Sandra Owens by The Letter

Author:The Letter [Letter, The]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The words took a moment to penetrate. “What?” Diana put down her teacup. “What did you just say?”

Upon arriving home, Michael had ordered tea, and then ushered her into the drawing room. He was becoming rather managing lately, as if he had the right to organize her life. The past few days had been a whirlwind of fittings, not to mention the hours spent with the dance master and music teacher Michael had brought in to refresh her skills. She’d had little time to herself to think, and when she did have a few minutes alone she was too tired to even think of thinking. And now, he dropped this on her as if he were commenting on today’s lovely weather.

“I said—”

“Yes. Yes, I heard you. A duchess and a marchioness are to call on Thursday?”

The blasted man shrugged as if he hadn’t just told her to expect the equivalent of a visit from the queen. Well, a duchess and a marchioness put together surely came close to equaling a member of the royal family.

“Truly, Michael, when you do a thing, you do it to the nines.”

“Thank you.”

“It wasn’t meant to be a compliment,” she muttered.

He calmly sipped his tea, his ink-blue eyes focused on her. She could lose herself in those eyes, but she must squash these feelings that were building inside her. He would have other Lady Hartwell’s, and as she’d recently told him, it was none of her concern.

“Why does their visit distress you?”

“It isn’t that I’m not happy about it. I would like to have some female friends. It’s only because it has been so long since I have been in society. I’m nervous. What if I say something wrong? My God, a duchess and a marchioness? Couldn’t you have found a baroness or viscountess for me to practice on first?”

“I suppose I could go out and find a baroness and drag her home if you wish.”

If she were close enough, she would punch him. “I’m serious. The thought of entertaining a marchioness, much less a duchess makes my heart pound. And not in a good way, mind you.”

“If that is how you feel, I will cancel their visit. But I know these two ladies and they are nicer than any baroness I’ve yet to meet. If it helps, I also know neither one was brought up in polite society. You were, so you are the one who has the edge. Think about that, Diana.”

That caught her interest. “Truly?”

“Yes. Although Her Grace is the daughter of a duke, she had never been to London until Aubrey married her. There is a story there, I think. It is the same for Derebourne’s marchioness. Her first time coming to Town was after their marriage. I know her better than the duchess, but I think you will like them both.”

That knowledge did help. But what was it all for? She wasn’t a young miss looking for a husband. Attending a ton event was going to be a dreadful ordeal.

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