Diana stumbled into one of the large walk-in pantries in the kitchen that primarily held alcohol and liquor. She was searching for a particular bottle for one particular person.
She was well on her way to having a horrible hangover in the morning, and that's probably what made it so hard for her to switch on the light. She ran into a couple random boxes on the floor but after spotting the large brown bottle on the upper shelf, a giant grin spread on her face.
"Finally."
With a quick grab and hurried feet, Diana left the kitchen and made her way back to the party. She had no concept of time at the moment, for she was on a mission. A mission to speak with one of the most intimidating women she'd ever met and ultimately, win her over.
She weaved through various people dancing and conversing until she found her victim seated at one of the tables with Arthur next to her. Diana passed a bar on her way to the woman and swiftly asked for two glasses.
"Diana!" Arthur boomed at her appearance. Diana simply smiled at him before focusing her attention on the woman beside him. She smoked her cigarette with a curious brow raised.
"Do you have a moment, Polly?" Diana asked the suspicious woman. Polly took a long drag of her cigarette before blowing the smoke in between them in an exaggerated manner.
"I have a moment." She simply replied with an unbothered expression.
Polly stood and looked expectantly at Diana. Diana smiled and led her to the opposite corner of the room where they sat at the farthest table.
Polly watched Diana with a careful eye as she popped the bottle open and poured them each a glass. She wondered what the girl was up to.
"Tell me how you like this." Diana handed her a bottle and waited for Polly to try it. She sniffed the rich scent of the whiskey and twirled in her glass.
Diana sensed Polly's hesitance, so she took a long sip first. The deep flavor flew down her throat and sat in her belly.
Polly followed her actions and couldn't hold her surprise at the deliciousness of the whiskey. A smirk pulled at Diana's at Polly's reaction of the drink.
"That's damn good. I never had anything like that." Polly admitted with obvious approval. She examined the bottle and realized it had no label of any sort on it.
"It's a 24-Year-Old Teeling Vintage Reserve. Distilled in 1895." Diana spoke proudly of the bottle. She relaxed in her seat and took another sip.
"Is this your way of trying to butter me up?" Polly asked with an amused face.
Diana smiled at her and shook her head.
"I'm not one to butter people up." She paused and played with her drink. Her gaze shifted to the middle of the room at the people dancing and different clusters of people talking and drinking.
"Is it a crime to want a share a bottle of the finest whiskey in the world on New Year's Eve?" Diana asked with a serious face.
Polly tapped her waning cigarette on the ash tray at the center of the table. Her eyes followed Diana's and they both observed the party.
"It's all about intention." Polly easily added. She turned her head to Diana.
"For example, your intention with Tommy."
"That's a crime?" Diana asked as she looked back to gypsy woman.
"Depends what it is." Polly countered with a pointed look.
Diana pursed her lips. She twirled her drink while thinking of what to say. This is what she wanted. She wanted to speak to Polly one-on-one. She wanted to get past the formalities and really get down to the brut of it all, so that they could begin to form a decent, meaningful relationship.
"My intentions with Tommy… are pure. They're real and they're honest."
Polly watched Diana tear her eyes from her and look to her legs. One bounced feverishly and Polly sensed she had more to say.
"Go on." She encouraged. Diana glanced to her and for a brief moment, Polly saw an emotion she had never seen on Diana before. One of hesitance and nervousness.
"I was a nurse at Sommes." She began. Diana wasn't exactly sure of what Polly knew of her, although she knew that Polly had most likely done her own research, she decided to leave out no details.
"I lost my mother while I was gone, and my father died not long after I returned. I'm only twenty years old and I have the eyes and guts of a women who is sixty. I've seen too much and… not many people understand that."
"No one of your kind understands that." Polly added with a small gesture to the drunken elite in front of them. Diana scoffed and took a sip of her drink. She scanned over her guests and watched them have fun without a worry in the world.
Polly examined her. She knew of Diana's time at Sommes, some from her own questioning and some from what Tommy had told her. She had to admit, Diana's feats were impressive. Polly admired her boldness and unforgiving attitude to take charge. She knew most wouldn't walk up to her and pull her away from Arthur like Diana just did.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes just observing the party before them. They held a good position in the corner of the room and were able to see nearly everyone and everything going on. Polly continued to glaze over the different people until she caught sight of Tommy to their far-left staring at them. She raised a brow at him, but he made difference in position.
