Chapter 6

Chapter Six

" D iana! Diana! How can you still be abed at this time?" Arabella's shrill voice cut through the fog of sleep, and Diana blinked her eyes open, glancing about the room.

"Because the first rays of light are barely even out. It is alright for me to still be abed."

"But it is your wedding day!" Arabella squealed.

Valery entered the room next, her face showing just as much excitement as her sister's. The fact that Valery was even awake at this time of morning spoke to just how excited she was for the occasion. She was usually the last to wake. This morning, however …

"We have to decorate the ballroom,. And we must coordinate the orchestra and get you dressed and check on the wedding breakfast," she practically squealed.

"The servants have taken care of the decorating and it has all been complete since yesterday. You know that."

"I know, but we need to check on everything. We have to make sure that it's still right."

Diana laughed but decided that there was no use in trying to sleep any longer.

It was her wedding day.

Once, she had wondered if the day would ever come. And then she had hoped that it wouldn't. But now, she wondered just what this day was going to mean for them all. The last day she would spend with her family at her side every day.

It was a sobering thought. But she would not dwell on it now. It would not do to get upset now. Not when she had so much to do today.

Instead, she allowed Arabella and Valery to help her dress in her day clothes, insisting that it was far too early to dress in her wedding finery. And then she followed them downstairs, determined to enjoy this day to its fullest. Especially with her sisters.

"Ah, my darling." Her mother's overly enthusiastic greeting almost made her falter, but she was not going to let her parents ruin her last day with Valery, Arabella, and Marigold. "It's such a lovely day for a wedding. And you are positively glowing today."

"Thank you, Mother," Diana replied promptly, trying to be as polite as possible.

Perhaps this would change things for them. Perhaps they would grow… closer. Though the physical distance might help with that.

"What are you going to do now?" Marigold asked her.

Diana pulled her in for a hug. "I'm going to enjoy these moments with all of you."

Marigold looked saddened at the thought, staring at her with a serious expression that Diana answered with a smile of her own.

"Do not be so morose. It's not as though we'll never see each other again."

Marigold didn't say anything but simply squeezed her tighter, understanding just what it was that Diana was giving up. But Valery and Arabella were as excited as ever, chattering about the wedding and how beautiful the ceremony was going to be.

"What is all this noise, then?" a voice called out, and they immediately turned toward the front door.

"Philip! You've made it!" Diana exclaimed, grateful to see her brother.

"Of course. My spinster sister is getting married. I had to come and see the unlucky soul she is going to torment for the rest of his days," Philip teased.

Diana couldn't help but smile even wider.

If anyone could make her feel better about all of this, it was Philip and the girls. And when he pulled all of them in for a hug, it felt like everything could be all right after all.

By the time they had a light breakfast, it was already time to get ready to leave. The carriage was set to arrive by ten, and Diana was still not ready. A process that took even longer than expected because her sisters could not stop crying long enough to fasten the long row of buttons along the back of her gown.

"What will we do without you?" Marigold asked, clutching her hands yet again.

"You shall get on just fine without me," Diana replied, though she wasn't really sure. Just as she was not truly sure how she would get on without them.

Still, there was nothing to be done about it now, and she reminded herself that she had done this for Marigold. That it was for the best, no matter how much she would be giving up herself.

And so she drew in a deep breath, and when Margaret knocked and informed her that the carriage had arrived, she was able to give each of her sisters a hug without bursting into tears. Though she was certain that there would be plenty of tears later, when she actually had to say goodbye.

"I will see you at the church in just a short while," she told her sisters.

They each nodded in turn, though they gripped her arms a little tighter and hugged her again before she made her way down the stairs.

It had never been suggested that her sisters ride with her in the carriage, though there was certainly enough space for them. This was a time for Diana to be alone. To consider what was to come. To prepare herself for the wedding. Where everything would change.

As she settled into the carriage with Margaret, she tried to take a deep breath. Tried to smile. Tried to show her family that she was pleased with what was happening.

But as soon as the carriage pulled away from the house, she struggled to take another deep breath. Struggled to even continue on without telling the driver to stop and take her back home.

But that would not do.

By the time they had arrived at the church, she was feeling… ready enough to allow Margaret to help her out of the carriage and carefully make her way inside.

The girls would come soon. And her mother. And then it would be time for the ceremony to begin. Time to pledge herself to someone whom she barely knew. Who would take her away from her family and the only home she had ever known. And for what? Certainly not for love.

With a sigh, she settled into a small alcove and tried to take a few more deep breaths so that when it was time for her to walk down the aisle, she was ready.

Her footsteps were slow at first. Wary. But then she forced her head up, looked down the aisle, and her eyes landed on him.

The Duke looked especially dapper this morning in a well-tailored suit. His posture was straight, and he held his head high. But it was the look on his face that caused her to falter slightly.

It was not the cold, impassive look she had grown used to.

Rather, he seemed… awed. Even more so as she stepped forward and his hands gripped hers. And then, the faint hint of a smile.

All Matthew could do was stare at her.

Stare as she stepped through the door and then as she slowly walked down the aisle. And then she looked up, and her eyes met his. And everything else seemed to disappear.

His heart was racing. His palms were sweating as he stared at her.

She was… beautiful. Even more so than any other time he had seen her.

Her dark hair was pulled back, those blue eyes sparkling and seeming to stare straight into his soul.

The wedding gown she had selected fit her well, and she moved with a level of confidence that he was not accustomed to in women. Or rather, he was not accustomed to that level of confidence in anyone except perhaps Isabelle.

Lady Diana's eyes seemed to bore right into his as she approached, and he was glad that nothing was expected of him at this moment. He was not sure he could have done anything save for taking her hands in his and dragging her up the last steps to the altar.

