Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Diana and the older woman were heading back to the ballroom. She had made it clear that eventually her sister would be searching for her.

"You have such a lovely home," the lady said with a smile. "And how fortunate to have been brought up by such wonderful and talented people."

"I am fortunate, yes," Diana agreed. "My parents were wonderful."

"They certainly raised you well," Mrs Ashburne complimented.

The two women were making their final stretch towards the ballroom when another set of footsteps approached.

"There you are," a familiar voice said in their direction.

Diana's eyes shot up, and she looked directly into the eyes of the Duke of Blackwood. Her heart fluttered in her chest and threatened to make her dizzy. He was walking to them with a bright smile.

The room felt smaller then as if her world had closed in and wrapped her up in warmth. She wanted to run towards him, happy to see the one person who could cheer up her evening.

Suddenly, she wished she could check her hair and fix her dress one more time before he looked at her, but it was far too late for that. Thankfully, Anna had come looking for her and could provide the moral comfort she needed.

"There you are!" Anna said with a smile. "And the duke of Blackwood! How good to see you again!"

Diana had not realized that the duke was on the guest list.

If she had known it, she would have bought a new dress rather than wear an older one. Her palms were clammy. How could one person cause such a physical reaction within her? It seemed ridiculous. And yet, she could not stop it from happening.

"Ah, here's that nephew I was telling you about," Mrs Ashburne said.

Mrs Ashburne winked at Diana as she tried not to blush. The duke started laughing.

"Only good things, I hope," he said jokingly. "Miss Fairchild, how lovely to see you."

"You two know each other," Mrs Ashburne said with surprise. "Well, that saves me the introductions, doesn't it?"

"We've been giving your aunt the tour," Anna added. "She knows a lot about art."

"Taught me everything I know," the duke explained.

Diana was having a hard time even formulating words. Her heart was pounding, and she could feel nerves bubbling up inside her.

"These two young ladies saved me from a bit of a situation, and they've been such lovely company," his aunt explained. "But I think I've taken enough of their time."

"Oh please, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. Do not get it wrong," Diana explained with a smile. "This party is not my kind of setting."

"Well, you blend in well enough," Mrs Ashburne assured her.

Diana tried to suppress yet another blush from rising to her cheeks.

"What happened?" the duke asked.

"A group of women bumped into her and were less than polite," Anna explained. "Sure made Diana put them in their place. I thought she would kick them right out of her house. I'm surprised she didn't."

"It's not my party," Diana reminded Anna. "Besides, I don't think those women will be a bother again."

"Oh no, certainly not," his aunt added. "But you sure would have liked to see their faces, Mark. It's precisely the kind of thing that you'd get a kick out of."

"Who were they?" the duke demanded.

He looked back towards the ballroom with anger in his eyes. Diana found it charming that he cared so much for his family. That he was so protective of his aunt. It was an endearing quality. But the last thing she needed was for him to cause a scene. Her family would be furious, and she didn't know him well enough to know how he might behave.

"Don't bother yourself with that," his aunt brushed him off. "Miss Fairchild here made good work of them. They won't be a bother. She handled it just fine."

"Well then, I owe you thanks," the duke said, bowing slightly in her direction. "And I do hope you'll allow me to make it up to you."

With that, they headed back to the ballroom as a group. Anna continued to tell the duke's aunt about the artworks as they walked. It had been some of the most pleasant conversation that Diana had enjoyed in some time. He and his aunt were a lot alike in the way they spoke and laughed.

Diana and the duke walked side by side together as they made their way back to the sound of the music and the dancing.

"I'm glad you came," she said softly.

"As am I,' he answered. "That is a beautiful dress."

"Thank you," she stuttered.

She knew for sure that she was blushing then, and she did her best to avoid eye contact with him in case it would only make her blush worse.

They made it through the doors of the ballroom once again and were back into the swing of things.

"This is quite the party with an impressive guest list," the duke said.

"I had nothing to do with it," Diana confessed. "My aunt and cousins did all the planning. I'm not one for such lavish events."

She wondered if that was the right thing to say to him. Did that make her unattractive? Diana didn't know how it worked well enough yet to understand what she was doing.

"I'm not usually one for large parties, either," the duke confessed. "But I'm certainly glad to attend this one."

Diana smiled and cast her gaze downward. When he wasn't looking, she fixed her hair and dress.

Suddenly, he turned to her and held out his hand.

"Would you like to dance, Miss Fairchild?" he asked.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt dizzy again.

"Absolutely," she answered in a near whisper.