"What I'm wondering is…" Polly began. She slowly tore her eyes from Tommy and focused on Diana.
"Ay, say you two get married. Arthur and Elisabete marry. What happens, eh? You know of what we do and who we are. I don't think that'll hold with your royal title."
Diana watched Polly speak and analyzed her question. Her tone was dismissive at the mention of their royal lineage, but Diana paid no mind. She had already thought of what would happen if she and Tommy did marry.
"In the case of Tommy and I, I would move to be with him. I will have responsibilities, but I am able to do those nearly anywhere. When a girl marries, things change. She has a duty to be with her husband. In the case of my family, it doesn't matter what they say or think. Nor do they have any position to dictate or critique what my sisters and I do." Diana finished with strong clarity and determination.
Her extended family had no position whatsoever to say who the girls can marry or who they can get involved with. The only person remotely close to having the ability would be Dona Maria, and still that was different.
"And what if it's not that simple?" Polly asked with a wave of her cigarette.
"I'm sure that you and I have dealt with tougher things than family matters."
Polly shrugged in agreement.
But not royal blood, she thought. She tapped her cigarette to her lips once more before tossing it into the ash tray. Polly glanced to Tommy as she settled back into her seat. He was still in the same position watching them. She couldn't help but give him a slight roll of her eyes at him as she picked up her glass of whiskey.
"May I have a smoke?"
A slight smile played on Diana's lips as she watched Polly's expression change.
"You smoke?" Polly asked with an incredulous look. She leaned to one side of her chair and cocked an eyebrow.
"On occasion."
Polly withdrew her case and handed Diana a new cigarette.
"If you're trying to impress me-" She began as she held out a match for her.
"I'm drunk and I want a cigarette." Diana added before Polly could finish.
Polly let out a small chuckle as she watched Diana light and take a drag with expertise.
"I was in the war, you know. I've seen some damned things. A smoke is the last damning thing a woman can do." Diana relaxed in her chair as she blew out smoke. She played with the cigarette in her hand and watched it burn.
"Can I ask what's the worst thing you saw?" Polly asked. She knew from her own findings and from what her boys had told her that Diana was nurse. She knew of all the recommendations and award the young lady received.
"I'm not sure if it was the worst, but I still see the boys with burns and they're missing chunks of their flesh. They're young boys. Too young." Diana paused to take another drag. Images of the men and boys she treated flashed like a film in her mind.
"The first thing you're supposed to do is debridement. You clean the wound with anything you have left. They usually fell unconscious from the pain which made it easier."
Diana glanced to Polly and they held each other's gaze for some moments.
"To answer your question, the worst was the young boys. Whether or not they were injured or dead, seeing them in pain was like seeing your son or little brother writhing and screaming on a dirty cot covered in blood. And all you want to do is to save him but how do you save a boy with one side of his body nearly burned to bone and the other side blistered with bullets and three more boys just like him?"
"You saved a lot of men, eh?"
Diana slowly nodded.
"But it's never enough."
Diana looked away from Polly. She watched the guests dance around while carelessly spilling their drinks.
Polly sat up and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. She reached over Diana and topped off her glass before filling up her own.
"To our boys, and to never going to war again." Polly's voice was rich and meaningful. A genuine smile fell on her face.
"Aye." Diana raised her glass and touched Polly's. To our boys. She smiled as they both downed their drink and slammed the glass on the table.
The whiskey burned but the women took it with pleasure, and shortly after they were taking another heavy shot followed by another.
With his eye still on them, Tommy didn't care how he looked form his perched position against one of the bars. Diana and Polly were talking, and he had not planned for that. He hoped Polly wasn't saying any shit for her own benefit. He would surely rip her another one if she did anything foul against him or Diana.
"Tom, what the hell are you doing?" Arthur came from behind and patted Tommy hard on the back. He stiffened and stood taller before turning to his brother.
Tommy stayed quiet as he took a long gulp of his drink. Arthur made the connection and noticed Diana and Polly in the corner.
"It's nearly midnight, Tom. You could go get her if you wanted." He said simply. Arthur took Tommy's position as he caught sight of Elisabete making her way towards him.
