, but this time when he did it there was no sense of his running away.

"I shall consider that a successful conversation," Diana muttered to herself with a smile as she made her way back to her room. "And a sign of good things to come."

"Matthew has agreed to a party of ten, which shall, of course, include himself and me. It shall be Mother and Father, and Marigold and Valery and Arabella and John and Isabelle and Matthew's uncle. It's not quite the type of ball that I would wish to have, but it shall do for a first one. And perhaps I shall be able to convince him that it is an excellent idea to host more parties in the future."

"Do you believe it is likely?"

A few days ago, Diana would have said no. But now… now she felt that she knew her husband well enough that it was, in fact, a possibility. And not only did she know him well enough, but she fancied that he cared about her enough to want her to be happy.

So she nodded. "Indeed, I do."

"That is good, Your Grace," Margaret told her with a smile of her own.

Diana knew that Margaret had been worried about her as well. Had wondered how she was going to continue in this fashion. But things had gotten much better, and now she wondered just how much more she could expect. How much better things could possibly be.

Today was the first time that a conversation between herself and Matthew had gone quite so well. Though, to be honest, things had certainly been getting better between them over the last couple weeks.

To now spend time conversing and jesting with one another … it was almost as if they were friends. And that … well, it was certainly more than she had ever expected.

She sank down into her chair and pulled out the papers of notes for the party again, though for a long time she stared at them without seeing. Because all she could focus on were those large brown eyes, sparkling with pleasure as he looked at her.

"It seems that you have a great deal planned for your small party, Your Grace," Margaret noted as she glanced down at the paper Diana was writing on.

Diana started as the voice broke through her thoughts and saw the way Margaret raised an eyebrow, as though she knew Diana had been thinking about something else entirely.

"I do," Diana admitted, gazing down at the paper. "I had planned to keep everything small and ensure that it was an easy event for him, but I have perhaps gotten a little carried away. I do so want him to enjoy himself and to see that a party can be a wonderful way to pass the time. And I am also excited to see my family again. It has been too long, even though it has only been a few weeks."

"You have not spent this long away from your family before," Margaret replied gently.

Diana gave a sad smile in response. "No. But I am going to see them again at the party, and it shall be worth it."

"You have planned out the supper?" Margaret asked, tapping a finger on a list near the top of the page.

"Twelve courses of all the best. All of my family's favorites. And I've gotten him to share with me some of his favorite dishes as well. We shall have something for everyone." Diana was excited about the plan and could only hope that Matthew would enjoy it as much as she did. "We shall have a string quartet, and entertainment and everything that a wonderful party should have."

"And all this for only your family? Goodness, Your Grace, and what would you have planned if he had allowed you to host a full ball?" Margaret teased.

Diana simply smiled in response. "I know it is perhaps a bit much, but I am excited about it. I cannot wait for the day of the party. Everything is ready, and I have informed him so that he may be prepared. And I have worked with Ms. Willten to ensure that everything will be ready just the way I want it."

And in fact, the day of the party dawned just as beautiful as she could have imagined. Everything was going exactly as she had hoped.

"You look lovely, My Lady," Margaret told her, smiling as she arranged the last of Diana's hair just so. "And perfect for the party."

As she gazed at her reflection in the looking glass Diana could not help but feel that perhaps she was right.

What would Mathew think?

The thought darted across her mind, unbidden, and she could not help the flush to her cheeks at the thought.

Still, it was foolish to think such a thing and so she pushed the thought aside and stood, smoothing the soft muslin of her new dress made of and making her way to the staircase.

As she placed one hand on the smooth wood of the banister and began to slowly make her way down it took her a moment to realize that Mathew himself waited at the bottom and then it suddenly became difficult to keep her feet moving down the stairs.

He looked even more handsome than normal.

The thought made her blush slightly, as she realized that she really did think him quite handsome.

The suit he wore was, of course, tailored perfectly, but even the most perfect suit could only do so much for a man. In Matthew's case, however, it made him look … well, she had not the words for what she felt in that moment. But even more than that was the intensity of his gaze as he stared up at her.

There was no smile there, but something about the way those eyes seemed to bore straight into her … it certainly made her feel … well, she felt something stirring in her heart as she gazed back at him.

Her breath seemed to catch in her throat and all at once she wanted to hurry down the stairs to his arms and also wanted to draw this moment out to last for a lifetime.

