A Pact With The Prince | Bridgerton ~ Prince Friedrich

Chapter Twenty One

"The blue velvet please." Diana replied not even glancing up at Tinsley.
"Yes, ma'am." Tinsley wrung her hands eying her mistresses worry etched across her face. 

She turned to leave her young mistress's room and paused wondering if she should speak her mind or wait. The hollowness in Diana's dark eyes confirmed no matter what she wanted to say, she might not even hear her.

Diana could always recognize her mother's footsteps as she walked into her room.
"Dearest? Are you alright?" her mother's face appeared in the mirror as Diana put on the finishing touches of her pins that scattered in her dark hair. 

"Yes." Diana offered her best smile knowing her mother could see right through her. 

"I have been seeing and hearing some things." her mother started carefully as she stroked her hair. Her mother had frowned and oddly been quiet these last couple of days since the Fruelin had appeared in town. 

"It's fine." Diana's voice strained, that she couldn't help - she did not want to talk about it, not right now when she hadn't even had the chance to hear it from himself.

It had been nearly a week, not a word, not a glance, or even a reply to her discreet notes. Not even her brothers have been able to see him at the gentleman's club, seemingly swept up with the additional royal guests from his home country.

 Each day Diana felt something build around her, tendrils weaving around her heart, complex and impenetrable. It offered her no comfort, this armor she slowly began to place but she had no choice, it was like preparing for the thing in the distance. Something ominous and vicious heading straight for her. Rumors swirled about an impending engagement and it began to feel more like the truth as each silent day passed.

"You look beautiful my dear." her mother murmured moving to face her, holding her chin up. Diana saw her mother, all gentle and content before she turned into a crazed marriage-minded matron.

"Thank you." was all she could say, appreciating the small kiss on her forehead. 

"You are strong probably out of all of us." her mothers smiled kindly, while her features still met age, she did so with grace. She was still beautiful and timeless, Diana wondered what it would have been like if her father was still around.

At the opera, everyone mingled before the performance. Family boxes were filled with laughter, drinks, and treats in abundance. The beautiful setting of the opera was dimmed with many candles creating a sensual haze among the red curtains and chairs, the gold that lined everything seemed to wink with the light around them. 

"There is Lady Danbury." her mother took her arm pulling Diana with her. With each step into society, she forced herself to ignore the stares, some of sympathy, some of admiration. While Diana knew the deep blue velvet dress was usually reserved for married women, she did not feel like an innocent debutante anymore.

"You look stunning my dears." Lady Danbury smiled at them her cane at her side.

 "As do you." her mother smiled. 

"Come, join us in our box, the gentleman are who knows where, so it will offer us some privacy." her mother smiled leading the way toward the family box. 

"You look so forlorn my dear, you should smile so they cannot see you are affected." Lady Danbury whispered when they closed the door to their box, her mother had paused outside to speak to another acquaintance leaving them alone.

Diana knew she could never lie to her, the lady was the sharpest of them all.

"It's very difficult to do so these days, Lady Danbury. You would ashamed of me, as it all has to do with a man." Diana replied sadly.