“Oh, you will not believe… he is starting an actualjob.”
“Geoffrey is working?Really?”
“I know. A miracle, is it not? He has a clerk’s position at theUniversity Press. Somehow, they think that because he is the son of a university lecturer he is somehow smart. But they will learn soon enough, will they not?” Miriam saidgiggling.
“My dear friend, you are too harsh. Geoffrey is quite capable, I am quitesure.”
Miriam flopped down on her bed and rested her head on her crooked arm and asked, “How is that adorably handsome Earl ofyours?”
Diana sat in a chair by the bed and lowered her eyes, before speaking. “He is quite well and I have tentatively agreed to be his surrogateauthor.”
“Well… and how do you feel aboutthat?”
“A little nervous, but his offer is so attractive I cannotrefuse.”
“And Adam? Are you still enchanted to be marryinghim?”
Diana hesitated ever so briefly. “Ofcourse.”
“Ah, I heard a hesitation. Does that mean there is trouble inparadise?”
“Not at all,” Diana said, looking directly at Miriam to emphasize herresolve.
Miriam threw herself onto her back and spread her arms out across thebed.
“I am unconvinced. I believe that the handsome Earl has stolen your heart but you are too timid to break your promise toAdam.”
Of course, Diana knew Miriam was absolutely correct, but she had not told the Sinclairs about her family’s troubles over the leasehold and was not in a position to explain why she had agreed to marry Adam. Instead, she answered, “I must agree that the Earl is charming, but what we have is strictly a business relationship. And nothing more. And besides, I am not marriage material for a noble such ashimself.”
Diana folded her hands in her lap and sat straight and proper to show herresolve.
Miriam appeared to be unimpressed. “It seems to me that your answer is too well thought out. You might be able to convince yourself with such an answer, but notme.”
Needing to divert this conversation Diana said, “But I have come for your help on anothermatter.”
“And that would be?” Miriam asked as she sat up on the edge of thebed.
“The Earl has invited our publisher to dinner on Friday and he wishes me and my family to attend a dinner party. After dinner, he plans for us to finalize the surrogate author agreements. But my lovely best dress has an unrepairable tear. I wanted to see what you mightsuggest.”
“Certainly, there is no time to make a new one.” Diana shook her head. “And you are certain it cannot berepaired?”
“Not without taking the dress apart and remaking it. But I do not have any matching material even if Icould.”
“I might have something you could wear,” she said standing up and going to her armoire. She began searching through her dresses and finally pulled one out. “What about this? I have only worn this once to a ball. Do you want to try iton?”
Diana went over and took the dress, then held it up to examine it. “Oh, yes, this islovely.”
Diana had just removed her dress and was slipping on Miriam’s dress when they heard clomping on the stairs. The door was thrown open and Geoffrey rushed to the bed and threw himself down on it, facedown.
He let out a prolonged groan, as Diana scrambled to pull the dress down to cover herselfup.
“Geoffrey, what are you doing home?” Miriamasked.
“I have beensacked.”
“What!”
“I spilled an entire bottle of ink and ruined a manuscript that took three years towrite.”
