XII. WATER AND STAIRS

CHAPTER 12. WATER AND STAIRS

the dance floor, laughing and giggling, as Prince Louis watched her from the side.

"Whatever did you do to that girl, Louis?" Queen Amelia asks, coming to stand next to him.

"I do not know what you speak of Mother." Prince Louis replies, a longing look on his face, as he watches Diana get spun around.

"Do you truly believe you can lie to your Mother?" She asks him, with a smile, and he sighs turning to her.

"I lied about who I was." Louis answers, and Queen Amelia turns to him, a sad smile on her face. "But that is not why she is upset. I do not even know why she feels she doesn't know me."

"Oh, my poor boy, she feels that way because when you did not tell her the truth even after getting to know her, she felt you did not trust trust her." The Queen tells him. "She is upset because she is afraid that you will lie to her again."

"But, I will not lie to her, and I do trust her." Louis replies. "Why else would I want to marry her."

"Well, how is she going to know that?" She asks him. "Did you tell her?"

"No, I did not." Louis answers.

"Then, how, pray tell, my sweet son, will she know that?" The Queen tells him, as she walks away, leaving him with his thoughts.

He turns to see Diana, who now randomly spinning in her spot, and sighs, making his way towards her.

"I believe it is time to get you to rest." He tells her, as she guides her towards Lady Danbury.

"Lady Danbury!" Diana greets, loudly, with a huge grin, as she hugs the women. "You..." She continues, holding Lady Danbury's shoulder, as she points a finger at her. "Are my favorite..."

Louis awkwardly balances her.

"Lady Danbury, can you take Diana to you home?" He asks her. "As, you can see, she is quite..." He pauses, as Diana bops his nose. "...indisposed."

"Yes, I noticed." Lady Danbury replies.

"I am afraid if her family might see her in this condition, she will be in a great deal of trouble." Louis tells her. "So, I had hoped, you could take care of her."

"Oh, I certainly will, You Highness." Lady Danbury says, smiling. "But, I do have some business left to attend. Could you do me the favor, and take her to my house, I will be there shortly."

"I do believe, that would not be appropriate, Lady Danbury..." Louis tries to say, but Lady Danbury shakes her head.

"I have known you since birth. I do believe you to be a proper respectful gentleman, who your Mother is proud to have raised." Lady Danbury tells him, raising her eyebrow. "Now, go. I shall tell Lady Bridgerton that Diana will be staying with me tonight."

"Very well." Louis replies, with a sigh. "I shall bring Miss Bridgerton back to your house."

amo te maxime?" Diana asks, in Latin as she sits beside him in the carriage, and Louis looks at her, in confusion.

"I con not understand you." He tells her, with furrowed eyebrows. "Is that Latin?"

"Tu as les plus beaux yeux." She continues, not hearing him, as she leans over, and rests her head on his shoulder. "Sic oculis dreamy."

"Why are you speaking Latin?" Louis asks, a grin on his face. "I can not understand anything you say."

"Brunneis!" She says, excitedly. "Color tam mirabilis."

"You are entirely drunk." Louis tells her, laughing.

"Non solum qui biberint non blurry." She replies, as Louis just gives her an amused look. 

"You should close your eyes and rest, Miss Bridgerton." He tells her, smiling as she nuzzles into his neck.

"You should start calling me, Diana." She mumbles, making a beaming smile form on his face.

"Come on, you can do this."

"It is too difficult." She whines.

"It is not that bad." He tells her.

"They are scary!" She tells him.

"They are stairs!"  He replies, sighing.

Right now, Diana was sitting on the first few steps of the huge staircase at Danbury House, while Louis stood in front of her.

"Diana, come now, you just need to climb the stairs and then you can go to bed." He tells her, but she shakes her head.

"How about, I sleep right here?" She asks him, going to lay down completely on the steps, but Louis stops her, holding her so she could not sleep on the stairs.

"You can not sleep here, Diana." He tells her, as she grabs his arms, making herself comfortable, and closing her eyes.

"Of course I can." She replies, sleepily, and after a moment, Louis sighs.