Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

" T he two of you seem well rested." Samantha beamed as they went down for breakfast that morning.

"On the contrary," Diana whispered to her, "we hardly slept at all."

"Well, regardless of what the two of you were doing last night, you seem a lot happier."

Dian could not help but agree. As she ate, Colin and Samantha began a discussion about science that she did not completely understand, but she did not feel a need to. She hardly even listened; she was simply happy that they were there and they were safe and they were happy.

"Now," Colin said suddenly, "I hate to dampen things, but I must know, Samantha, what you want me to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I will speak with your father, and I need to know what you want so that I can have it happen."

"I do not wish to marry," she said quietly. "Anything else is up to you."

"Then it shall be done, I promise you."

"You are welcome to stay with us, of course," Diana offered once again.

"That is too kind, Sister. I must stay with Father, at least until our half-brother appears, and then I shall see, but for now I must stay there."

"Your loyalty to that man shall forever puzzle me."

"It shall do the same to me, but it is not in question. He has always needed us far more than we have needed him, after all."

The two ladies laughed gently and then finished their breakfasts before they boarded one of the carriages and returned to the manor house.

"I shall send someone to fetch the other," Colin explained to them. "We shall stay at the house for a short while so that I can get some affairs in order, and then we shall go. Is that alright with the two of you?"

"Of course." Samantha nodded.

"You can stay with us a while longer, if you wish," Diana suggested. "You need not leave immediately."

"It is quite alright, Di," Samantha promised. "I know that you worry for me, but it is perfectly fine. Besides, it would seem that your husband wishes to have some time with you, just the two of you."

"That can wait. I have missed you."

"Well, you shall simply have to learn not to." Samantha laughed. "I am supposed to depend on you, not the other way around. I will be here if you need me, but you are married now. You have a family to care for, and that must be your priority now."

"But I?—"

"You need not do everything for me now," she continued. "I know that all of this time, it has been your duty to take care of me, but I am not a child anymore. I can handle myself now without the need to have any outbursts, having seen the outcome. I will be perfectly fine. Now, you must learn to live without me here all the time as I must do with you."

Diana sighed. All of her life, it had been her and Samantha. Their aunt had been a part of that for a good while, of course, but other than that, it had been the two of them and nobody else, and it had become a habit. Diana knew that Samantha would be fine without her; she was intelligent and beautiful and sociable, but she didn't know how well she would do without Samantha, without someone to put all of her energy into.

Then again, she would have a husband to take care of, and he seemed all too happy for her to do so. It would be an adjustment, but she could do it. She would have to, of course, as it was not as though she had any other choice, but at least it would not be awful.

Colin disappeared into Abaddon Manor as soon as they arrived, whisking Miss Thornton away.

"What do you suppose they are talking about?" Samantha asked as they made their way inside.

"Most likely what transpired yesterday, and that we shall need new footmen to make up for the two that we have lost. I suppose he will also want a word with the others, to ensure there are no others who will attempt that sort of thing again."

"It was truly frightening, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but it is over now. We are safe, and that is what matters."

"Of course. I simply hope that there are some good footmen left here, else the Duke shall have to take me home, and he has already done quite enough."

Fortunately, after a lengthy discussion with the remaining footmen, Colin seemed to trust that there were only two conspiring against them, and so they could soon continue their journey.

It took a while, but soon enough, they returned home.

"Before we go inside," Samantha said quickly, "I ought to confess something to you both."

"What is it?" Colin asked.

"More to the point," Diana interjected, "why did you not tell us sooner?"

"I may or may not have neglected to tell Father I was leaving," Samantha admitted, laughing nervously. "And I did not tell you because I had forgotten until around five minutes ago."

"That is fine." Colin nodded. "At least we know now. Are you ready to do battle?"

"I couldn't be more prepared, if that is what you mean, even if I do not feel ready at all."

"It will not be awful, not for long at least," he promised, and then the three of them were on their way to the front door.

It swung open before they even knocked. There stood the Earl, his face an ugly shade of red, and Samantha took a step back.

"Where have you been?" he thundered. "You know perfectly well that my heir is to arrive soon, and he is expecting to see you. Could you imagine if he arrived during your absence? How, pray tell, was I supposed to explain that? I cannot simply tell him that you are an imbecile that does not know any better, can I? You had better have a good explanation, and you had better tell me it right this instant."

"And you had better refrain from speaking to her in that manner," Colin said calmly. "You are right, you cannot say that she is an imbecile because you know it to be untrue. Now, we can do this here and now, or we can discuss it like gentlemen inside. The choice is yours, but I think it might be best if you do not speak in such a manner when you might be overheard. It would be unwise for you to tarnish your reputation further, would it not?"

The Earl's face seemed to fall immediately, and he stepped to one side and allowed the three of them to enter.

"I do not know what makes you think you have the right to come to my home and speak to me in such a manner," he grumbled. "But it will not be tolerated."

"That is where you are wrong, My Lord." Colin smiled politely. "My presence shall always be tolerated, for I am a duke, and your son-in-law. It is therefore your duty to do as I ask, lest you appear to be unwelcoming to those above you, and we both know that you cannot have that."

"What do you want?"

"You are going to be a wonderful father from this moment on," Colin continued, his smile unwavering. "You will cater to Samantha's every whim until the day she is married, which will be when and only when she deems the time to be right."

