The shopkeeper was still nodding, but his eyes were set on Lord Bryant, who must have righted the globe by now. Diana waited for a moment to be certain the young woman wouldn’t be disturbed by her interruption. She seemed very intent on finding this book and reading about coprolites, whatever those were. Some type of stone?

Diana stepped forward. “I must apologize for my disruption a moment ago.” Diana kept her voice down, but still, some of the other women shuffled closer to where she was. Why didn’t they go back to Lord Bryant? He must have been their reason for being in the bookseller’s shop, or they would have been looking at actual books. It seemed the only woman, young or otherwise not interested in Lord Bryant, was the one she was interrupting. “I couldn’t see any damage on the globe, but in case you find any, I would like to leave my name so I can repair it.”

The shopkeeper removed the spectacles pinched between his nose. “It is Miss Diana Barton, is it not? You’ve been here before. If you say there was no damage, I’m certain you are correct, but I can send a runner if there are any problems.”

“Thank you.” Diana gave an apologetic nod to both the lady and the shopkeeper before turning to leave. Mrs. Oliver was still speaking with Lord Bryant, but there was no reason Diana couldn’t wait for her outside.

“Now, Lady Emily,” the shopkeeper said. “I was a bit distracted. What, exactly, were you interested in? Bezoar stones?”

Lady Emily? Diana’s foot stopped mid-stride. She turned around. That young blonde woman was Lady Emily? She was a girl, not a woman at all. Her clothes were elegant and her hair meticulous, but her face was that of a child. This was the woman Lord Bryant was pursuing? She was the reason he had initially refused to help Diana, and the reason, to this day, she had been skirting anything to do with high Society? How had he described his situation with Lady Emily?

Delicate.

She would give him that. Lady Emily was, indeed, delicate.

Lord Bryant was still behind the bookshelf. A few of the ladies had made their way over to him and Mrs. Oliver. This could be a disaster. If they asked about Mrs. Oliver’s and Lord Bryant’s relationship, all could be ruined. Diana’s stomach turned as she pictured the young girl in front of her trying to ward off the charms of someone like Lord Bryant. Diana knew what it was like. As a girl, she had been completely enthralled with the man. Did she even know what type of trouble she was putting herself in?

She strode back to Lady Emily and the bookseller.

“She didn’t say bezoar stones. She distinctly said they were, in fact, different from bezoar stones.”

Lady Emily turned toward her. Pale-blue eyes questioned her. “Do you follow geology? Have you heard of the findings of Mary Anning?”

Diana had heard of her. She was rather odd but in a fascinating way. She was a fossil hunter. “I have heard of her.”