Dearest Readers,
It has come to my attention that this season will be graced with our favorite foreign royal this season. The handsome nephew of our esteemed Queen Charlotte will make a return to season to dazzle and woo another lucky young woman. Let us hope he does not go empty-handed yet again as the rejection by the incomparable of last season, the now Duchess of Hastings is still fresh. Who can blame her? The shine of the crown seems to out light the shine of a love match. Will the young Prince finally find his Princess, or will he yet again be doomed to another failed catch?
Yours Truly,
Lady Whistledown
The next morning, Diana was up early. She had convinced her mother to let her go home as soon as she escaped from the adventure in the billiard room, feigning a headache. When she returned, she set to work to sketch the knife. Now, on the beautiful sunny day, she donned dress, gloves, and book she set off with her maid to the tea shop Gunther's where she would meet Pen and Eloise for their morning rabbles.
"Oh good! You are not deceased!" Eloise stood to greet her.
Diana laughed settled in the chair. "Where is Pen?"
"Her mother has detained her." Eloise rolled her eyes. "They are attempting new beauty treatment for the ball tomorrow in the Queen's honor, it is rumored her nephew the Prince will be there so of course, we reap the benefit of empty tea shops as every single lady and their daughters are at home frantically getting ready and changing their minds about dresses!"
"The Prince you say? The one that your sister rejected last year for the Duke?" Diana asked, it was quite the story indeed. Even though she was not out in society and away in the country for last year's season, the story had reached the family country seat in Derbyshire.
"Yes, the very one Lady Whistledown wrote about this morning," Eloise replied hastily growing bored. "Enough of Prince's misfortune tell me how the adventure went."
Diana started her story by explaining the beauty of the jewel and omitting the man that appeared in the room. It wasn't that she did not trust Eloise but Diana did not want to admit she was more fascinated by the strange man than the knife itself.
"How incredibly fun!" Eloise sighed.
"What happened with you?" Diana asked curiously.
"My brother was trying to introduce me to some odious badger." Eloise sighed making a face.
"You have not told him of your pen pal have you?" Diana asked.
Eloise glared at her, "Of course not."
Diana held her tongue, her poor mother and brothers were throwing interested men at her left and right and did not know that her heart had been captured by a faraway intellectual who had won her with words rather than flattery and dancing. Diana and Eloise spoke for what seemed like hours but soon the clock struck that they were to return to their respective homes.
"Will you be going to the ball tomorrow?" Eloise asked as paused in front of her home.
"Of course, my mother won't let me miss the opportunity." Diana rolled her eyes.
"Perfect, we can both disappoint them together." Eloise waved dashing off to her home which was only a house away.
When Diana arrived the home seemed to be in chaos, maids rushing around quickly and people with fabric running up the stairs.
"What on Earth is going on Darcy?" Diana walked up to her eldest brother a tall man with the same thick dark hair as her and dark eyes as she.
"Watch out Diana, Mother is searching frantically for you, she has brought the modiste over to make you a new gown for the ball." Darcy grinned.
"Ah yes, all this is for you little sister, you'll be the focus of attention today." her other brother, Damien walked up behind her moving past grabbing his hat as he headed out the door. Darcy followed him, both set to leave the house.
"You are leaving me here? Where are you off to?" Diana asked a quick dose of panic ran through her body knowing that her mother will keep her here for hours as the modiste will measure and remeasure her for dresses.
"We are going to see to stay out of mother's way, of course, Dominic is already at the club." Damien walked outside, his step a little quicker.
"Don't worry though, Daniella and Daisy are around somewhere," Darcy called grinning as they quickly rushed outside. Diana glared at the doorway of where her traitorous brothers once stood.
"There you are my sweet!" Diana jumped turning to find her mother at the top of the stairs a look of mischief in her eyes and promises of hours long planning of her dresses. Diana could see it now, her mother, rejecting every single one until deciding on one of the earlier dresses that she thought she liked.
"No mother, please! I have enough dresses why can't I use the ones I have!" Diana exclaimed in horror. Mrs. Vincent was a formidable woman who loved all her children dearly and all of whom often paid the price with the occasional smothering of love to ensure they came out the very best of people in society.
Lately, Mrs. Vincent was focused on her eldest daughter as she was now out in society, her first season should have been last year but due to a broken leg from her wild entanglements with her brothers in their country seat, Diana was forced to delay her debut, much to her feigned disappointment. Now Diana was paying for it dearly, her mother once sensible now became just as diabolical and shrewish as the other mamas of the ton.
"Not when the Prince has returned and the ball is said to draw out more eligible bachelor's from their hiding places." Mrs. Vincent stated happily waving her to follow. Diana sighed trudging up the stairs slowly.
"How do you know all this?" Diana followed her into her room, where silks of fabric the modiste, and a line of shoes were presented before her.
"I know my dear how tedious it seems but I am quite aware you secretly enjoy the designs once they are finished." Mrs. Vincent smiled at her daughter ignoring her question. Diana closed her eyes knowing she was right, while she hated the process of choosing fabric and design she did truly end up liking much of what was made and wearing it.
"If we are going through this process again mother, it must have comfortable shoes, last night the instep was a little too high and not high enough for Mr. Elton as you had hoped and I've tripped at least two times." Diana stood atop the stool where the modiste's seamstresses descended on her like birds to a feeder.
"I did see that...but no matter Mr. Elton was not as interesting as I hoped." Mrs. Vincent settled in front of her eying everything now with a critical eye.
Diana thought of the man she saw last night, her shoes did have a contribution to the almost destruction of a priceless object. As her mother provided orders, Diana did wonder who the stranger was. She had concluded due to the simplicity of his riding outfit and accent he must have been a foreign merchant, though she wasn't sure why he was at Lord Holden's party unless the business was terribly urgent. His occupation of a merchant made more sense as he knew about the knife and she suspected in his trade they were well versed in objects of the world. Diana had a deep desire to ask him what other objects he had encountered in his travels.
"Are you listening dear?" Mrs. Vincent called.
"Sorry, what?" Diana asked turning to her mother.
"When you dance actually try and pay attention to what they are saying, I know some of these men a droll but remember they only show what society wants them to show. You could find someone that has a lot more in common than you think, so you need to press further in your conversations." Mrs. Vincent smiled up at her.
Diana suppressed herself from rolling eyes. "Yes, mother." Diana had experienced very quickly that not all men were forthcoming in their actual interests and the ones that were, simply did not interest her. It wasn't their fault but finding love or a good match was much more complicated than her mother must surely remember.
"Be aware of the Prince's arrival my dear. Please do remember your manners, I suspect many ladies will attempt for his attention. I advise you to temper expectations and remember while all the ladies are focused on the Prince then that leaves you to more options to interact with the other gentleman." Mrs. Vincent grinned. Diana glanced at the clock it was not even an hour in and she wanted nothing more than to sit in a bath with her thoughts or go on a walk on the beautiful day outside.
"Don't worry, tomorrow I will be the epitome of Vincent grace and cunning," Diana replied dryly. This made her mother smile sweetly citing the Vincent family motto, "Egredere audacter et fideliter."