"Oh," Daphne tore her gaze away from the man taking her trunk down the stairs, "I suppose I did not hear you."
How could she over the shattering sound of her own broken heart?
Joyce passed her sister an annoyed look, "Well, then, now that I have your attention, we should start heading downstairs for the goodbyes. The carriage to take us home has arrived, and if we wish to make it back before nightfall, it is best to leave now."
"Right, of course," Daphne replied, folding her arms out in front of her as she obediently followed her sister down the steps. It was good that Joyce was here to lead the way, for Daphne had woken up feeling more tired than she ever had in her whole life and could barely muster the energy to get dressed this morning.
Joyce guided her to the bottom of the stairs, where the Dowager stood with Richard to bid the departing guests farewell. There was no sign of Ambrose anywhere, and Daphne took it to mean that he was keeping true to his promise ofkeeping away for some time.
She quickly pushed thoughts of him away, not trusting herself not to cry again as they approached the Dowager.
"Thank you for being such a lovely guest, dear," the Dowager said warmly, giving Daphne's hand a gentle squeeze. "I look forward to seeing you again soon."
"Of course, Your Grace," Daphne replied, dipping into a small curtsy.
"I shall call on you soon, Lady Daphne," Richard spoke next, offering her a smile. "We should speak again."
She nodded, forcing the corners of her mouth upward. "That would be lovely." The words felt foreign on her tongue, but she couldn't muster the energy to correct herself.
They headed outside, and Daphne caught sight of her two friends, Isadora and Violet, waiting by the carriage. They lit up immediately upon seeing her, almost if they had been waiting for her all along.
"Lady Riverton, would you mind terribly if Daphne returned home with us?" Isadora asked with a cheerful tone. "Violet and I would love her company."
Joyce smiled broadly, clearly thrilled by the prospect. "I don't see why not. Daphne, would you like that?"
Daphne nodded gratefully. "Yes, I'd like that very much."
Perhaps her friends could make her feel better. They had always been there for her whenever she required it, and this time, she needed them more than ever.
Before Joyce could ask more, Isadora and Violet rushed forward, each taking Daphne by the arm as they gently steered her toward the carriage.
"You're coming with us," Violet teased as they walked toward the waiting vehicle. "There's much to discuss."
Daphne tried to manage a weak smile, but she knew what was coming. Her friends had been watching her closely the entire time and likely had a lot of questions for her – ones that she could no longer avoid.
Once the three of them were settled inside the carriage, the horses took off at a steady pace. Daphne sat back, ignoring the sinking feeling in her heart as the Estate grew smaller and smaller in her view from the window.
It did not take long before her friends intervened.
"Daphne," Isadora was the one to break the ice. "Are you adamant on keeping us in suspense for our entire lives?"
If Daphne did not feel so glum, she would have laughed at her friends theatrics. "I was not aware I was keeping you in any sort of suspense," she said instead, sighing to herself.
"Well, you refuse to tell us what happened during the house party," Violet spoke next, "And you have been acting like a wilted flower since the ball. If that is not keeping suspense, then prey tell what is it?"
"Both of you were there," Daphne replied. "You know fully well what happened. It was a ball, and it went as they usually do."
Isadora shook her head, "What happened with the Duke?"
Daphne knew that she could not avoid the conversation forever. Her friends were perceptive enough, and they had figured out that it was Ambrose – not Richard – who was the source behind her troubles.
"Will you tell us, or shall we resort to asking him?" Violet asked. Daphne knew it was an empty threat, only made for her to confess to them what they wished to know. Still, it worked, and she decided that it was best that she come clean to them.
If anything, it might help taking off the mental load that she had been carrying all this time – one that had grown only progressively heavier.
"I... thought of the Duke always as a stone in my path," she started, holding onto the window frame to steady herself, "and truthfully, in the beginning that was all that he was — an impediment in my path to get to Richard."
Isadora and Violet nodded, clearly invested. "Yes, you would tell us how the both of you would spar verbally whenever you met," Violet nodded, "He clearly knew how to get a reaction out of you from the start. But it seems like the nature of that reaction has... changed. Has it?"
