The dawn peered into her room in greeting but Diana could do nothing but stare at the spot where he once stood.The clock still ticking it's steady pace in the silent house. Penelope had stayed with her the rest of the night until she let sleep claim her. Diana replayed last night over and over again in her head, piecing together everything that had happened now knowing what he had confessed to her.
"Diana?" Penelope asked. Diana turned to her, eyelids felt heavy from crying but she knew sleep was still far away.
"You didn't sleep." Penelope frowned observing her.
"I cannot." Diana whispered.
"Will you...tell me what happened?" she asked.
Diana told her everything, save for their more intimate moments but presented a very real problem that itched to be solved. Fredrich's words rang through her; his wish for her not to interfere made her want to riot.
"Pen, I can't let leave him to figure this out. I will not sit by while everyone tries to keep us apart." Diana felt her anger seep deeper into her bones the more she thought about it.
"I have to find a way." Diana moved toward the window, her thoughts collecting and sorting out the pieces that scattered in her head.
"Let me help you." Penelope approached her. "I...I can perhaps figure out some information."
"There is something I need to know, why the engagement was moved so quickly, he mentioned his father moved up the date of the marriage even." Diana blurted out, it had gnawed on her from the beginning when he mentioned it.
Penelope's brow quirked up in interest, "That I can help with. Leave it to me please Diana."
"How?" Diana asked.
A knowing smile grew on her friend's face, "Servants."
Diana cocked her head, "Servants...yes, I suppose they would hear everything...but I don't think our servants interact much with the royal ones..."
"Well..." Penelope shifted nervously. "I believe they all go to the same..tavern."
Diana turned to her friend peering at her most curiously, "How do you know this?"
Penelope bit her lip shifting her gaze away from her.
"What are you not telling me Pen?" Diana asked.
"Diana, we have been friends for a long time..." Penelope started taking a breath.
"Out with it Pen!" Diana exclaimed her nerves getting the best of her.
"I am Lady Whistledown."
Diana felt her throat dry as her jaw dropped in shock. Her sweet friend was the notorious Lady Whistledown! The infamous gossip writer who rarely showed mercy on her peers, embodied in Penelope Featherington, the beautiful kind soul that would die for those she loved.
"Well?" Penelope broke the silence between them.
"I don't know what to say Pen!" Diana exclaimed as her friend began to unfold to her in a new light. "I don't know if I should be upset or applaud you!"
"Please, I know it's a shock and I suppose you will need time to process it, but let me use this to help you!" Penelope reached for her hands gripping them gently.
"I can find information, I can get it fast," she continued.
"How? The tavern would be very difficult for us to get to." Diana said.
"Leave that to me." Sir Steffan's voice cut through the room, the two ladies turned as he strode in with a small smile.
"I can go to the tavern, it's much easier for a man rather than two young pretty women that certainly will attract nothing but trouble in such places." he grinned.
"Did you know?" Diana accused her eyes peering at him.
"I told him yesterday." Penelope winced, guilt blooming on her cheeks.
Diana turned toward her, "Before me?"
Penelope huffed, "Especially before my closest friends, it's much easier to talk to a stranger."
"I encouraged her, such a secret does not stay secret for long, she might as well try and control her own narrative in that regard." Sir Steffan said gently.
"We will discuss this more in-depth I promise but as I said we must learn why the marriage is so hasty." Penelope said.
"I have suspicions but I will get the truth." Sir Steffan pulled his pocket. "We must plan now and I will go tonight."
*****
Diana decided she was the most impatient woman in all of England. Trapped in her room, no longer feeling like she was unwell, it took great convincing and negotiations to let her mother allow her to go into Sir Steffan's garden.
"You are still unwell, I can see you look as if you had not slept a wink." her mother protested as she followed her outside.
The sun did much to invigorate her spirits but it was only temporary as time seemed to slow. Glancing at her mother who settled beside her with her needlework, it came across to Diana that her mother once worldly and versed in many types of circles could possibly shed some insight.
