Diana and the Gypsy

As she prepared for bed, Diana was feeling pretty satisfied with herself. She had managed to put a little dent in Davi's normally calm exterior; something she hadn't had the opportunity to do in far too many years.

The Trouble Twins had pushed Davi beyond endurance quite a few times. It had been Davi who had given them that name and they'd become rather proud of it. But when he called them disease and pestilence, they knew they had gone too far and scampered away as far as they could get.

Diana snuggled under the covers and bid her sister good night, but she was far from sleepy. She was home, Will was home and Thomas would be here in the next day or two. They would finally all be together. Not for long, she knew.

Will would return to Dilham with Grandfather, Thomas would be knighted and enter the king's service (another price paid for supposedly supporting Richard III) and Elizabeth would journey to Fallonslair to foster with Cousin Catherine. Only she and Hal would be left.

Diana sighed and rolled over, twitching the covers securely around her shoulders once more. She had learned long ago to make the best of any situation and could not let herself be gloomy when all was right with her world.

And Davi? Diana was surprised when he popped back into her thoughts. There must be a reason she would think of him now. Of course, Davi had been like a member of the family since before she was born. In fact, her father had actually saved his life some twenty years before. But he was still a young man, not a blood relative, and most decidedly good-looking. Considering his reaction to her earlier, he might be a good candidate to practice her womanly wiles. Not that she had many wiles with which to practice, but she had to start somewhere.

With a very satisfied smile at her newest and most daring plan ever, Diana fell peacefully asleep.