Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Mark and Hugh remained standing while the girls filled most of the picnic blanket. Eva and her friend had received the chocolate they had been promised. He was sure it was far too late in the afternoon for the young girls to be consuming so much sugar, but he wasn't going to put a stop to it.

After everything that had happened, Eva could use a little excitement.

"That was quite the chase," Hugh said.

"It was," Mark said. "I was worried that he was going to get hurt. I don't know what I would have said to Eva if that had happened."

They were talking quietly so that Eva wouldn't hear them. But something Diana had said sent Eva into a laughing spiral. She laughed until she gasped for air and then coughed.

Diana handed her some water to drink and helped her calm down.

"Come here," Diana said with a laugh. "Your hair's completely come undone. Let me fix it for you."

Eva hopped onto Diana's lap with ease. It pulled at something in Mark's chest. He hadn't seen Eva that comfortable around other women in a long time. It was a stark difference between how she had been when Lady Elizabeth had been visiting.

Diana loosened her hair and braided it into two braids that were then twirled into little buns. Eva chuckled and chatted the entire time. Not once did the smile fall from her face. When Diana was done, Eva touched her hair and thanked her.

Even when Diana interacted with Eva, she did so with so much elegance and grace that it was as if she was moving in sync with the elements around her.

"That's a pretty necklace," Eva said, pointing at the locket on Diana's neck.

"Thank you," Diana said, opening it up. "This is a picture of my parents."

Eva reached out and ran her finger along the image in the locket. She looked at it for a short while.

"My mummy is in heaven," she said.

Mark's heart stopped for many reasons. Not only had it been years since he'd heard Eva mention her mother in front of anybody instead of him. He had no reason why she would be so comfortable with Diana, but he was glad that she was.

The other reason his heart had stopped was because he couldn't predict how Diana would react to such tragic information being shared so openly. He waited for Diana to glance in his direction and use her eyes to beg him to get her out of it.

Instead, she smiled. "My mummy and daddy are in heaven, too."

Eva hugged Diana tightly, and she hugged back. Mark had to clench his jaw to stop himself from tearing up.

"Maybe your mummy and daddy and my mummy are friends in heaven," Eva said when she released her.

"I think they'd get along just fine," Diana said kindly.

Diana only looked at him then, though. But it wasn't with pity, as most people did. There was curiosity in her eyes. It occurred to him then that he'd never formally introduced himself.

"My name is Mark Goldenthorn," he finally introduced himself.

"Ah," Anna said. "The Duke of Blackwood!"

"Yes," Mark said bashfully. "And this is my friend, Hugh Winterbourne. And this is Eva's nanny, Julia."

"It's my pleasure," Hugh said with a bow of his head. Julia nodded in greeting.

Diana smiled. "My name is Miss Diana Fairchild, and this is my friend, Miss Anna Dubois. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is ours," Hugh said with a wide smile.

"This young lady is Mary, and her wonderful nanny here is Georgia," Mark continued, introducing Eva's little friend.

"I must admit, this has turned into a very pleasant day," Anna said, smiling widely. "And from now on, a very good reason to always have some extra chocolate on hand."

"I agree," Diana said.

"You saved Spot!" Eva sang as she patted her puppy on the head. "I'm never going to let him go again."

"If he gets out of your grasp again," Diana said. "Run the other way. Spot knows that you are the most important person in his life. He was only trying to get the big dog away from you. If Spot runs, and you run in the other direction, he'll follow you. I promise."

"You're so smart," Eva said eagerly. "Was he really trying to save me from the big dog?"

"Yes," Diana said with a smile.

Eva leapt up and went to hug her puppy. "Thank you, Spot."

Mark watched, his eyes focused on Diana. She wasn't married. It seemed difficult to believe given how beautiful and pleasant she was.

Her strawberry blonde hair wisped around her face as the breeze blew. Her friend Anna smiled at them widely.

"Miss Diana Fairchild," Eva repeated. "And Miss Anna Dubois. I am Lady Evangeline Goldenthorn."

"And it is a great pleasure to meet you," Diana said with a smile.

Spot lay curled up and fast asleep on the blanket next to them. It seemed for a moment that even Spot was smiling in her company.

A strange sensation washed over Mark. Something he was unfamiliar with. But every time Eva laughed, or they played a game together, the feeling grew stronger. He could not take his eyes off the woman.

The way her hazel eyes sparkled every time she laughed and the way that every move she made was like a dance, filled with grace and purpose. All of it had put him into a trance, and he had a hard time taking his eyes off her.

He knew then that he was in trouble. More trouble than he could have ever expected. Mark didn't want to have to end what was happening between Diana and his daughter. He wanted his daughter to laugh that easily every day.

And more than anything, he wanted to find a reason for Diana to look up and smile at him because every time she did, it set him ablaze in a new kind of way. It made him want to watch his manners and be a better man in every way.

That's how he determined he was, without a doubt, falling for her.

