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As she stepped inside the room after her parents, her eyes quickly wandered. She was anxious to see the man but was also curious about her surroundings. Her eyes only swept the room once before settling upon a man as he rose from his chair and approached them. As Diana fixated her eyes on the man, she suddenly realized that this was the last thing she’d ever expected.
“Good evening, Lord Casey. Lady Casey,” the man said as he dipped his head. “Thank you for accepting my invitation to dine with me this evening.”
Dear Lord, this is the Duke, Diana thought as she practically stared at the man. She observed him swiftly, his figure muscular and youthful. His dark brown hair had been pulled back in a low hold, showing that he kept it longer than most gentlemen. Diana’s lips parted as she took in his confidant demeanour, strong shoulders, as he stood at attention. And when he looked past her parents and met her eyes, she became lost in the orbs of bright blue.
“Lord Mavis, may I officially introduce you to my daughter, Miss Diana Casey,” Lord Casey said as he stepped aside with Lady Casey, allowing Diana to finally come face to face with the Duke.
Diana stepped forward, forcing her lips closed as she tried to gather her wits. This was not the time to be gawking as she straightened herself and tried to appear composed before the Duke. When he extended his hand towards her, she allowed him to take hers and bend over it, placing his lips hardly an inch above the skin on the back of her hand. A part of her wanted him to kiss her delicate skin, and that thought certainly scared her.
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Lord Mavis said as he righted himself and let go of her hand. The moment their touch broke, Diana instantly missed the warmth of his touch. She was perplexed by the man, why he had wanted an arranged marriage when he was clearly handsome enough to have any woman he desired.
“The pleasure is all mine, Your Grace,” Diana replied, trying to keep at the forefront of her mind every manner and properness she should be exhibiting at that moment. “Thank you so much for the invitation to dine with you this evening.”
“Seems fitting enough since our marriage has officially been arranged and accepted upon,” the Duke replied as he offered his arm to her. Diana thought that was quite a logical thing to say and smiled at him easily as she took his arm. He led her over to a group of chairs that they were to occupy till dinner was finished.
“I’ve lived my whole life in this neighbourhood,” Diana said as they were seated. “Yet, I’ve never had the opportunity to see the grounds of Chatham Manor. From the little bit I viewed on our journey here, I find them quite welcoming.”
“Considering it’s been far too long since I’ve had guests for dinner, it pleases me to hear that the design of it all is still welcoming,” the Duke replied with a kind smile.
“The last I’ve been on the grounds was when the late Lord and Lady Mavis were still with us. They’d always invite the different families in our neighbourhood over for the most spectacular Easter celebration. I shall never forget those celebrations for as long as I live,” Lord Casey said, pulling the Duke’s attention to him.
It gave Diana the opportunity to really look at the man as she was still surprised by how handsome he was. Diana was certain the Duke would have been an elderly man who hadn’t produced an heir yet in life. The mysteries surrounding the Duke only seemed to pile up as she sat in his presence.
“My word, I have been without my parents for so long that I had almost forgotten those Easter gatherings. My mother was a devote Christian and often celebrated Easter more so than Christmas,” the Duke said with a light chuckle.
“I was truly grieved to hear of their passing,” Lady Casey added. “They always kept the best of company.” The Duke simply nodded then, turning his eyes back to Diana and making her stiffen under his watchful gaze. She’d taken a look at him. Now she wondered what he thought of her.
“Miss Casey, if you’ve lived in this area all your life, are you familiar with the surrounding areas and the village?” the Duke asked, surprising Diana by this line of questioning. She certainly wasn’t expecting to hear such a thing.
“Certainly, Your Grace. I may have not stepped foot on the grounds surrounding Chatham Manor, but I’m familiar with the lands of all the families in our neighbourhood. And I do frequent the village for all manner of things. I’m not ashamed to say that one of my closest friends is Miss Bradly, the baker’s daughter.”
“That is very humble of you to keep such company below your rank,” the Duke responded. She arched her eyebrow at him, wondering if this was some form of test of her character.
“I have four older siblings who have all been married into higher ranking families than my father’s title. If it has taught me anything over the years, it is that I will not define a person based on their title, but will see how they treat others to really determine their position in society. It would be wrong of me to dismiss the idea of Miss Bradly being a true friend just because of her position in society, for I’ve found that she’s the type of person that anyone would deem themselves lucky to call her as their friend.”
It was the Duke’s turn to smile at her as he raised an eyebrow, appearing to be surprised by her response. She’d slowly stopped fearing the Duke and thought it was important that this man understand that she was always willing to share her opinion if it was asked of her. She felt confident for standing up for what she believed in, but understood that there were lines in the sand that she should never cross. All in all, she was a proper lady with her own opinions of things.
