“You overstep, Marina,” Hannah said firmly. “What’s done isdone. Diana will marry Lord Powis, and as her friends, we should support her.”
“I am supporting her,” Marina protested. “By reminding her not to mistake physical attraction or empty promises for something more.”
Before Diana could respond, she heard her father Elias and Hudson approaching.
Elias’s expression was thunderous as he focused on Diana. “Sister. I trust you’ve had a pleasant day?”
The pointed way he said it made Diana’s stomach drop. “Perfectly pleasant, thank you.”
“Just how pleasant? Because we had a most illuminating conversation with Lord Ashworth this afternoon.” Elias’s voice was dangerously quiet. “It seems you were observed leaving Lord Powis’s residence today.”
Diana felt the weight of all her friends’ gazes, and worst of all, her father’s. “I was simply—”
“Simply what?” Elias snapped. “Compromising yourself further? Making this matter more precarious than it already was?”
“Or perhaps Lord Powis is taking liberties he has no right to?” Hudson chimed in.
Both Diana and Hannah flashed him a murderous expression to indicate that he should mind his business.
“He didn’t bed me, if that is what you aim to ask in front of everyone,” Diana practically snarled back at her brother, fisting her hands at her sides.
“Daughter,” her father started, his tone commanding the room. “You will not visit him again without a chaperone. Is that understood?”
Diana’s temper flared. “You cannot dictate—”
“I can and I will. You’re my daughter and still under protection, and I won’t have you become the subject of further gossip.” His voice softened slightly. “Diana, I know this situation isn’t ideal, but youcannot make it worse by behaving recklessly.”
“How is getting to know my future husband reckless?” She almost stomped her foot, but stopped herself since a childish tantrum wasn’t likely to help them see her as a woman who was an adult and about to be married.
“Because your actions impact this entire family,” Elias interjected. “This isn’t just about you. You went off in the dark with the man doing God knows what and the rest of us have to ensure that we aren’t all ruined because of it.”
Diana had enough of her brother’s high-handed tone. “Were you thinking of the implications to this family when you were quite improper with Lydia in our family home? Let’s not pretend that you weren’t a known rake gallivanting about town less than a year ago, brother.”
Elias’s face turned redder than she’d ever seen him. “How dare—”
“Silence,” their father boomed. “Both of you are out of line and this conversation ends now. Our family has always been built on love and respect. And we will extend that respect to Diana’s future husband.” He locked eyes with Diana.
Tears pricked Diana’s eyes, regretting what she said to her brother. Of course she loved him, and when he wasn’t being an odious bear, he was one of her favorite people. And she was delighted that he and Lydia had found each other.
But his days of speaking to her as his immature little sister had to come to an end. Soon she would be a married woman, and possibly a mother not long after that.
The dinner that followed was strained. The conversation stilted as everyone danced around the obvious tension. Diana found herself distracted, thinking about how concerned her family and friends were for the situation. She was being a bit idealistic compared to her usual practical nature. Was she truly being foolish?
But then she’d recall how tender he’d been with him. And howbeautiful and wonderful he made her feel. And her thoughts were nothing but a muddled mess.
By the time her friends departed that evening, Diana felt wrung out and confused, caught between desire and doubt.
Lydia found her in the drawing room afterward, staring into the dying fire.
“Are you all right, dearest?”
Diana sighed heavily. “Everyone thinks I’m making a terrible mistake.”
“They’re worried about you. This has all happened so quickly.” Lydia settled beside her on the sofa. “And I suppose you have a point about your brother and how our marriage came about.”
“I shouldn’t have said that. Please forgive me.”
Lydia reached for her hand and clasped it. “Your brother can be a trying man. No one knows that better than me. But he is fierce when it comes to protecting his family.”
Diana squeezed her sister-in-law’s hand tight. “I know. But I don’t know what you all expect of me. I’m told I have no choice but to marry him, and then when I’m feeling content about marrying him, I’m told that’s wrong, too.”
“You are allowed to feel whatever it is you want. Only you know your own mind and heart.”
Her heart. She hadn’t considered her heart being involved in her marriage. She had never thought about love at all. But perhaps it wasn’t one of those things that happened in an instant, it was something that grew from partnership, respect, and honesty. Even if the attraction she had for him had been instantaneous. But that wasn’t love.
Even though every time she closed her eyes, she could still feel Graham’s touch, and recall every detail about everything they shared.
But did it even truly matter what she felt? There was no turning back now.