But even as the priest began to speak, nothing else seemed to matter. Nothing but… her.

"Never show emotion. Never show fear. Never show love or affection. A weak man gives in to his feelings. A weak man allows anyone to feel as though they have control over him."

The words seemed to bounce around in his head, and he could practically hear his father sneering at him.

He had been five years old, bringing home a puppy with a broken leg that he'd found by the side of the road. His hands clenched and unclenched as he remembered the very painful lesson. And it hadn't been the only one.

But right now, as Lady Diana stood before him, he struggled to focus on his father's teaching.

"A man is strong. In all things, you must be the strongest. You must be the bravest. You must be the best."

He tried to pull himself up straighter. To pull his shoulders back, to raise his head, to rein in his thoughts. He was strong. He was fearless. He was emotionless. But…

As he recited his vows, he still had eyes only for her, watching her eyes, and then her lips as she recited her own vows. And then it was over. And they were wed. Or rather, the priest was telling him that he may kiss his bride.

Matthew leaned forward almost subconsciously. His lips met hers for only the briefest of moments, but it felt like a bolt of lightning went through him at the touch. At the feel of her in his arms and the light pressure of her lips on his own. And then it was over, and he was leading her back down the aisle and out of the church.

It was only once he had helped her into the carriage that he felt able to draw in a deep breath, but still, his eyes were on her.

"Well…" She didn't seem to know what else to say, simply staring at him.

Without thinking, he reached out to her, his hand very nearly brushing against the side of her face before he caught himself.

"My apologies, Duchess," he managed, though the words were automatic, brought on by the forwardness of his action.

Or were his actions forward? After all, she was his wife now.

The thought of it was more than a little shocking. Though he had, of course, known that this would be the outcome of the day.

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, a curious look on her face as though she wasn't quite sure what to say or what to do. Though he could not blame her for that. Not when he was acting so strange.

"It's quite all right, Your Grace," she replied.

Matthew paused for a moment. She had always called him that. Every time they met, she addressed him by his title, but now…

"We are married now. It is appropriate for you to call me by my Christian name," he informed her.

She paused at that, staring at him with an unreadable expression, and then her lips curled into a slight smile.

"Perhaps I could, Your Grace, if I knew what it was."

He blinked at that, startled. Did she really not know his name? Had no one ever told her?

"Matthew," he said finally. "My name is Matthew."

"Well then… Matthew, it is quite all right."

His heart raced again at the sound of his name on her lips and at the slight smile that spread across her face.

It did not take long to arrive at Waterburry House, and then he had the pleasure of helping her down from the carriage and leading her into the house, where her sisters immediately swooped in to hug her and fawn over her.

Their obvious joy at seeing her and their excited chatter was overwhelming. Something he had never experienced before.

He was always pleased to see John and Isabelle, and they always seemed pleased to see him. But none of them acted in such a way.

Even the man he assumed to be her brother was visibly happy to see her, pulling her in for a hug as well.

Matthew's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene and the man approached him.

"Oh, Matthew, this is my brother, Lord Philip Venton," Diana spoke quickly, casting a smile in their direction.

It was clear she thought very highly of her brother.

Matthew gave a slight bow, which her brother returned.

"You shall be the one responsible for taking care of my sister," Lord Venton stated.

Matthew gave a slight nod. "That is right."

"Good luck."

He stared at the man, startled, but Lord Venton was laughing, and then Diana and her sisters laughed as well.

"You'll find she's quite headstrong, and when she gets an idea in her head… you'll be at your wits' end trying to change her mind. But I've heard about you."

Judging by the way Lord Venton's expression grew serious, the things he'd heard weren't positive.

"You should be able to hold your own all right."

"I believe so," Matthew replied slowly, though he wasn't entirely sure what the most appropriate answer would be.

"But I will be watching out for my sister. Know that."

There was a strength to those words that said Lord Venton, for all his casual and easy-going appearance, would certainly not hesitate to defend his sister if the need arose.

"Of course," Matthew agreed.

But there was something about the way his brother-in-law still looked at him. What was it that Philip had heard about him that made him so wary? What was it that led him to pull his sister a little further away from Matthew and to stare at him for quite so long before he finally gave a sharp nod and acquiesced?

"Come, come, the wedding breakfast is ready." Lady Waterburry rushed toward them from down the hall, and everyone fell in line.

Lord Venton first turned toward Diana but then hesitated and glanced at Matthew instead. He held out an arm to his two middle sisters, before leading them down the hall toward what Matthew assumed to be the dining hall.

Matthew held out his own arm to Diana as the third sister fell into step behind her siblings. And when Diana accepted his arm and he started leading her forward, this woman… his wife… he had to remind himself yet again of everything that his father had taught him. Because his mind and his heart were rebelling against the stoic nature that he wished to portray.

"Are you quite well, Your Grace—Matthew?" Diana asked.

Matthew looked at her sharply, still uncertain just how he felt about her saying his name. Though, of course, he had been the one to give her leave to do so.

"I am, Duchess," he replied.

Diana looked startled for a moment, still not used to the title, before she gave him a smile.

"If I am allowed to use your Christian name, then you may use mine as well."

"Very well… Diana," he managed to get out, though her name felt… strange on his lips.

Still, it was not an unpleasant feeling. The intimacy of it felt… good. But he tried again to crush those feelings and return his attention to the matter at hand. Which right now was simply getting through the wedding breakfast. And then… the ball.

But he didn't allow himself to think beyond that. To ponder on the idea of taking her back to his home. Of sharing that home with her from now on. Of what having a wife would entail. And especially his wife, who even her own brother called ‘headstrong,' and Matthew had seen that for himself.