She took his hand, and immediately, it was as if the room burst into bright colour. Her heart beat in time with the music as they made their way to the dance floor. Diana had been thinking about him the entire time since the picnic. She'd been confused about her feelings towards him.

She had thought about him often and wanted so desperately to see him again. When she was in his presence, it made her feel as if she was finally at home again. But when he left, she could convince herself that it wasn't so. That she had simply had a good time and enjoyed having a new friend around.

Besides, she was not a woman of the ton, and Diana didn't feel worthy.

But now that her hand rested in his, she had no doubts that she was interested in him as more than just a friend. She tried to calm her heart down by taking slow and steady breaths. But every time he looked at her again, it seemed as though the air was sucked from her lungs.

When they took their places on the dance floor, she recalled what his aunt had said. That she'd be a good woman for him and a good mother to his child. She hadn't known that it was the duke in question then. Otherwise, she might have made a better attempt to make a good impression.

The man before her was little more than a stranger. They'd only spent time together twice, and that shouldn't have been enough time to develop such strong feelings. She barely knew him, yet it felt as if she did.

The previous song ended, and the next one was about to begin. It meant it was time to dance. At least, that was one thing her parents had taught her. Her father loved to dance, so he made sure that Diana knew all the steps.

They took their positions and readied themselves for a waltz. He was standing so close to her then that it almost made her dizzy. Her feet felt as though they were miles beneath her, and her knees weakened.

But the music did not wait for them. They took their first steps, and just like that, they were moving around the dance floor, their hands on each other.

The first bit of their dance was silent. She didn't know what to say to him. Nothing that she had in her mind made any sense.

"You're an excellent dancer," he said, finally breaking the silence.

She was relieved that he had said something. The silence was starting to get uncomfortable for her, and she was beginning to second-guess every movement.

"Thank you," she whispered. "So are you."

"My mother made sure of it," he said with a laugh. "I used to think it was silly before, but now I'm glad for all those lessons."

"Me too," Diana agreed.

*

The duke couldn't believe that he'd found the two women he had been looking for walking hand-in-hand down the hallway. His aunt had seemed so happy. Normally, she was nervous at parties like that. He had been concerned when his mother told him she'd wandered off.

She'd done that once and then went all the way home to avoid having to mingle with the crowds. But for the first time in a long time, his aunt had seemed totally at ease. The same way Evangeline felt when he was around Diana.

Mark was falling hard, and he knew it. It was a dangerous descent that he'd been trying to avoid in one way or another. But every time he was near Diana, it was as if he had forgotten all that was important and could think of nothing but her.

She had him feeling blank-minded and confused while also experiencing a fair amount of clarity. He wanted to be stronger and better when he was in her presence. That wasn't something he often felt at all.

As they moved along the dance floor, he did his best to inch slightly closer to her. Something about her made him want to behave recklessly. And that feeling was completely new to him.

But she deserved a gentleman, and so he would keep his manners.

"How is Evangeline?" Diana asked. "I've been thinking about her so often."

His chest tightened. Of all the women who had been in his circle, not one of them had ever bothered to check in on his daughter. Most of them hardly mentioned her at all.

"Well, she has not stopped talking about you," he answered. "That picnic is clearly one of the best parties she's ever had."

"I feel the same way about it," Diana confessed. "It was a superbly pleasant afternoon. Her laughter is contagious."

"It is, isn't it?" he asked with a chuckle.

He inched a little closer to her again. Every time he did that, she seemed flustered, and he got a kick out of it. Anybody who cared about his daughter meant the world to him. In an instant, he felt privileged to be around her and protective of her, as if he suddenly wished the night could carry on forever.

The world around him felt as if it was a million miles away. The laughter and the conversation got quieter, and all he could see and hear was her.

"Well would you extend an invitation from me?" Diana asked. "I'd like to invite Evangeline over for a tea party if that's alright with you?"

"I will be sure to invite her, although I already know that the answer is yes," he said with a smile.

"I look forward to it." Diana blushed then, which made the duke feel warm inside.

The song came to an end, and just like that, they needed to part. Their hands lingered just a moment longer before they let go of each other. The duke was about to speak when another figure showed up at their side.

"May I have this next dance?" Viscount Starling asked with an extended hand.

Like that, she was whisked away from him, and he could do nothing but watch. Whenever she could, Diana glanced at him until he could not watch any longer. The idea that another man had interest in her made him angry. Anger was not a feeling that the duke was used to.

He felt threatened then. Viscount Starling was a handsome man from a powerful family. More than that, he had no child to take care of. He had no baggage to bring into her life. It felt bad to feel that way about himself.

