His proximity to her made her want to tug him closer, though propriety was something thoroughly engrained, and she gripped her glass more firmly. Despite the heightened atmosphere she'd stepped into, she knew the news she had for him was not going to survive the apparent cheerfulness that seemed to lift up her spirits. Diana toyed with the stem of her glass, looking down at the bubbles floating there peacefully.

"I believe her presence made more of an impact upon me than I realize," she said, the words in her mouth stumbling over themselves as she contemplated how best to tell him what her family had told her this morning. Diana swallowed before looking up at him again, her brows knitting together slightly. The mask that she'd been so skilled at maintaining throughout the many seasons she'd attended faltered. "I should think I will miss her more sooner than I think, though." She began, still looking down at her glass.