One corner of Lord Bryant’s mouth turned up at Nate’s words. He was alive, then, and apparently well enough to find her brother’s statement amusing.

Diana pivoted awkwardly on her knees to face Nate. “You could have killed him.”

Nate shook out his hand. “The world is not so lucky.”

Lord Bryant pushed himself up into a sitting position, and Diana let her hands fall away from his face. He blinked hard a few more times and gingerly shook his head.

“You’ve broken my nose,” Lord Bryant said. His voice was soft and calm, as if he was surprised at the turn of events rather than angry or upset with Nate.

“Good. Perhaps it will heal crookedly,” Nate spoke through his tightened jaw.

Lord Bryant gingerly touched his nose with his fingertips. “One can only hope.”

Nate scoffed. “Perhaps a less-than-perfect face would control the damage you can do each Season.”

“Your sister would disagree.”

No blood was coming from his nose, but it was swelling more and more as they talked.

“How do you feel?” Diana pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to him. Her arms ached to reach up and feel the bones in his face again, but with Nate watching the two of them, she didn’t want to risk Lord Bryant coming to any more bodily harm.

Lord Bryant closed his eyes tightly, then opened them. His hands went to his face. “I feel as though I’ve been hit in the head by a pugilist.”

Nate paced behind them. “Good. That is how I was hoping to make you feel. Now leave and never come back.”

“Nate.” Diana frowned.

“This is still my office, Diana. I can remove from it those whom I wish.”

“It is not only your office,” she said.

“I’m sure I can get Mrs. Richardson to agree with me.”

Oh dear. She had to tell him. He was bound to find out at some point. “Mrs. Richardson no longer owns a portion of this office.”

“She sold? To whom? You said yourself she didn’t take Mr. Broadcreek’s offer.”

“No, it wasn’t Mr. Broadcreek.”

A low chuckle below alerted her to the fact that Lord Bryant had just discovered what was happening.

“Mrs. Richardson didn’t sell to this bounder, surely.”

Lord Bryant moved as if to stand but then apparently thought better of it and settled back to a sitting position. “What would I want with a railroad company? Do you know how much work these things take?”

It was Nate’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “I do have an idea.”

“Then you don’t know me very well if you think I would want to own one.”

Nate turned back to Diana. “Who bought Richardson Rail? And why wasn’t I told?”

Diana fidgeted with the buttons that ran down the front of her dress. Why hadn’t she told Nate what she had done? She wanted her turn to help someone. Nate had done everything for their family while she and Mama had stayed in Baimbury. They had teased him about how serious he had become after Father’s death but had never offered to help him in any way. He had come to London alone to set up the railroad company, put his reputation at risk, and delayed any future plans for himself in order to bring their family out of the brink of ruin. It was his turn to be at home in Baimbury with his growing family. He couldn’t always be the one saving everyone.