Jealousy was not a feeling that the duke was accustomed to, and he had no idea what to do with it. All he knew was that it left a bitter taste in his mouth and was enough to make an enemy out of the viscount.

Chapter 14

Finally, Colin had Diana alone. Even more to his benefit, the music slowed. It would be the perfect time for him to speak with her and start softening her up. He had never met a woman who hadn't eventually come around to his methods.

Being close to her, she was even more beautiful than he remembered from their first meeting.

"This is a beautiful home," he said, using one of his best tricks.

He had learned early on that the best way to get a woman's attention was to compliment her. As long as she felt that he was talking about her, she would feel special enough.

"Thank you, but I can take no credit for it. My parents built it, and my mother decorated it. I haven't changed much since their passing," she said. "I kept it the same."

His compliment had missed. That, or she'd been unwilling to accept it.

It did not go unnoticed by him that every time they turned, she was searching the crowd for someone else. And he had an idea of who that someone else could be.

The Duke of Blackwood had paid little attention to anybody else in the room but Diana. That only made her more intriguing to him. He could have had any woman in the room, but instead, he only had eyes for Diana.

"Why have I never been invited to one of these parties before?" he asked.

Finally, her eyes were back on him.

"I don't throw parties," she answered. "It's not something I particularly enjoy."

"Miss Fairchild," he teased her. "That is devastating news."

It was meant as a joke, but he didn't get as much as a smile out of her. There was something different about Diana compared to the other women he knew. Despite his low effort, she was already a tough one to crack.

He could feel Lady Elizabeth's eyes on him. Their bet was important to him. He didn't like to know that someone out there thought he might have lost a fight of some kind.

She was the only enjoyable part of that party. Truly, there was nothing else there of interest to him.

"You should have more parties," he said softly. "I, for one, would do anything to see you often. I'm sure I'm not the only one."

"Oh, okay," was how she answered.

It was not at all what he was expecting. None of his usual charm was working on her. But there was still a bet in place, and he had no problem using riskier means to get to her. The song came to an end, and the instant the final note sounded out, her hands were off him again.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he offered.

"Oh, thank you, but no," she answered. "I need some air. I think I'll go for a walk."

"Alone?" he asked with his best smile. "I don't like that idea one bit. Let me accompany you. I insist."

"That's not necessary," she declined. "Thank you."

"I insist," he pressed. "There are some men here I wouldn't trust with a woman on her own. I'll escort you to your destination and leave you there; I promise I won't linger."

*

Diana let out a sigh of relief as Lord Starling left her. While he was perfectly charming, she had little interest in him. More so, she wanted to avoid a problem with her cousin. While she had paid for the entire party, she was sure that it wasn't enough to smooth over any argument about the viscount.

The fresh outside air was precisely what she needed. The party had only just started, and Diana already felt as if it was going on for too long. Her home was filled with people she didn't know, which felt like a major invasion of her space.

He was barely away from her when Jane arrived at her side.

"What are you playing at?" Jane asked.

"Excuse me?" Diana asked.

"Viscount Starling," her cousin snapped. "Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm referring to. I saw you two dancing and charming each other. You know I'm interested in him. Why are you doing this?"

"He asked me to dance," Diana said with a sigh.

"Then decline," her cousin snapped.

"It wasn't like that," Diana defended herself. "I didn't want to dance with him, but it wasn't the right time to decline either."

"Nonsense," Jane argued. "I saw what was happening. You can't lie to me about it."

Diana didn't answer. There was nothing she could say to calm her cousin down, and she was in no mood for the fight. She was already having a long night that she wanted nothing to do with.

"I know why you're doing this," Jane said.

"Please, enlighten me," Diana said.

"You want the viscount to yourself," Jane accused her. "I saw him escort you out here. You can't stand that he might be interested in me instead of you. You're a selfish woman, Diana, and you always have been."

Fury coursed through Diana's veins then. "Selfish?" she asked. "Look around you. This entire party is something I paid for. You could never afford it without me, and I never wanted it to happen. But I've been footing the bill so that you can have some pointless special moment here tonight. How dare you accuse me of being selfish? How dare you slap me in the face like that."

Jane had nothing to say, just as Diana expected. Their argument was over, and she had won, and it still didn't matter to her at all.

"I am not interested in anyone at the moment," Diana said. "I couldn't care less about Viscount Starling. Do with him as you wish."

Diana walked away from her cousin then and into the garden to get some space. Thankfully, there weren't many people in her garden, and she could no longer hear the sound of the music and the talking going on.

