“I am, Your Grace,” the man replied, though the look on his face said… well, it said that he was very much wary of this conversation.
“Your estate borders this one?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Lord Pemberton replied.
There was something… reserved about his tone. But not in the same way as Matthew’s. It was as if… as if the man was frightened. But of what, Matthew did not know.
“I am sorry, Your Grace, but it seems I am needed,” Lord Pemberton said abruptly and then he was off.
And he was not the only one.
Throughout the evening, several men Matthew spoke with seemed eager to run off as quickly as possible. Or they tried to avoid him altogether. All save for his wife’s father, who seemed interested in talking with him… all the time.
Diana’s brother watched him carefully from across the room, staring for a long time before he would turn back to others and then returning his gaze to Matthew once again.
But Diana never once looked in his direction. At least, until it was time for them to leave.
Once again, her sisters crowded around her, hugging her and crying as they said their goodbyes.
Matthew stood back silently, waiting for them to finish so that he and Diana could depart. He would be happier in his own home. And Diana… well, she would have her own space in his house and should be well enough.
“I am ready,” she announced finally, standing before him with a small bag that he assumed was the remainder of her personal affairs. Her other things had arrived a few days prior by carriage and a servant had unpacked them in her new rooms.
“Let us take our leave then,” he replied, glancing back at the rest of her family.
Her father gave a stiff bow, which he returned. Her mother bobbed a deep curtsey, and he inclined his head in response. Her sisters and her brother, however… they seemed to be staring at him quite intently, searching for something, though Matthew knew not what.
When they stepped out of Waterburry House, the rest of the family followed, watching as he helped Diana into the carriage and as the door closed behind them.
It was time.
Time to leave.
Time to get on with… all of this.
It would be a long ride back to his home, but he was used to riding in silence. Used to being entirely alone on these rides.
And so staring out the window while Diana did the same… it meant nothing to him.
Until they arrived at the townhouse and he helped her out of the carriage once again. But this time was entirely different from the last. Different from when he had helped her out of the carriage at her home and she had smiled at him.
Now she seemed… cold and distant yet again. Which he should have been pleased with. He should have been glad that there was nothing to distract him. Nothing to tempt him into feeling more than he should at the sight of her. And yet… it feltwrong.
“Your Grace, welcome.” Miss Jenkins was waiting at the door when they arrived, and he inclined his head in response, before presenting Diana to her.
“Miss Jenkins, this is Diana, my new wife.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace,” Miss Jenkins told her immediately, bobbing a low curtsey that Diana seemed to find surprising. It was clear she was not yet used to the title and formalities that came with it.
“Diana, Miss Jenkins is our housekeeper. She will assist you in anything that you need in the house.”
“Thank you very much,” Diana replied, though her voice was only slightly less stiff than it was when she spoke to him.
When Miss Jenkins had left, Matthew began leading Diana through the house. And that, at least, seemed to elicit a reaction from her. Because she was staring around her in complete silence, her eyes wide.
“This is… where you live?” she asked.
He furrowed his brow as he glanced around. “During the Season, yes.”
