Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Diana walked past Emma on her way to her room to get ready for their dinner party. Her aunt had surprised her with the news of dinner guests yet again. She had opted not to argue with her about it. Emma averted her eyes, something that had become a habit over the last few days.

She paused. "Emma, may I have a word?" she asked.

Emma seemed to swallow hard and turned to face her. "Of course," she said with her voice barely above a whisper.

"Is everything alright?" Diana asked. "You've been quiet the last few days, and I'm growing increasingly concerned."

Emma forced a meagre smile. "I'm just fine," she said softly. "I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Is there something you need to have better sleep?" Diana pressed. "A new pillow perhaps or heavier curtains?"

"No," Emma answered. "I'll be just fine."

Emma scurried away before Diana had the chance to question her more about it. Emma's behaviour made Diana feel nervous. When she spoke to Emma, her cousin barely made eye contact with her and fiddled nervously with her dress.

In fact, everybody had been behaving strangely the last few days. While Emma had been nervous, Jane had been unusually friendly and casual with her. Even her aunt had seemingly backed off her. While it was what she had wanted, she wasn't sure it was honest, and she didn't like it. But she didn't have the time to push Emma further.

She was in no mood for the dinner that night. It appeared to be largely her family's friends, and she didn't know them all that well. Her aunt had been preparing for it all day, and Jane was surprisingly excited about it.

It made Diana wonder if Lord Starling had been invited. If that were the case, she was in for a long night. She needed to get ready. So, she returned to her room. On her dresser lay a stack of letters between her and Mark.

They had grown so close. Closer than Diana had been to anyone other than Anna. She felt comfortable sharing with Mark, and when she wasn't around him, she could only think of when she would be around him again.

She knew what it felt like to hold his hand and stand so close to him that she could feel the warmth of his body against hers. Diana dreamed of a day when they could be completely alone together.

Her mind was so far away then that she'd hardly noticed how much time had passed until Emma knocked on her door.

"They'll be here any minute now," Emma said. "Are you ready?"

"I am," Diana said. "Do I look presentable?"

"Yes," Emma said with a smile.

"I'll walk with you," Diana suggested.

She and Emma had been close as children despite the age difference. Emma had inherited the same artistic gene that Diana's mother had, so they had often spent time together creating artwork and playing in the gardens. Diana missed those days.

They were almost at the end of the hall when Emma tugged Diana's arm.

"Please, help me with my hair," she said.

"Your hair? It looks fine!" Diana argued, but it went unheard.

Emma tugged her, and Diana was dragged into Emma's room where the door was quickly shut.

"What is the matter?" Diana asked. "This can't possibly be about your hair."

Emma swallowed hard. "It isn't," she confessed. "I have to tell you something, but I'm afraid to do so."

"Well, you better tell me now," Diana said. "You've been beside yourself for days. I'm worried about you. Now, please, spit it out."

Emma sat down on her bed and took a deep breath. Tears were building in her eyes, and Diana felt her heart sink. It was clear that whatever had been bothering Emma was bad. Bad enough that she looked afraid then.

Diana sat down next to her cousin and placed a hand on her arm. "Please, do not be afraid to speak with me. Whatever it is, I will not be angry with you."

"Yes, you will," Emma said. "And you should be, too."

Diana felt nauseous with worry then. But Emma had started the conversation, and it had gone far enough that she could no longer put it off.

"Tonight is not a real dinner party," Emma said. "My mother and sister intend to force you into a marriage with Mr Hoover tonight. I've been told to keep it a secret, but I can't do this. It's not right."

"What?" Diana asked, her heart sinking into her stomach. "I don't understand. How exactly do they intend to do this?"

"Mr Hoover knows about it, too. He's part of the plan because he wants to marry you so desperately," Emma continued. "Please know that I did not want to do it. I don't want to. They have threatened me if I don't help them."

"Emma, what exactly is their plan?" Diana pressed. "Mr Hoover isn't even invited tonight."

"He is," Emma said. "But he will not be at the table. They have tasked him with waiting in the garden. My mother knows that you'll go out for a walk eventually. You hate parties. Jane will follow you with friends and find the two of you in a compromising position."

It couldn't be real. It seemed more like a nightmare to Diana. She felt as though she couldn't breathe. Her family didn't like her, but she had never expected it to be that scheming and horrific.

"Why are they so determined for me to marry this man?" Diana asked. "I already told Lord Starling that I wasn't interested. I am no threat to Jane."

"Anybody is a threat to my mother when it comes to your money," Emma confessed. "Mr Hoover has agreed to grant them free access to the funds as soon as the two of you are married."

It felt as though the blood was draining from Diana's body. Then her hands started to shake as the reality of the situation was setting in. It explained Emma's nervous behaviour, as well as Jane's happy behaviour. They had made a plan to get Diana out of their hair.

"Why would Mr Hoover agree to this?" Diana asked, struggling to get a decent breath.

"He's desperate to marry you," Emma said. "You're too good for him, and he knows it."

Diana took a deep breath and cooled her temper. There was no use in her throwing a tantrum or getting upset with Emma. None of this was Emma's fault.

"Who came up with this plan?" Diana asked.