"Diana," he murmured her name softly as she drew closer, his hand reaching out to take her own and draw her down those last few steps. "You look … lovely."

It was the same word Margaret had used, but from his lips the compliment sounded even more real. Making her flush and smile in pleasure.

"And you, Your Grace," she returned with a teasing formality and a slight curtsy, "Look quite . handsome."

He gave a smile and a slight bow, making a show of leaning over to kiss the back of her hand and she couldn't help but laugh at his own teasing. There was something … easy about this moment. And she never wanted it to end.

Judging by the way that his eyes suddenly narrowed in intensity, and the way that he did not release her hand following that gentle kiss … he did not want it to end either.

"Shall we …" he began, but he made no move to lead her away. Instead, he simply stared at her, still holding her hand in his own. And then the other hand rose toward the side of her face, gently brushing against her cheek and causing her heart to patter more frantically.

Was she truly falling for this man? This man who she would only a short time ago have felt she had no reason to regard at all let alone truly care for?

But the feel of his hand on her cheek, and the way that he brought her other hand to his lips once more … It was all entirely too much. Too overwhelming. And she wondered just what it could all mean as the moment stretched on.

Finally, reluctantly, he stepped back, releasing her hand so he could take her arm instead, preparing to lead her toward the guests who they could hear outside the doors.

"Is everything the way you had hoped?" he asked.

Diana studied him carefully. He did not look as at ease as she would have wished, but she at least understood why. This was not something he was truly comfortable with, and yet he was doing it for her.

The thought of it made her flush even more.

She was about to speak when she heard a sound behind her, and she and Matthew both turned toward it.

"Ah, there you are, Matthew. It is about time you allowed us back into your home," John drawled as he strode through the door, Isabelle at his heels. "And for a party, no less. Why, I don't believe I've been to a party hosted by you in… well, ever."

"Speak with my wife. It is Diana who has planned this party, not me." But Matthew did not look upset as he said it. Instead, he looked pleasant. And as he looked at Diana, there was something about his expression that made her blush yet again.

"Your Grace, it is a pleasure to see you as well." John bowed over Diana's hand in an almost exaggerated fashion and gave a big smile that she returned instinctively. She bobbed a polite curtsey in response.

Isabelle grasped her hand tightly and beamed at her as if they were already best friends, and Diana wondered if perhaps that was truly how Isabelle felt.

She herself felt close to the other woman already, but did Isabelle truly feel the same way? Would they continue to grow closer still?

At least Isabelle lived nearer to their home than her sisters did. And Matthew seemed to like her a great deal. And from what she knew of her already she would certainly like to know more.

"And who is this, then?" a sharp voice interrupted her musing, and she looked up into the narrowed eyes of a man who was unmistakably the uncle that Matthew had mentioned previously.

His resemblance to John was uncanny, though there was a harshness to his looks and manner that she certainly had not seen in his son.

"Uncle, this is Diana, my wife."

"Diana? What is the meaning of this? Your wife was to be Lady Marigold." His uncle sounded… furious at the change, and she attempted to smooth things over with a bright smile and a low curtsey, though her station did not dictate such a move.

"My Lord, when Matthew called on us to meet my sister, we all decided that she was not quite ready for the responsibilities of a duchess. As such, it was far more pleasing to all parties that Matthew take a wife who could manage his household and ensure that there were no troubles along the way."

It appeared that his uncle wished to say something more, but at that moment, the door burst open and Diana's family was suddenly spilling through it.

"Diana!" Marigold yelled and practically raced to her side before realizing that her sister was not alone. "Oh! I beg your pardon."

She quickly dropped into a curtsey that John and Isabelle returned. Though John stared at her a little longer than necessary before reaching out his hand to bow over her own and press a kiss to the back of it.

Marigold blushed and giggled, and both Isabelle and Diana raised an eyebrow at their antics. But it was over in a moment, and Marigold once again turned her attention to her sister, though perhaps with slightly redder cheeks. Still, she did not look at John again as she squeezed Diana's hand and her other sisters approached, curtseying and then pulling Diana into a tight hug.

Matthew stood behind all of them, watching them with a strange look on his face. One that Diana could not quite understand but gave her pause just the same. And she wondered if he was missing his parents at that moment.

But John and Isabelle stepped closer to him, and there was some mumbling and talking while she tried to catch up with her sisters. It had, after all, been some time since she had seen them, and there was a great deal to talk about. The party being only a small part of that.