Diana fought the urge to roll her eyes. This was the last thing she needed — her father interfering in a situation he knew nothing about. Who knew what he would say when he found out what they were arguing about? It was impossible to predict; his mind was focused almost entirely on his books, and he knew precious little of the day-to-day lives of his daughters.
“Father, I have just been explaining to Grace that one of the gentlemen she met at the ball last night is a most unsuitable match, and that she should dismiss all thoughts of him from her mind,” Diana explained.
Grace whirled around angrily. “Father, he is the perfect match,” she cried, her voice filled with passion. “But Diana is against him because of a load of stupid rumors from every busybody in the ton!”
“A ball? Oh yes, you went to the Harringtons ball last night, did you not,” Jerome said. “I had quite forgotten about that.”
Diana tried to keep calm, but really, her sister was being quite impossible, and her father as well, for that matter. “Papa, they are not just rumors. I cannot allow Grace to entangle herself with a man who is well known to be a rake.”
Jerome frowned. “Well, if what Diana is saying is true, then he does not sound at all suitable for you, Grace,” he said, in a considered manner. “Perhaps it is best to listen to your sister onthis matter. I am sure that there are other gentlemen who would be a much better match.” He glanced at the table, full of vases of flowers. “Ah, I see you have had some suitors come to call this morning! Well, then, you see? There are plenty of other fish in the sea.”
Grace let out another wail. “I see you are against me too! It is all so unfair!”
“It is not that anyone is against you, dearest,” Diana said gently. “I only want you to be happy, and as I said before, I am convinced that the earl will not make you happy.”
“I do not know why you are so convinced that you know what is best for everyone, when?—”
Grace stopped herself before finishing her sentence, but Diana could tell what she was going to say.When you have not managed to find a husband for yourself.And she was right, of course. Diana had not managed her own romantic story with any aptitude at all. But it was a different matter when it came to Grace.
“I do not want to upset you, Grace,” Diana said. “Perhaps we should talk no more of it today.” She hoped that the tone of finality in her voice would bring the argument to a conclusion, for now at least.
“I quite agree,” Jerome said. “I trust you, Diana, to make the best decisions for both yourself and your sister, as I always have done. And I do not like to hear my girls arguing. All I really wantin this life is some peace, you know, so that I can read, and think. Quiet, you know – that is all I need.”
Diana nodded. She wondered for a moment what it would be like to have a father who was more involved in these matters, who would come with them to balls and parties, introduce them to suitable gentlemen and guide them through the quagmire of the marriage market. But alas, it was not to be. The marquess had never shown any interest in such matters, and now that their mother was gone, it was all down to Diana to manage.
She remembered, then, that there was another matter she needed to discuss with her father.
“Grace will need some new dresses for the upcoming season, Father,” she ventured. “The ones from last year look a little faded, and rather dated too.”
Jerome nodded absently. Diana could see that his mind was already on other things. “I am sure you are right, Diana,” he murmured.
“Very well,” she replied. “We will go to the dress maker tomorrow.”
“The dress maker?” he said, as if he had only just realized what she had said. “But – do we have the funds for new dresses, Diana? Our expenses of late have been considerable.”
Diana sighed. “We do, Father. I checked the ledger yesterday when I was working through all the accounts for the estate, and there is enough money to provide Grace with what she needs.” Diana suspected that there would not be enough money left over for her to buy anything for herself, but that did not matter. No one would be looking at her at the next ball, that was for sure. All eyes would be on Grace, and that was how it should be.
“Well, whatever you say, Diana,” Jerome said. “I am sure you will manage everything perfectly, just as you always do.” He turned to leave the room. “Now, I will go back to my study, unless you need me for anything else?”
Diana shook her head – even if she did need anything else from him, there would be little point in asking, as her father’s thoughts were clearly already retuned to his studies. Jerome left the room, leaving Diana and Grace sitting together in silence.
Grace seemed a little more cheerful now, perhaps buoyed up by the thought of new dresses, but Diana resolved to keep the conversation between them light. No more mention of the odious earl. For the rest of the day, at least, she would try to keep him out of her mind, difficult though it might be. It would be time for dinner soon, then bed, and this day would be over. She would be glad to see the back of it. She hoped that her firm words to the earl would be sufficient for him to realize that his efforts with Grace were pointless, but she knew, deep in the back of her mind, that they had not seen the last of the Earl of Silvermere.
She sat back on the sofa and felt a sense of heaviness engulfing her. Sometimes, just sometimes, the pressure of managingeveryone else’s lives for them felt a little too onerous for her to bear.
CHAPTER 5
“Imust confess that I am glad we are not at a ball tonight,” Tristan said, raising his glass to his lips then setting it down on the table in front of him with a soft thud.
Alistair chuckled. “But the season has only just started! Surely you are not tired of it already? You know what they say, my friend. When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”
The two young men were at the club where Alistair was a member, one of the most exclusive in London, and the gentle hubbub of noise around them was a comforting sound to Tristan.
“I am not tired of London, but it is nice to have an evening where one does not feel quite so under observation,” Tristan replied.
“Oh, do you feel the pressure of the society mamas, watching you and trying to work out if you are a suitable match for their precious daughters?”
Tristan laughed. “I suspect that many of them think I am far from suitable.”
