The next morning, as promised, Augustus Montagu arrived outside the entrance hall of the trio's hotel at just past seven o'clock.

Upon his arrival, Diana turned to his with a glare. Pulling out a small golden watch engraved with celestial constellations, she flicked it open, observed it for a moment and then raise a single eyebrow in his direction.

"You are thirty two seconds late, sir. We could be in the carriage by now." Her tone was absolutely serious.

Augustus glanced at Theodore with a concern look.

"My cousin is most desperate to see the ruins, you'll forgive her rudeness." It was clear that he had already become accustomed to acting as the peacemaker. Indeed, it was becoming increasingly apparent to Theodore Blake that Augustus and Diana were engaged in a rivalry for his attention.

"Should it not be the other way round?" questioned Diana petulantly. "He should be asking for my forgiveness, in being late your lord has delayed my cultural and intellectual education!"

With that, Diana Bridgerton stormed off toward the carriage with her remaining companions in tow. Miss Waters had agreed to join the trio today, having missed out on their previous venture.

The carriage was tightly packed as all four of them squeezed into it. It m if the not have been were it not for Diana's new inclination toward the continental dress style. Her petticoats seemed to cover every inch of the carriage.

Unlike the evening prior, Diana had not brought any books with her and so was forced to make conversation with the others. Not that she particularly minded, but the Montagu boy had stolen Teddy's attention from her and she felt quite slighted by their propensity to leave her out of their conversations.

Her and Miss Waters had been discussing the breakfast at the hotel and it's contrast to British cuisine when she finally had to say something.

"Theodore if you have something which you wish to discuss, please share it with all of us. I do not appreciate your whispering."

Teddy rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long day if his two companions did not form a truce.

It was Augustus who came to save him, albeit he probably made matters worse.

"I was just telling your cousin how beautiful I find you, and how very genteel," sarcasm dripped through his voice.

"Oh I think we both know you do not have the slightest inclination toward my beauty," she shot back at him.

Hearing her comment, Miss Waters gave her a look of confusion. A look that Diana Bridgerton simply chose to ignore.

Reaching the site, they spent the entire day combing over the ruins and examining the historical significance of each rock. Diana was consistently handing out tasks for her companions such as copying down Latin phrases or counting the number of stones that made up the Temple of Augustus. She gave that particular job to the man named after the Roman Caesar himself. Indeed, it took poor Augustus nearly four hours to count all of them.

Their time in Rome passed in much the same way; visiting sites of importance, embracing Roman culture, exploring their delicacies, and - for some - engaging in secret romantic endeavours, hidden behind ancient statues.

Needless to say the quartet had quite an experience.

So much so that Diana was loathed to have to depart the city two weeks later. Her saving grace was the fact that she would once again have Teddy all to herself and they could return to their previous antics.

Alas, this was not the case. For on the morn of their departure lo and behold there stood Augustus Montagu at precisely seven o'clock with three bags and a lyre. Spotting Diana, his face contorted into a disturbing smirk.

"What are you doing here?"

His smirk broadened into a huge grin.

"You don't think I'd leave you here, do you? No! I hear tell you are off to Greece - Athens I do believe - and so I shall be joining you."

She put once her fiercest glower.

"That's not fair! Teddy!"

Theodore Blake shrugged and jumped into the carriage.

"I'm not getting in so long as you're there."

"Very well, I suppose we'll have to leave you here then," declared Augustus before following in Theodore's footsteps.

Diana let out a groan in annoyance before making her way to the carriage.

'I suppose I can always hit him whenever he tries to speak.' She thought to herself.

They were about the roll out of the courtyard when a Porter came running after them. He looked might stupid, clambering along the road with a letter stuck high in the air.

"Miss! Miss! I have a letter for you, from England?" The sentence took him quite some time to get out, considering his breathlessness, but eventually Diana got the gist of his words.

"It must be from Benedict! I knew he'd write to me! Give it here then," she exclaimed excitedly.

The poor boy handed it over as fast as possible, determined not to anger her further.

Waving her hand in dismissal, Diana Bridgerton tore open the letter.