Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Evangeline did not stop talking as she held Diana's hand tightly all the way to their carriage. She spoke about the puppy and all of her favourite toys. In between, Mark made some comments, eager to get his say.

It had turned into just the distraction that Diana had wanted that day. And she had loved every minute of it. While Diana wasn't one who liked surprises, she thoroughly enjoyed the chance to be spontaneous.

Their carriage came into view a little sooner than she'd liked it to. Judging by the way the group slowed their pace slightly, the feeling was universal. Evangeline's friend was hanging onto Anna's hand and stopped her every few paces to look at another flower or bug that she liked.

The two girls were a pleasant reminder of the youth that Diana had experienced. She had been a whimsical, nature-loving girl just like they were. She had run through that park and chanted and sang merrily just like they had on that day.

When the carriage came into view, Evangeline's eyes watered again.

"I want to stay," she said with a pout.

"I know you do, but we all need some food," Diana said.

Evangeline tightened her grip on Diana's hand and tugged. Her heart melted. She hated to see the girl look so sad after everything they had done to cheer her up. But, it gave Diana the perfect opening to make an offer she'd been biting on since they had packed up the picnic.

"I tell you what," she opened. "Why don't you come over to my home for a picnic sometime soon? Consider it an open invitation."

Evangeline's eyes stretched wide. "Do you mean that?" she asked.

"Of course!" Diana said. "It would be my privilege to have you there!"

What tears had once welled up in Evangeline's eyes disappeared and was replaced with an eager sparkle. "Okay," she agreed.

With that, she disappeared into the carriage, her friend at her side and Spot following closely behind.

"Thank you," Mark said softly. And she saw the gratitude in his eyes. He wore the look of an honest man with a complicated life. Diana responded with a kind smile.

"I mean it," she said.

Hugh and Anna finished their conversation, and the men prepared to enter the carriage. Diana was desperate for the day to drag on. It was a sensation she didn't recognize, that she hadn't had before.

"Ladies, it has been a wonderful afternoon," Hugh said with a slight bow.

"Yes," Mark agreed. "We are fortunate that you were here on this day."

"As are we," Anna said rather boldly.

With that, the men climbed in, and the carriage was on its way. Mark peered out the window just as the wheels turned, and his eyes lingered on Diana's for a moment before he was out of view.

"A picnic at your house?" Anna teased with a knowing look. "You'll have to let me know how that goes."

*

The town was busy, and Diana was in no mood as her family dragged her from store to store, buying clothes with her money. Apparently they were necessary. The clothes her cousins wore no longer seemed good enough to them.

They chattered eagerly among themselves. Although Diana was the one paying for everything, they behaved as if she was hardly there. She trailed behind them.

While their arms were filled with shopping bags and parcels, Diana carried nothing. She didn't need anything. For as long as she could remember, she had everything she needed. Her parents had made a decent amount of money, but she had never lived above her means.

"We still need to replace our shoes with something more fitting," her cousin said as she veered off to their next merchant.

Diana sighed but knew better than to start a new argument. She had made them promise that if she paid for their new wardrobes, they would ease up on all future spending.

She knew that it would only increase her aunt's desire for her to find a husband who could keep her distracted. They crossed the street, and Diana immediately noticed a small crowd gathered.

They stood in a circle as they laughed and sneered, and she knew then that nothing good was happening there. Upon closer inspection, she saw the tired and desperate eyes of a street urchin as he searched for a way out of the crowd.

Her heart pulled towards him. She knew it would embarrass her family to get involved, but she could not allow a defenceless child to be bullied by those who had never even known of hardship.

She was a little too late, though. Just as she approached, one of the richer boys shoved the street urchin as they laughed. The young, malnourished boy fell over a nearby stone and tumbled into the street.

Diana lunged forward and raced into the street where he was. Carriages and horses flew past her. It sounded like a hurricane as she threw herself over the child and covered him from the chaos that surrounded them.

One of the carriages came by so close that the wheel brushed the hem of her dress. Diana closed her eyes as she waited for one of them to hit her. In her arms and cover, the street urchin held his breath.

Then, a carriage came to a halt beside them, and a man stepped out. He strode past them and into the line of traffic that headed their way. The man held out his hand.

"Stop!" the man voiced, and the world around them fell quiet.

Diana looked up and hurried the urchin back to the sidewalk. There, the richer kids who had been giving him a hard time watched with wide eyes.

"You lot better scatter," Diana warned them. "Unless you wish your parents to know what you've done today."

Diana was out of breath, and she kept her hand on the poor child's shoulder. The bullies scattered with mumbled apologies as Diana bent down to look the street urchin in the eyes.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "Are you hurt?"

The boy's eyes were wide, but he shook his head. "I'm fine," he answered quietly.

Diana smiled and reached into her pouch. She retrieved a coin and placed it in the boy's hand.

"Make sure you get something warm to eat," she said.

The boy looked at the coin as if it were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen before he rushed off towards the bakery. Diana brushed the dust from her dress and searched for her family, who looked at her with disgusted scowls.

But before they made it to her, the man who had stopped traffic came up to her.

"That was rather heroic of you," he said with a smile.

He was a tall man with raven black hair. He towered over her and peered down at her with beautiful brown eyes. Diana gave him a polite smile. She didn't like the way she felt standing next to him.

Diana knew the kind of smile he had given her. It was practiced and perfect. A little too perfect to be trustworthy.

"Not heroic," she corrected him. "I like to think of it as decent. Nobody deserved to be treated that way."

"You're quite right," the man agreed.

Diana was ready to brush him off when the rest of her family arrived. They wore bright, beaming smiles that immediately put her on edge. She saw her cousin fix her hair and straighten her dress, lowering it slightly over her chest.

"Viscount Starling," her aunt greeted the man happily. "What a pleasure it is to see you in these parts."

He looked at them and then back to Diana.

"This is my family," Diana explained, introducing him to them.

They had told her who he was. She had heard rumours of him being a master at fencing. There were other stories about him, but she'd never paid enough attention to remember any of them.

"I'm not sure if you remember," Jane said with a ghastly wide smile. "We met at church earlier this year."

The viscount smiled. "I remember," he said. "And now it seems I have met the entire family."

He turned to Diana with a smile that made her skin crawl. Even if she wanted to respond, Diana would have no chance. Her family set their claws into him with bright smiles and polite chuckles as they made small talk.

They all but whisked him away as they told him all about what had happened with the street urchin as if they had cared about him at all. Diana allowed them to be distracted by him as she trailed behind yet again.

All she wanted was a moment of peace, but her family was like smoke, always around her, clinging to her every move and mood. Diana was beginning to feel smothered in her own home and life.

Their shopping carried on for a few more hours before they finally set foot in the only store she had any interest in. The bookstore.