“Excellent. I think we should keep the formal part of the presentation brief and allow more time for fans and reviewers to meet with you privately to ask questions. That way they can ask more detailed questions.”
Diana nodded. “I am ready.”
“And you are fully familiar with the book by now?”
“Yes.”
Sir Cecil turned to Robert. “Do you have anything you want to ask or say?”
“Yes.”
Robert went over to Diana carrying a small black velvet box about the size of a dessert plate.
“This is to thank you for your great service to me.” He opened the box and took out a three-strand pearl necklace. “I thought of you when I looked through the family collection and found this. It goes so well with your milky skin.”
He then fastened it around her neck.
She put her hand to it and felt its smooth polished surface. “Oh, Robert, this is far too much.” But her heart was both racing and rejoicing. It was all she could do not to reach forward and embrace Robert. Only Sir Cecil’s close presence kept her from doing that. And she replied with a simple, “Thank you. You are most kind, and I am happy to help.”
“Very well, then,” Sir Cecil declared. He spread his arms as though he was about to herd a flock of geese, and said, “I think it is time for us to attend the ceremony.”
* * *
Diana had been surprised at the number of people attending the ceremony. There were far more people than chairs and a crowd had gathered at the back of those seated. She was pleased to see Adam come in and take a seat in an empty chair near the front.
The ceremony was brief but successful, and the guests soon dispersed into groups. Some went to the drinks table for a glass of wine, others chatted amongst themselves, and many came over to chat with Diana.
Diana could see Adam standing aside, allowing her to be the center of attention. But she kept her eye on him to gage his mood. He seemed to be content with a glass of wine in his hand and was even engaged in conversation with a number of the other guests.
But Diana’s attention was mostly on the various guests who wished to speak with her—either about a potential interview for their publication or from fans that had read her previous books and wanted to discuss why she had chosen to take her writing in this new direction.
Sir Cecil was close by and setting up appointments with journalists who wanted to interview her. But Diana was holding her own and was especially enjoying speaking with the fans of her other books.
She finally had a moment to look around the room for Robert. She spied him standing at the side of the lobby with his sister, Amelia, and a few others. However, he did not look at all pleased, and he appeared to be in some sort of an argument with a man who appeared to associate himself closely with Amelia.
Slowly the crowd began to drift away until there were only a few heavy drinkers skirting the wine table.
Adam came up to Diana who was now free, except for being in conversation with Sir Cecil.
He noticed the pearl necklace, seemed surprised, and asked, “Those pearls, I do not remember them.”
Diana hesitated, as she fingered the pearls, but said, “They are my mother’s. She lent them to me for the occasion.”
“They are lovely. Will you be ready to leave soon?” he then asked.
“I still have a number of things to go over with Sir Cecil. I have a lot of interviews lined up and we need to plan those out. Do you want to wait or do you need to leave?”
He seemed torn, but answered, “I’d like to leave, but how will you get home?”
Sir Cecil said, “I will have a carriage available to her when we finish. Feel free to leave if you like, young man.”
Adam turned to Diana.
“That will be fine, Adam,” she said. “I know this has been a long morning. Why not go home for lunch and I will join you as soon as I am able.”
“Very well.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “It seemed to go very well for you. Are you pleased?”
“Yes, Adam, I am.”
She watched as Adam left the building then turned back to Sir Cecil just as Robert joined them. Sir Cecil asked Robert, “How do you feel the launch went?”
Robert appeared to be slightly distracted but he said, “I think it went well. Diana, you handled the opening statement superbly. And what a crowd surrounded you after the speech!”
“We have any number of requests for interviews and Diana and I were just going to sort them out. Do you want to join us?” Sir Cecil asked.
Robert considered then said, “I think not. I have an urgent property issue I must deal with, but Diana, might we meet later before you return to your fiancé’s? I should like to hear about your experience with the launch in more detail. Tea perhaps?”
“I am expected back for lunch shortly, but I could meet with you later. Say four o’clock?”
“At Fortnum’s?”
“That will be fine. Until then.”
Chapter 25
Robert stood at the back of the crowd at the book launch. He did not want to be too conspicuous or seem to be connected with the book in any way. He found himself to be surprisingly calm, even though it was his book that was being launched. The early reviews were good and he had high hopes that the book would have a solid readership. He did think that Sir Cecil went on a bit too long with the introduction, but he had always tended to be long-winded.