"My mother and Jane," Emma answered. "I tried to talk them out of it, but my father is on their side as well."

"You understand that I will be kicking your family out of this house?" Diana asked. "I cannot forgive them for something so serious."

Emma nodded. "And they will never forgive me for telling you, but I cannot let this happen. You have done nothing to deserve it."

"You're right," Diana said. "Your family will hold this against you forever. They will not take the responsibility that they should."

Emma sniffed as the first tear rolled over her cheek. Diana put a comforting hand on her back.

"You will stay here, Em," Diana said softly. "Thank you for telling me about this. I hope you know that you are better than them. I will not kick you out. Only them."

"What are you going to do tonight?" Emma asked.

"I'm not going to go for a walk," Diana answered honestly. "Their plan simply will not work, and Mr Hoover can stand out there all night and freeze if he wants to."

Emma chuckled then. Diana helped her dry her tears and gave her a tight hug.

"Thank you again," Diana said. "You have saved me from a very dangerous future. Now, let's go down there and enjoy their plan failing miserably."

That's precisely what they did. Diana and Emma sat next to each other as the dinner commenced. Everybody had a pleasant time, and Diana remained in her seat. Normally, she would go for a walk between dessert and their last cup of coffee, but that night, she didn't.

She stayed with the party and kept a close eye on her aunt and Jane as they cast each other concerned glances. It tickled Diana greatly as she and Emma tried to stifle their giggles.

Eventually, Jane was so worried that she shuffled in her seat a few times.

"Diana," Jane said. "I fear I've been sitting too long, and I'd love to stretch my legs. Would you care to join me for a walk?"

That was the final straw for Diana. That her cousin and aunt could be so bold in trying to destroy her life made her furious, and what sense of humour she'd previously had shattered.

"No, I wouldn't," Diana said sternly. "But while you're out there, you can tell Mr Hoover that the plan is cancelled, and he can go home."

Her aunt choked on her coffee as the colour drained from Jane's face. There was a confused silence among their guests.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jane said with a nervous laugh as she glanced to her mother for support.

"You don't?" Diana asked. "It is your plan, isn't it? To force me into a compromising position with that man so that I can be married off and you can have access to my funds?"

"What is she talking about?" one of their guests, Mr Poole, asked.

"Actually, Mr Poole, might you do me a favour?" Diana asked. "Would you head into the garden for me, find Mr Hoover down by the pond, and bring him back to join us?"

Mr Poole seemed confused but agreed and headed out into the garden.

"This is ridiculous," Diana's aunt spat. "You're making a fool of us all."

"You are, not me," Diana remarked. "This has gone too far."

After a minute or two, Mr Poole arrived with a shocked expression. An embarrassed and concerned Mr Hoover followed closely behind.

"I found him waiting behind a tree," Mr Poole said. Whatever is the meaning of this?"

"My family intended to force me into a marriage with this man," Diana said. "A man who has agreed to give them full access to my money as soon as the marriage is official. A man I have no interest in marrying."

"Is this true?" Mr Poole pressed.

"Yes," Emma answered on her family's behalf. "You, our guests, were meant to be the witnesses. They have invited you here under false pretences."

"You have betrayed us," Jane accused her sister. "How dare you go against us? Do you not understand the cost of this?"

"This is an outrage," Mr Poole said in anger.

He reached for his wife, who had remained silent and shocked the entire time. They got to their feet as her aunt scrambled to come up with some reasonable explanation for it all.

"She has not betrayed you," Diana said. "You have betrayed me. I have invited you here, and I have been very patient so far as you burned a hole through my finances. I will stand for it no longer. All of you have crossed the boundary and broken my trust for the last time."

"Don't be that way, Diana," her aunt said smoothly. "We're just doing what's best for you. You don't have your parents here to help you anymore. We're merely trying to make sure that you're taken care of."

"No," Diana said. "You are trying to take over my life. I will not stand for it."

Her aunt was red in the face with a combination of anger and embarrassment.

"This is just a misunderstanding," her uncle said, trying to save their reputation in front of their friends.

"No," Mr Poole said. "I found Mr Hoover hiding in waiting. I believe that what Miss Fairchild says is true, and I am horrified that you'd bring my wife and I into such a scandal."

"You will all pack your belongings tonight," Diana said with certainty. "And you will leave my home in the morning. It is clear to me now that you have overstayed your welcome."

"You'll regret this," her aunt said. "We were only trying to help."

"Look at what you've done," Jane hissed at her sister. "You have ruined us!"

"Emma will stay here," Diana explained. "She has not done anything wrong. If it had not been for her, I would not have known about this scheme, and things could have gone horribly wrong. She has earned my trust and will, therefore, always have a home at Fairchild Manor."

Her aunt gasped. "You did this on purpose," she accused Emma.

"No, she did not," Diana said. "Emma did this because it is the right thing to do."

Mr Poole and his wife excused themselves as they left in a huff.

"You'll pay for this," Diana's uncle said as he took a step closer to Emma.

Diana pushed her way between them, shielding Emma from her angry father.

"You have bags to pack," Diana warned him. "Whatever is not packed by morning will be left behind. None of you are ever allowed to step foot on this property again. I hope I have made myself clear."