"I'm about to get my hands on this little minx." Arthur added as Elisabete sauntered closer.
Tommy glanced from his brother and Elisabete and immediately made his leave. He did not want to be caught around their affections.
Tommy checked his pocket as he walked towards his aunt and Diana.
11:52pm.
Internally, Tommy thanked his brother for his sudden appearance. He could now interrupt Diana and Polly's conversation whatever it may be and steal Diana just before midnight.
The two women were laughing and conversing as he approached. Polly noticed him first but paid him no mind until he made himself known to Diana.
Tommy coughed and moved so he stood in between their chairs.
"Oh, Tommy."
"Diana."
"Tommy." Polly added with a less enthusiastic voice.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He said with a hidden look to Polly.
"You did, but it's fine." Polly abruptly stood with total sass. She defiantly looked to Tommy before smiling sweetly to Diana.
"Diana, thank you for the whiskey."
Tommy and Diana watched as Polly left them and headed towards the main bar. Diana looked up at the tall man beside her.
"I was having a lovely conversation with your aunt."
Tommy scoffed and took Polly's seat. He withdrew a cigarette and lit it in one smooth manner.
"No one has a lovely conversation with Pol. What's in there?" He nodded towards the half empty, unlabeled bottle.
"Try it." Diana sighed. She took her time pouring him a glass.
She watched with content as Tommy took his taste. He made a face of approval and set the glass down.
"What were you and Polly talking about?"
Diana looked at him, smiled and shook her head.
"Wouldn't you like to know." She took a sip of her drink and watched him over the brim of her glass.
"We talked about a few things, but all you need to know is that I believe your aunt likes me." Diana finished with a face full of confidence.
Tommy chuckled at her display of emotions. He'd find out from Polly what they discussed – because he just had to know, but he liked Diana's motives.
"Ladies and gentlemen, there is approximately five minutes until 1920!" A loud voice rang through the house.
Every guest turned their attention to the stage where the main singer just finished his announcement. A chorus of claps and loud shouts followed. A server came around to Diana and Tommy at the same time to hand out glasses of champagne.
"We should go outside before everybody else does." Diana told Tommy as she ushered him out of his chair and towards the large balcony past the double doors behind them.
Diana stepped first into the cool air and was met with a brisk chill. Behind them, they heard the singer announce for everyone to step outside to get a good view of the fireworks.
"Fireworks?" Tommy asked. Diana led him to a nook against the balcony that jutted out slightly. It was farther away from the house and it gave them a much better look at the land around them and of the house.
"Yes, fireworks. It's New Year's tradition."
Diana turned so her back posted against the balcony fencing. She watched the guests flood out of her home and spread along the balcony. Tommy stepped closer so he held her closer to him. She smiled up at him and embraced the warmth of his body.
"You've been having fun?" Diana asked. She suddenly became aware that she wasn't the most attentive to Tommy that evening so far. She had host obligations and always had to make sure she spent an appropriate amount of time with her guests.
"Yes. You're a great host." Tommy complimented with a soft kiss on her head.
Heat rose to her cheeks at his small gesture and she hid her face so he wouldn't see. Some minutes past and soon the countdown began.
7…
6…
5…
4…
Diana smiled at all the guests counting down and then focused on Tommy. He watched her excitement and held her closer to him. He held her gaze with a deep passion showing in his eyes.
3…
2…
1…
Tommy slightly bent so he could match the space between him and Diana. The sound of laughter, shouting, and fireworks seemed to blur in the background as his lips moved in unison with Diana's.
His hand found her neck and he pulled her deeper against him only to intensify their kiss. She easily succumbed to his grasp. Her hands gripped onto his arm then neck as their affection powered on.
They withdrew from each other and rested their foreheads on one another. All they could hear at first was their heavy breathing as they stared at one another. The sudden pop and frazzle of big firework returned their attention to the light show above them. Tommy wrapped his arms around Diana's torso as she turned to face the fireworks.
It was a spectacular show. Tommy had never seen fireworks like these before. The explosions were loud and powerful but elicited such a light display that the rolling hills and gardens of the Chatsworth House were visible with every pop. He had never been to any event like this and now this would be customary for him and his family. He would be ringing in the New Year's with Diana forever.
Ahhh, if only things stayed as good as they seemed.