"Do you not understand that it is her job to be married to whomever I choose?"

"In some families, yes, that may be the case, but not this one. You will be a good father who allows her to make her own choices. I believe that sounds reasonable, does it not?"

"Not when she is as willful as?—"

"It is reasonable, is it not?" Colin repeated. "Again, I would truly hate to think that you would disagree with a duke."

"You listen here. You will not come into my home raving about your title as if it means anything at all. I do not care who you are, you will not tell me how to raise my daughters."

"You have not raised your daughters," Colin snapped. "You have not done a damn thing for them all their lives, and that is why you are so angry that I am here, isn't it? You cannot stand that there is someone that has seen your treatment of them. Well, I hate to be the bearer of such terrible news, but the ton has all seen it."

"What have they seen, exactly? A poor man who lost his wife tragically and has had to care for his children alone, with no heir? They pity me for it."

"They hate you for it. They may be fools, but they do see things. They all talk about it—how you neglected them all this time, and how you are the worst father in London. I have been kind to you, for your daughters' sake, by not telling them all that it is the truth, but I will not extend such a kindness to your son."

"And then where will Samantha be? You wouldn't dare compromise her."

"Ah, yes, the lady that wishes not to marry would be unable to marry. Truly, what an unspeakable fate that she does not want at all."

Samantha laughed at that, and Diana could not help but join her.

"You will not disrespect me in my own home," the Earl roared. "I will not stand for it, and I will have you out immediately."

"Very well, and word of your mistreatment of your children will also be out, and then where will your son be? I guarantee that he will not wish to be a part of such a scandal."

Diana looked at her father, the man who had tried to make her feel fear all of her life, and almost pitied him. Had he been anyone else, she might have, but he was the man who had done everything in his power to make her miserable, and she could not forgive him for that, so even though it made her a truly awful daughter, she had to admit that she delighted in it, only the smallest amount.

"You will be good to her," Colin repeated. "And should I hear anything otherwise from her, I shall ruin you. Diana is my wife, so she shall be protected from it, and Samantha is happy to be ruined, so it will not reflect badly on her in any way that matters. The choice is yours, My Lord."

He did not wait for an answer, instead turning to leave.

"And what about your reputation?" the Earl called out with a smirk, causing the Duke to turn around. "What makes you think that anyone would listen to a murderer?"

It was then that Diana remembered what the ton thought of her husband. It was impossible that anyone truly believed it, of course, and even if they did, he was still a duke, so it would be foolish for someone to go against him, but it was a blow to her confidence.

It did not appear, however, to have any effect on Colin.

"They do not need to listen to a murderer," he replied, grinning as he walked towards him. "I am sure you would try to refute any claims I made, but then again, a man cannot speak ill of another if he is dead and buried. Might we leave it there?"

At last, the Earl seemed to lose all of his words. He was simply an older man cowering before a younger one, and once more Diana realized that she should feel pity for him, but she did not. She only wished to laugh; Colin would not harm him, but it appeared that her father did not have the intellect to know that.

"Good." Colin nodded. "Now, I am going to leave with my wife, and Samantha will stay with you. She shall have anything her heart desires, and I will not hear news of otherwise. I do hope that is clear."

This time, he did not wait for a rebuttal. He simply nodded to Samantha, who curtseyed to him, and then he took Diana's hand and led her outside.

Stepping into the sunshine, Diana could not help but laugh. She had felt so tense throughout the confrontation, and now that she was outside, she felt free to release it all, and it came out all at once.

"That," she gasped, "was brilliant."

"I did not frighten you too terribly, did I?"

"Certainly not. You were perfect."

"I threatened your father!"

"Well, perhaps he needed to be threatened. If it is what will make him a better father, then I am all for it. Besides, he chose to speak to my husband in a rude manner, and I am not the sort to excuse that, not when such treatment is directed to the man I love."

"I do not believe that I shall ever tire of hearing you say that," he sighed with a smile. "Come, we ought to return home."

"A terribly long journey," she sighed.

"Well, it is not as though we are welcome to stay here, is it?"

"No, I suppose not." She smirked. "Then again, you do have your old bachelor lodgings here, do you not?"

Colin brightened up immediately. "I do, indeed!" he replied, before mock panic flashed across his face. "Ah, but there is only one room to sleep in. Fear not, I will take the sofa!"

"You will do no such thing." Diana giggled. "I do not care what is proper and improper. No more separate bedrooms, no more separate beds. I will not stand for it."

"Well, if the Duchess insists."

"I do, and what is more…"

"Yes?" He grinned playfully.

"I would like to treat this as our honeymoon," she said carefully. "I know it is not strictly the done thing, so to speak, but we never truly had one, and so I think now is the perfect time if my husband is willing, of course."

"Oh, he is willing." He nodded. "He most certainly is."

They went to Colin's London lodgings, not caring if anyone saw them or said a word about them, because they were truly content with what they had with each other, and so nothing else mattered at all. There were no servants there, given that they had not been given any notice, of course, but Diana simply laughed and prepared dinner for the two of them, as she had had to do for herself and Samantha in the past, and then the two of them ate and then retired to their bed chambers.

And then nobody saw them for several weeks.