Chapter 14

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."