“What did you not like of them?” He asked her, and she immediately began talking—something he was certainly not used to but he found that he welcomed it today.
“The first was quite dreary, as you had said. There was little light and it felt … dull. I was not comfortable there. Not in the least.”
“Indeed,” he agreed, glad that she had felt the same about it as he did.
“And the second … the second was lovely, but there was no garden.”
“And the garden is important to you.” It was not a question, but a statement of fact and she cast a quick glance in his direction.
“It is,” she agreed.
“And the third?”
Now she frowned and shook her head. “There was nothing that I truly liked in the third.”
“Then why spend so much time at it?” He asked, voicing the question he’d been wondering throughout the entire third tour. He stopped so he could get a better look at her as he waited for the answer and she flushed slightly but finally gave an answer that made sense.
“I was enjoying our day,” she admitted and he looked at her in surprise. “And you?”
“I have also enjoyed the day,” he agreed, though it felt strange to admit such a thing.
The smile that spread across her face, however, was worth the admission. It was worth the pang of concern that shot through him at being so vulnerable.
“And what did you enjoy best?” He asked. “What is important in the house that we choose?
“There was a lovely ballroom in the first house, though it was quite dark and dreary. We must have a large ballroom, after all.”
Matthew didn’t ask why, because he was certain that she still held onto the hope of being able to host parties at some point in the future, and he did not want to broachthattopic just yet.
“It would be so lovely fitted up with deep green curtains and a lovely dark wood floor, perhaps a lovely mahogany. And large windows that we can open to get plenty of natural light. And we can decorate it with flowers from our gardens and with an array of beautiful watercolors—perhaps not all of them belonging to my sisters,” she added with a smile, and he couldn’t help but smile as well.
“Is the look of the ballroom so important to you?” he asked.
“The ballroom is one of the most important rooms in the house,” Diana replied. “Along with the receiving room. The receiving room is the first room that most will see in our home. A room with a beautiful view of the garden is perfect. And there, we can use even more florals. I do have some embroidery that could be used there as well.”
He nodded quietly and then voiced the question that had been bothering him for some time. “What is it that is so special about hosting balls and parties? Is it not enough to attend the ones hosted by others?”
“Do you attend the ones hosted by others?” she returned with a look that said she knew full well that he did not.
Matthew tilted his head to the side. “Ah, well, I often have other things to do. Attending social events… that is not a good way to spend my time.”
Diana stared at him a long while, and he wondered just what she was thinking. But finally, she began to speak again, and her voice was animated, excited.
“Hosting a ball is an endeavor. It requires me to be creative, to make people happy, to actuallydosomething, when most of my days consist of just… existing. I used to help in running my father’s household, but there was much of the time when nothing needed to be done. When I was merely caring for my sisters. And it was… dull. Hosting parties was a way to pass the time and a way to enjoy myself.”
She seemed to be… brighter, lighter as she talked about hosting a ball, and he found himself caught up in her excitement, in her pleasure. And he wanted to do more for her. Wanted to make her happier.
“My parents passed unexpectedly some years ago,” Matthew revealed suddenly, and her face clouded over with sorrow. “From that time, schedules and routines became my way of life. A way to always be prepared and ensure that there were no surprises. A ball… it is unpredictable. It is noisy. Even attending them has become… difficult, let alone hosting one in my own home.”
There was something about the expression on Diana’s face, as though she was seeing him differently.
It wasn’t pity. But there was…something.
“I am sorry, Matthew. I did not know the reason for your aversion to such things.”
“However, if hosting a party is of such importance to you… I could consent to something small. Not a ball, but a small gathering. A few couples gathered in my home—inourhome… that I could consent to.”
She positively beamed at him then, and he was even more caught up in the moment. Making her happy, even at the expense of his own happiness, was worth it.
