“You cannot be his mistress.”
Collette was right. The moment Chase entered their lives, she knew that hers, Collette’s, and Sarah’s lives would be different from what their mother’s had been. The assumption had been that their lives would bebetter.
But, “Mama was happy, Collette,” Diana said. “Once, when I was angry after Papa left, she told me she felt sorry for his wife. She told me that Papa came to her—to us—because hewantedto. And that he lived with the baroness and Chaswick because hehadto. She told me she would rather be a delight than a duty.”
Collette exhaled loudly beside her. “She told me the same, and yet, more than once, I found her in tears after Papa left. Especially when he’d leave for the country to spend the summer with his real family.”
“Wewerehis real family.” Diana insisted. “Not them.”
“You know what I mean. Diana, you cannotbe Greystone’s mistress.”
“I know.” But she didn’t feel a tremendous conviction over it.
“The idea that you could go to him at night was only a joke, Diana. Are you listening to me?”
“What?”
“Don’t do anything stupid.” Collette’s gaze bored into hers though the darkness. “Iknowyou, Diana. You’ve always followed your passions, even when we were little. But this is different than everything else. Just… don’t. If you were discovered going to him, you’d never be welcomed in theTonagain—even if our brotherisa baron. Heck, Diana, we’d both be shunned even if Chaswick was a duke—not that I’d care.”
“You might.” Diana sighed.
“You would care.”
“I care about him, Collette. I miss him.” Diana stared through the dark at where she could barely make out Collette’s eyes. She did not expect a tear to escape at that moment.
“I know, Di. But these feelings will pass. Are you sure you couldn’t marry Captain Edgeworth and simply remain in London while he goes away on assignments? You could stay here with Bethany and Chase.”
Diana tried to imagine such a scenario. Unfortunately, she couldn’t imagine marrying the captain. She couldn’t even imagine kissing him. “What would be the use of marrying then?”
“Respectability. Security,” Collette sighed. “Children.”
She and Collette lay silently until her sister finally rolled over and climbed off the bed. “I suppose I’d better get some sleep. Remember that we’ve promised Captain Edgeworth and Lord Major Cockfield we’d drive with them tomorrow. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”
“I know.” Diana sighed. When she’d accepted, she’d convinced herself it might be fun.
“Times like these, I’m happy I’m not of the mind to marry,” Collette said. She opened the door.
“Times like these, I’d sacrifice my opportunities as well,” Diana returned.
“Diana,” Collette sent her one last hard stare. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Who me?” She could laugh at the expression on her sister’s face. But truth be told, she wasn’t so sure Collette’s suspicions were without merit.
* * *
Greys didn’t glanceup even though he realized he was no longer alone. “Please convey to Mr. Simpson that I will not require his services and that he may retire for the evening.” He had not been in a decent mood since discussing his prospects over cards. Strike that, he’d been in a foul mood since waking up that morning.
Blackheart was right. Greys had been behaving in a manner directly opposed to the values his grandfather had instilled in him.
“I am not here regarding your valet.” A wary note in Blackheart’s voice snagged Greys’ full attention. “But because you have a visitor.”
“Who has the bollocks to visit this late?” Greys muttered.
Although it was common for members of theTonto stay up socializing most of the night, they did not make it a habit of calling on one another in the early hours of the morning.
“Miss Diana Jones, to see you, my lord.” Blackheart stepped to the side, revealing a cape-clad woman. Greys’ heart flipped in his chest.
And then resumed beating, more robust than it had before her arrival.