"Mother, if I had decided to marry Sir Steffan would you object if I married him in haste such as in a week?" Diana asked watching her mother carefully.
"Why would you? If you truly loved him, there is no need to be hasty." her mother replied. "You would honor your family and his if you planned the wedding properly."
"Why does someone get married then so quickly?" Diana asked, at this, her mother raised a brow.
"All sorts of things, usually to avoid scandal. One is to acquire access to funds of the other...this occurs many times than I'd care for you to know. The other I suppose is that a family does not approve of the chosen person and quite often you hear of stories that couples leave to Gretna Green and the family can't do much about it once they marry." her mother said. "However, there is a fair amount of times one get's married hastily if the woman has been....compromised."
Diana frowned her memory bringing up painful ones of the Prince kissing the Fruelin. Perhaps someone had seen them, but it didn't seem to matter if they were already set to be engaged.
"Does one kiss compromise someone?" Diana asked.
"It depends on the situation I suppose but most of the time, it's what happens when it goes beyond a kiss." her mother shot her weary look.
"What do you mean?" Diana asked confused, watching her mother sigh and put down her needlework.
"Eventually you will learn, that most mothers do not speak of it until the wedding, but there is an act between two people who love each other that can result in a child. Sometimes that act can occur prior...to marriage and to save the woman's reputation they must marry in haste." her mother said.
"Oh." Diana blinked a blush rushing to her cheeks. It occurred to her that last night she was on the precipice of discovering that act with the Prince. Heat rose through her body and quickly she banished it in irrational fear that her mother could sense her thoughts.
"I suppose all those reasons would make sense." Diana muttered wondering which it could be. The Fraulein had plenty of money, perhaps the Prince's father wanted access to the dowry or whatever deal he wanted from his father. Whatever it was, it was Sir Elliot's unwanted sneering face that appeared in her head.
***********
It was late in the night when Diana heard Sir Steffan's horse outside. Her mother had already gone to sleep and Diana could not wait until Sir Steffan's arrived back. She had hoped tonight he had the news any sort of information.
It took painfully long thirty minutes before he strode into the room, Penelope hot on his heels.
"Are you sure!" Penelope whispered, her eyes wide in shock.
"What is it!" Diana asked impatiently, the two looked very serious and her stomach flipped in anticipation.
The two turned to her, Sir Steffan in a deep and disgusted frown.
"The Fruelin is pregnant."
Diana had paced back and forth in her room her thoughts trying to wrap around the audacity of it all.
"Did the servants say so, are we sure?" Diana asked.
"I have very good authority, this particular servant is friends with the personal maid assigned to the Fruelin, she comes from a different country and does not speak English at all, and is simple-minded. A perfect person to keep such a secret, but not quite like the other servant who attends to her sister. The two have become friends and lonely people talk.
"Is it... the Prince's" Diana gulped.
Sir Steffan shook his head, taking her hand in his. "No, the timing of it all puts it when she was aboard."
Diana frowned seeing how it all made sense, the haste, the gowns on the Fruelin to hide it, and her desperation.
"His father knows." Diana seethed angrily now understanding. "Do you think it's his?"
"It's not out of the realm of possibility." Sir Steffan frowned.
"This is quite the secret." Penelope had steadied herself and settled on the chair in shock.
"I must tell him, this must be enough for him to break free." Diana moved toward the writing desk.
"I agree but this information can cause quite the implosion and scandal." Sir Steffan advised.
"I understand but while I do have entirely selfish reasons, he cannot marry someone based on such lies." Diana frowned dipping her shaking hand into the inkpot.
"Penelope please do not write of this." Diana looked at her friend.
"Of course not! He cannot know it that way." Penelope replied. "But...if it will help I'd relish exposing him."
Diana gave her a small smile and nodded writing everything down.
"Sir Steffan, do you think you can deliver it to him?" Diana asked looking up hopefully to her friend.
"Of course!" He stated. "I will deliver to him personally."