He was very proud of Diana. She was calm and steady, projecting a quiet confidence as she spoke about the book. She was so convincing, he almost believed she had written the book instead of him. He was so absorbed in the presentation he had forgotten that Amelia had agreed to meet him here until he felt her hand on his arm and heard her speak.
“Is it going well?” she asked.
He turned to her and was shocked to see the Viscount standing beside her, their arms linked together.
“Amelia… Ludlow,” Robert greeted, coolly.
“Your little protégé looks quite sweet and charming,” Amelia said as though she was sorting through soiled laundry.
“What are you doing here? I did not know your tastes ran to literature,” Robert said to the Viscount.
“Oh, my interests are varied,” he replied. “And I might ask the same question of you. Why the sudden interest in this fair damsel? Is she a new conquest?”
Robert whipped around to face Ludlow. “You are crude and insulting to both me and the young lady.”
“Oh, Robert, do not be such a prude. I was only jesting.”
Robert was angry. “I must ask you to leave.”
Amelia intervened, reaching over and patting Robert’s shoulder. “Now, now, gentlemen, sheathe the swords. We are all friends here. No one is accusing anyone of anything.” Then she pulled Ludlow aside and had words with him which Robert could not hear.
Shortly they returned. By now Diana had finished speaking, and the crowd began to shift toward the drinks table or toward her. Robert wanted to go over to her and support her but Amelia restrained him, pulling him aside, and whispered, “You should be kinder to poor Luddy. He means well, but he tends to be indelicate in his speech.”
Robert looked at her askance, and then asked, “And what exactly is he doing here? What possible interest could he have in the book launch?”
“He escorted me, and you know I came to support you,” she said soothingly, as she straightened his cravat.
Robert was unconvinced by her slithery manner. He knew her wiles too well. “I am, of course, happy that you attended the launch of the book, but you must excuse me now. I need to support my protégé, as Ludlow likes to call her. I will see you later back at the house for dinner.”
“Very well.”
Robert turned to leave but stopped. “Is he going to be there?” he asked, nodding his head toward the Viscount.
“I had thought to ask him, but if you would rather not…”
“I would rather not,” he said emphatically.
&
nbsp; “As you wish,” she said, and then returned to the Viscount.
* * *
Robert was at Fortnum and Mason’s early enough to secure a nice table before Diana should arrive for tea. As part of his trip to London, he had arranged several meetings with his property managers and had spent the afternoon in discussions with one about several of his properties that needed repairs. He studied the proposals and bids as he waited for her.
Finally, she appeared.
“Good afternoon, Robert,” she greeted, as she took her place at the table. “Did you have a productive afternoon?”
“It was—tedious, but necessary and relatively successful.”
Diana took a deep sigh, as she settled into her place. “What a day. Not only was the morning noteworthy, but I ended up in a deep discussion with Adam at lunchtime over the plans for our honeymoon. Really, he can be so difficult at times.”
“Forgive me for asking, but are there troubles?” he asked gently.
Diana seemed reluctant to speak about it, and Robert regretted his question almost immediately.
“I am sorry, that is none of my business. Please disregard my question.”
She seemed conflicted as she said, “No. I do not mind you asking. It is just… I did a terrible thing which I regret.”
“You?”
“I lied to Adam about the beautiful pearls you gave me. I told him they were my mother’s.”
“Diana…”
“I was in the middle of the book launch when he asked me about them and I did not want to get into a whole explanation about you giving them to me. I knew it would upset him.”
“I see now it was inappropriate for me to give you those. I never thought… I just wanted to show you my sincerest appreciation for all you have done… are doing for me.”
Just then the waiter approached the table. “What might I bring you this afternoon—sir, madam?”
Robert was annoyed at being interrupted at just that moment. “Later,” he snapped.
The waiter retreated.
“Robert… that was unseemly.”
He shook his head. “Yes. Yes, it was. So sorry. It is just…”
“Have I upset you in some way,” she asked, leaning in sympathetically.
Robert stopped, put his hands on the table, and took a deep breath. “I think we are both a bit agitated by the events of the day. It has been an emotional time for both of us. You with your pending marriage and your new responsibilities with the book. And me with the book and…” He caught himself about to say something he might regret and stopped.
“What? What other than the book? Is it something to do with Amelia? Or your business interests in London?”
Robert was right at the edge. If he took the next step there would be no going back. If he said what he wanted to say to her he might jeopardize his arrangement with Diana and throw the publication of his book in turmoil. But instead of speaking he signaled for the waiter to return.