*

It took some time, but eventually, Mark and Hugh joined them on the blanket. The conversation seemed to flow comfortably. There were hardly any silences between them. They spoke about anything and everything. From literature to the way that architecture had shaped society over the last decades.

It was some of the most exciting conversation that Diana had enjoyed in a long time. Most men only spoke to her about superficial subjects. Others would brush her off as if a woman couldn't possibly be interested in intelligent subjects.

But when she spoke, Mark and Hugh listened and contributed. It made for fascinating conversations and topics.

"I'm telling you," Mark said with a chuckle. "Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, I worry I won't be able to keep up with it all."

"I agree," Diana added. "I think the world needs to slow down. What more do we need?"

"The human race is a hungry one," Mark responded. "I'm afraid asking it to slow down might not work."

"Well, then I'm perfectly happy if I get left behind," Diana commented in response. "As long as I have what I need, I'll be just fine. The world and all its ways can leave me right here to enjoy the sun and live out my life in peace."

When she wasn't looking his way, Diana was aware of Mark's eyes on her. She could feel them burn against her skin, and it made her feel a certain way. Knowing that he was no longer married made her feel less guilty about the inappropriate thoughts she'd had when she'd first seen him.

There was no wife to worry about.

It was clear he was a good father. He had run halfway across the park to get to Spot so that his daughter wouldn't have to worry. Eva loved him dearly. The moment he sat down, she moved from Diana to him, and she wouldn't leave him alone.

He was not frustrated by her and did not try to get her to leave him alone. Instead, he seemed to cherish every moment that she was in his company. It was a sweet sight to see.

The duke seemed like a man who was comfortable with himself. When he spoke, he did it with an enviable confidence.

It also did not go unnoticed by Diana that every time Hugh spoke to Anna, she blushed profusely. Her entire face turned pink, and she could not stop the giggling from bubbling up within her.

Anna had never had quite as much control over her emotions as Diana did. It was clear that she liked Hugh's attention. Anna laughed louder at his jokes and smiled widely every time he looked at her.

It was sweet to see.

Their day had quickly become something completely different. All Diana had wanted was an escape from her stress and her family, and that's certainly what she had. Spot curled up in her lap, and she scratched his ear.

"We come to this park every week," Mark said. "I've never seen you here before."

"We come here from time-to-time," Diana said. "But not nearly as often as you do."

"Besides, you know how we're all just in our own worlds," Anna added. "I barely look around at others when I'm here. I'm too busy looking at the trees and the park around me."

"That's fair," Hugh said. "Do you enjoy nature?"

Anna gave him a devilish look and a smirk. "I really do," she said. "It helps me unwind."

"Same," Hugh responded.

They were staring into each other's eyes then. When Diana and Mark caught each other's eyes, they flashed each other a knowing look. Both had to stifle a laugh. Hugh and Anna were clearly attracted.

Just then, Eva gave a wide yawn.

"It should be nearing dinner time," Julia said, reminding them all of how much time had passed. "And these girls could really do with a bath."

The girls laughed as they wiped their faces. They had chocolate and dust on their cheeks and hands. They looked like two girls who were having a lot of fun.

"We should be heading back," Mark said kindly. "Unfortunately, the day will only grow later."

Eva woke Spot up and got him ready to leave.

"I'm not letting you go again, Spotty," Eva said cheerfully. "Ever! Just you and me."

Diana remembered when her dad had come home with a puppy. Her first dog. It had become her first best friend in life. She would cry into the dog's fur when she was angry or sad. And when she was happy, she and the dog would play in the garden.

She hoped that Eva and Spot would have the same friendship.

"This has been lovely," Hugh said as he readied to get up and leave.

"Thank you again for rescuing Spot," Mark said.

"Of course," Diana responded with a smile.

She wanted to linger on his looks a moment longer. Every time he looked into her eyes, she searched for her place within them. He did not break their gaze. Instead, he held it until she could feel herself burning up for him. Until the warmth in her cheeks threatened to embarrass her.

Diana glanced away just in time to see Eva rush in to hug her. She caught the girl and laughed.

"I'm so glad we met you all," Eva said. "This has been a lot of fun. It's nice to laugh like this sometimes."

"And I'm happy to have met you, too," Diana said. "You are a very bright girl, and Spot is lucky to have you as his friend."

Eva sat still for a moment and then looked at her dad. Whatever smile she had been wearing before had fallen from her face.

"What's the matter?" Mark asked, his face a look of concern then, too.

"I don't want to leave yet," Eva said with a pout. "I'm having fun with my new friends."

"I don't want to go either," Eva's friend cried out.

Mark looked at his daughter with such stress in his eyes that it broke Diana completely.

"I know, honey," Mark said. "But as Julia reminded us. We need to get some dinner, and we'll need to get some rest soon as well."

"But I'm having so much fun," Eva said with another pout. She crossed her arms and looked for a moment as if she might cry again.

"We need to be leaving soon, too," Diana said. "But here's an idea. Give us a moment to pack up our picnic, and we'll walk you to your carriage. How does that sound?"