“I thought you were encouraging this scheme of mine!” Violet protested.
“When I thought it was about revenge,” Diana clarified. “Not love.” She looked at Violet sharply. “And that’s what you’re saying, isn’t it? That you love him?”
“Yes,” Violet said helplessly. “Though I rather wish I didn’t, if this is how he’s going to behave.”
“Darling,” Diana said. “This can’t go on forever. You’re young and beautiful. Any man would be lucky to have you, and it’s not worth going to all this trouble for a husband who doesn’t return your feelings. I don’t believe in unrequited swooning,” she added, giving Violet a severe look. “It doesn’t do to let a man get an overly inflated sense of his own worth, you know. If Audley isn’t going to rejoin you in your bed, then I say why not let some other chap?”
Violet was tempted for a moment to inquire how Diana felt about James joining her on window seats rather than beds, just to witness the reaction it would provoke, but even she was not so bold as that.
Instead, she merely said, “Ours might not have been the happiest marriage of late, but at least it is still a faithful one, and I intend for it to remain that way.”
Diana sagged. “Morals,” she said simply. “So tiresome.”
Violet arched a brow.
“You seem to have rather a puritanical streak yourself, Diana. You’ve been out of mourning for how long now? And yet I’ve heard no whispers of a paramour.”
“I’m working on it,” Diana said cryptically, but before Violet could give much thought to that particular statement, Wooton reappeared in the doorway.
“Lord Willingham, my lady,” he intoned, and stepped aside so that Jeremy could pass into the room.
“Jeremy?” Violet said, rising to offer him her hand. “How lovely. Are you looking for James? I’m afraid he’s not at home.”
“I was, rather,” Jeremy said, bowing gallantly over her hand, then doing the same—rather more perfunctorily, it must be said—over Diana’s. “But how can I be disappointed when I am presented with such charming company? Indeed, what man could resist the temptation to begin the day with two such lovely ladies?”
“I was under the impression that it was your habit to do exactly such a thing,” Diana replied icily as Jeremy took a seat and Violet set about making a cup of tea for him. “Perhaps not two, though,” she added, mock thoughtfully. “Though of course, I wouldn’t know. Your stamina might be more impressive than I’ve been given to understand.”
“I greeted the dawn alone today,” Jeremy said, accepting the cup from Violet and taking a healthy gulp from it. “Which, of course, so disconcerted me that I made my way here immediately upon awakening.” His tone was light, but his gaze on Diana was sharp.
“How lucky we are,” Diana said venomously. “But do go away, Willingham, I was in the middle of a very important conversation with Violet and you are ruining it.”
“Bedeviling her about last night, are you?” Jeremy asked wisely.
“She is, and I suspect it’s the reason you called as well,” Violet said. “Do leave me alone, the both of you.”
“I thought you should know, Violet, that you and Audley were quite the talk of the ballroom after you left.”
“Whatever for?”
“You cannot think that people did not notice Audley and Lady Fitzwilliam’s dance? Particularly in light of the gossip about their meeting in Hyde Park?” Diana paused, then added delicately, “I’m surprised gentlemen aren’t beating down your door as we speak.”
“For what purpose?” Violet felt rather as though Diana were speaking a foreign language; nothing she was saying seemed to make a great deal of sense to her.
“Well,” Diana said, drawing out the word, “some gentlemen present seemed to think that since Audley has now made clear his intention to take a mistress, you would be more amenable to similar . . . er . . . extramarital activities, shall we say.”
“Did they not notice that I danced with James, as soon as he was through with Lady Fitzwilliam?” Violet asked, irritated.
“No,” Diana said slowly. “I believe they saw you cut in on their dance in a most scandalous fashion—and if that wasn’t the action of a jealous wife, I fail to see any other alternate explanation for your behavior that seems the slightest bit plausible.”
“Oh, good heavens.” Violet buried her face in her hands. “I shall have to tell Wooton I am not at home to callers, if it’s as bad as you say.”
“I already took the liberty of doing so,” Diana said serenely, sipping her tea. She focused a shrewd look on Jeremy. “Though that doesn’t explain how you got in, Willingham.”
“No one can resist my charms,” Jeremy said with a winning grin. “Not even a butler of such sternness as Wooton.”
“Strange, seeing as I have no difficulty in doing so.”
“That is because, Lady Templeton, I have never wasted them on you. I assure you, were I to employ them, you would not stand a chance.”
“In any case,” Diana said, steering the conversation back to where she wanted it, “Violet, I had at least three separate gentlemen inquire about you last night. My dance card was full for the entire evening, so eager were people to hear whatever I might know about the state of your marriage.”
“Your dance card is always full,” Violet pointed out, quite truthfully.
“True,” Diana said placidly, taking another sip of tea without any trace of false modesty. “But for once they didn’t seem remotely interested in peering down my bodice in the most ungentlemanly fashion imaginable. All they wanted to do was talk!” She sounded thrilled and disgruntled in almost equal measure.
“You might have that experience more often if you gave them less to look at,” Jeremy drawled.
“And yet you never seem able to resist the temptation to take a nice long ogle yourself,” Diana shot back.
“My dear Lady Templeton, I am a man,” Jeremy said, as though this explained everything. And, given Violet’s experience with men, she supposed it probably did.
“Nonetheless,” Violet said, deciding that the best course of action was to ignore this entire exchange, “I have no interest in any gentlemen who may choose to call on me, so they would be wasting their time.”
“Violet, don’t be so hasty,” Diana chided. “Some of the gentlemen who asked me specifically about you last night were very handsome.”
“I say,” Jeremy said, “I don’t think I should be present for this conversation.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Diana replied. “Feel free to show yourself out—I think you know the way.”
“Did you have a particular purpose for calling, Jeremy?” Violet asked, a touch more diplomatically. “I could pass a message along for James—I’ve not seen him yet today, though.”
“Probably hiding from any callers,” Jeremy muttered darkly. “But, er, no, thank you. I just wanted to discuss—er—manly things with him. Probably wouldn’t interest you in the least.”