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Chapter 9
By the time three days had passed, and Diana prepared herself to join her parents on another visit to the Duke’s home, the news of her impending marriage had swept through the village and surrounding areas like wildfire. Mrs Merriweather had gone into the village to purchase more meat from the butcher and returned with such a tale.
Everyone, it seemed, had stopped her to know if it was true that Lord Mavis was planning on marrying again. Mrs Merriweather was keen to confirm the news and then happily reported to Diana that everyone in the area was simply talking about it.
The only thing that Diana could assume was that the Duke had notified his servants of the upcoming wedding and in turn those servants had spoken about it to others in order to spread the news through the village. It would be some time later before the news reached Town following the publication of their engagement announcement. Diana felt that she still had time for all of this. Though the Duke had written to her father with the intention of marrying in a fortnight, Diana still had a reassuring feeling that things weren’t moving along too quickly. It wasn’t like it was happening this Sunday, and she could still find the time to learn more about the Duke before she vowed to be married to him for the rest of her life.
As Diana was waiting for her parents in the small sitting room near the main front door, she listened as she heard the door open and close. Wondering who was there, she rose from her seat and was not too surprised when Michelle came walking into the room with an excited look upon her face.
“Oh, my dear, Diana. What wonderful news I have heard these last few days. If I hadn’t been so busy, I would have come straight away to congratulate you,” Michelle said as she came to Diana and embraced her with much enthusiasm. She smelled of fresh bread, and Diana thought it was a heavenly aroma.
“Thank you, Miss Bradly. You are truly kind,” Diana said as she broke their embrace to look at her properly. “I can hardly believe it is all happening.”
“And to imagine that just the other day we were discussing the news of the Duke in want of a wife. I’m sure you were surprised to learn that he’d chosen you despite your current situation.” Diana sat down with Michelle on the settee as she gathered her thoughts and the words she wanted to share with her friend.
“I haven’t told the Duke yet about our current situation, but I did meet the man a few nights ago. We went over to his manor for dinner and had a lovely evening, to be truthful.”
“Miss Diana, you must tell me everything. What is he like? What does he even look like?” Michelle giggled excitedly as she clasped her hands inside of Diana’s. Diana couldn’t help smiling as she felt waves of excitement coming off her closest friend.
“The Duke is perhaps in his early thirties. He’s handsome and of good moral character. Charming, good disposition. His estate is well-kept and not outdated as I had envisioned. To be honest, Miss Bradly, I still have yet to understand why he doesn’t court a woman instead of agreeing to an arranged marriage.”
“Well, at least he’s not an ugly old man you’ll be stuck with forever,” she said with loud laughter. “It sounds like he could be rather tolerable and perhaps even someone worth falling in love with.”
“Oh, come now. I don’t have any designs to do that. It’s an arranged marriage, after all.”
“Life has a funny way of turning out differently than what we could ever foresee.” She gestured to the room around them, and Diana realized that she had a very good point. She’d never planned on being the caretaker of her parents’ home or having to slave over the budget just to get by. She figured that she wouldn’t need to worry about all of that in two weeks.
“Anyway, we are getting ready to go over to the Duke’s manor right now. I had made the suggestion over dinner that my father would enjoy fishing with the Duke. The man was keen on the idea and therefore we are going over there for the afternoon.”
“My word, that does sound awfully lovely. Sounds like the best way to enjoy a beautifully warm day with your intended.” Michelle giggled again, and Diana tried her best to keep her composure. The young lady was a hopeless romantic where she only saw things for what they were.
“It’s a lovely day because I know that soon I won’t have to worry about immense poverty or if my parents will receive the care they need as they continue to grow older.”
“Well, try to enjoy yourself as well while you’re spending the afternoon outdoors and viewing all that will someday be yours. I should be getting back to the bakery anyway. I just wanted to wish you a very happy congratulations.”
Diana rose with Michelle, preparing to bid her farewell when a thought wiggled its way back into her mind, reminding her what she wanted to ask Michelle about.
“Miss Bradly, I here that the Duke’s late wife was murdered, do you happen to know why?” Diana asked.
“Oh, you know, I did ask my parents about that one. My father told me that the late Duchess was murdered for some mysterious reason.”
“My word. Was it ever discovered who had murdered the poor woman?”
“If it was, I don’t know it. Though it makes me wonder who would want to murder a Duchess.”
“Perhaps for money? Or some other gain? Tis the only reason people seem to murder,” Diana reasoned.
“Love. Revenge. These are all the motives from the novels I read,” Michelle said with another one of her signature chuckles. Diana couldn’t help joining in with her laughter as she led Michelle to the front door. When she moved in the Duke’s manor, she’d have to teach Michelle to knock instead of just coming into her home like she was used to doing.
“Thank you again, Miss Bradly, for paying me a visit. I shall be sure to return the favour so that I might continue to tell you all about the Duke.”
“A favour I shall be sure to remind you of the next time we see each other,” Michelle replied with a bright smile. She embraced Diana one last time before opening the front door and venturing back outside once more. Diana waved at her as she made it through the gate and to the lane before making her way back to the village on foot. A few moments later, the Duke’s carriage arrived, and Diana knew that she needed to inform her parents.
Thankfully, just as Diana shut the door and was about to walk up the stairs, Mrs Merriweather was coming down with her parents in tow. She smiled up at her parents, thinking this was the happiest she’d seen them in quite some time. She only hoped that their happiness would be long-lived after she was officially married to the Duke.
“The carriage has just arrived,” Diana informed them as they made it down all the stairs.
“Very good. Let us go out so that we can enjoy this beautiful afternoon,” Lord Casey said. Diana opened the door once more and let her parents go on before her so that she could have a moment with Mrs Merriweather.