“Forgive my outburst just now, my good man. We are ready to order.”
Robert ordered the tea and used the time to get a better hold of himself. If he revealed his feelings for Diana he knew he could ruin both of their lives. He must stop and not utter a single word to her about how deeply he cared for her.
After the waiter left with the order, Robert smiled and said, “You really were splendid at the book launch this morning. I can see that my faith in you was sound.”
Diana seemed somewhat disoriented by their sudden shift in conversation but said, “Yes, I, too, felt it went well. It was most satisfying to interact with my readers. I have not had the opportunity before to listen to their reactions to my other books. It was most gratifying.”
“And do you have a sense of how they might react to your new direction?”
“I have to say they seemed somewhat puzzled as to why I would make such a change when what I was writing was already so well received.”
“And do you foresee a problem?”
Diana was thoughtful before replying, “Our explanation for going in this new direction has always seemed to me to be a bit tenuous. I think we will just need to wait and see.”
The waiter pushed his cart forward and served the tea and accompanying cakes and sandwiches.
“Now that you are past the Queen’s visit, have you been able to do any writing?” Diana asked.
“I can give you a dozen excuses—I have been preparing for the book launch—I have been attending to my properties—I have been doing research. But they would all be only excuses. And the simple answer is that I am completely blocked. I can see my limitations, and my belief is that I must adventure once again if I wish to write once again.”
Diana laughed and seemed to be more at ease than she was when she first arrived. “I do understand. And to be quite honest, I, too, have stalled on the Christmas chapter I am writing for Sir Cecil. However, I do have a legitimate excuse. You see---you are my problem,” she said teasingly.
However, Robert felt a jolt as his first response to what she said was that she might be battling with feelings for him, as he was battling with his feelings for her.
“However do you mean?” he finally managed to ask.
“Well, I have been so absorbed in mastering your book and preparing for the launch that I have had no time for my own work.”
Her answer was a disappointment to be certain, but he managed to reply, “Then you may instruct Sir Cecil to scold me for delaying your new book.”
She smiled shyly, “I already have. But he doesn’t take my excuses lightly and returns all the blame back on me.”
Robert laughed. “However, I must tell you I am well into reading your second book.”
“And?”
“To be honest, it does not pull me in the same way your first book did.”
“Oh…”
“Not to say it is bad—it just does not speak to me as directly as your first.”
“Perhaps because it is a more feminine book. It is filled with sisters and daughters and a host of other women.”
“That may be it. Your first book did have more male characters, to be sure.”
A silence fell over them momentarily. Then Robert asked, “Is your wedding to be held in Cambridge or in London?”
Diana looked up at Robert with almost an air of sadness. “Here in London at the Hardy family church, with a reception at a local hall they have rented.”
“And am I to be invited to the wedding?”
Diana appeared to be nervous as she answered. “Oh, Robert, that was one of the things that Adam and I were tasseling about at lunch. He insists that the guest list be family only.”
“Oh…”
“But I believe he is jealous of you and doesn’t want you invited because of that.”
He didn’t answer but just nodded.
“We have not settled the matter yet, however, and I am still struggling to have the guest list opened up.”
“No. He is right. It is best if you do not invite me. He should not be uncomfortable at his own wedding.”
“But he has nothing to be jealous of,” Diana stated somewhat hesitantly, “Does he?”
Robert was not about to respond to that question, but he looked at her with intense love in his eyes. She would just need to answer that question for herself.
* * *
The next afternoon, Robert was with one of his property managers—a portly, red-faced man who wheezed when he breathed—in the library of his London house. They were discussing various properties that Robert owned outside of London.
“Yes, you own a dozen or more properties in Cambridge—eight outright and six freeholds. Did you not remember that, sir?” the manager asked.
Robert answered, “I do recall something of the fact. But it has been so long since I had anything to do with them, I have mostly forgotten. Are there any issues with them that must be addressed?”
The manager consulted the paper. “Well, the good news is that one of them has just had one
of the leaseholds renewed. That will bring you a tidy profit as there is no upkeep involved.”
That set Robert to thinking and he asked, “And the name of the renewed leaseholder?”
“George Browning. I believe he is a professor at one of the colleges at the university.”
Robert smiled. “Really? George Browning. I know the gentleman. Well, of all things…”
Diaries of a Heartbroken Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Collection Page 80