Her heart was pounding hard from the socializing and the argument with Jane. She sat on her favourite bench and let out a loud sigh. With her eyes closed, she enjoyed a moment of silence.

After a few moments, a song popped into her head, which was the one her mother used to sing to her. She sang it quietly to herself, knowing that it would soothe the anxiety she felt. Diana was seriously considering not returning to the party at all.

Other than Anna, she wasn't sure there was anyone who would notice that she was missing. Her family had moved into her home and behaved as if she wasn't even there. They spent all her money and made her feel as if she didn't even have a space in her own home.

"There you are," Anna said, stopping her singing. "I thought I might find you here."

"I can't go back," Diana said. "The viscount is being pushy, and Jane is accusing me of trying to steal him from her."

"Viscount Starling?" Anna asked. "I saw you two dancing together. I've never seen you look less interested."

"Well, my family doesn't know me as well as you do," Diana said with a chuckle.

"I don't think I can go back inside, either," Anna said. "There's a woman who keeps laughing louder than the music, and it's driving me nuts."

"I can't believe I've paid for all of this, and Jane still has the nerve to tell me that I'm selfish," Diana said. "I've never been so angry. It's her birthday, so I can't even be too mean."

"I'm sorry," Anna said sympathetically. "Perhaps later, I can accidentally spill my drink on her."

"Don't you dare," Diana said with a laugh. "I paid for that dress, and it was expensive."

"Of course," Anna teased. "I won't do that then. I suppose she'll just have to enjoy her party."

"She'll probably say I've already ruined it for her," Diana said. "I stole the man she had her heart set on, according to her. And disappointed her greatly."

"I saw you were dancing with the duke, too," Anna reminded her.

"Yes," Diana said with a sigh. "I didn't realize he'd been invited. I nearly stopped breathing when I saw him."

The women both giggled. The party was outrageous and not something that either of them was into. So, they made themselves comfortable on the bench.

"Keep singing," Anna said. "I like it when you sing. You sound just like your mother."

Diana obliged and picked up where she left off. Anna was the only person she was comfortable singing in front of. The bench looked out over the lake with swans, and there, the two women found some peace among the chaos.

"You have a beautiful voice," a voice spoke from behind them, causing them both to jump.

The women spun around to find the Duke of Blackwood smiling back at them.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he said with a chuckle.

"I didn't even hear you approach," Diana said, smiling.

"I wasn't trying to be sneaky; I promise you that," he quickly responded. "I was merely coming to look at the swans and found myself pleasantly surprised."

*

Mark had gone in search of fresh air. He remembered the swans down at the pond and thought it would be the best place to get some space. The party seemed to be shrinking around him. Between Lady Elizabeth following him around the room, his mother keeping them together, and the way Viscount Starling had been looking at Diana, he was finding it difficult to enjoy himself.

It didn't help that Lord Starling had escorted Diana out of the room, and he'd not seen her again. He had to escape it all.

The walk through the gardens was exactly what he needed. They were beautiful during the day but even more beautiful at night. The wind that had been blowing rough through the area earlier that day had died down, and so there was a stillness around him that made him feel somewhat comforted.

As he got closer to the pond, the sound of singing filtered through the air. It was an angelic voice that reminded him of how his mother used to sing to Eva when she was much younger.

He couldn't have been more surprised to find that the source of the voice was Miss Fairchild, the only reason he was even there that night.

"You have a beautiful voice," he said, startling them both.

He greeted both women again and joined them at the pond. Seeing her there was the only thing that could have made his walk any more peaceful.

"Do you mind if I join you ladies?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course not," Miss Fairchild answered.

Anna glanced between the two of them. "I need to stretch my legs," she said with a chuckle. "I'll be right over there."

It was obvious to Mark that she was giving them space to be by themselves while staying close enough that they couldn't be considered entirely alone. He sat down next to Diana.

"I like that song you were singing," he said.

"My mother taught it to me," she answered. "I sing it sometimes when I need to calm down."

"Calm down?"

"It's a long story," she explained. "I don't often find myself in such large crowds of people."

"Ah, I would never have guessed," he said. "You seem to handle it with such grace."

Her cheeks turned pink, and it sparked no small amount of pride in him. He could watch her smile for hours if the opportunity arose itself. But he also knew that he wasn't the only man after her attention, so he needed to tread carefully.

Diana cleared her throat. "So, what kind of tea shall I prepare for my tea party with Eva?" she asked. "Does she have a favourite."

"She does," he answered. "And luckily, she and I have the same favourite tea."