Diana was starting to feel lightheaded as well as sick to her stomach. What was it Lord Bryant had called her? “A tiger lily?” She supplied the word to Mrs. Cuthbert.

Mrs. Cuthbert put her finger to the side of her nose and pointed at Diana. “Yes, exactly. Lord Bryant needs a tiger lily. And they are exotic, rare things. I’m not sure if he will be able to find another one.” Mrs. Cuthbert stepped away from Diana and pulled her cap more securely down on her head, her excitement from earlier returning. “I will see what I can do about Lady Emily. Perhaps I’ll talk some sense into her. At the very least, I’ll lambast those poor excuses for parents she has. I don’t know what went wrong. Things were running so smoothly a week ago.”

A week ago? That was about the time Diana had met Lady Emily.

Mrs. Cuthbert peered at her. “Are you all right? I was about to call for tea, but under the circumstances, I should like to forgo it and seek out Lady Emily. But if you feel the need for sustenance, I can ring the bell.”

Diana stepped forward. If she accompanied Mrs. Cuthbert, she could ask if something she had done had caused all of this trouble. One week. It seemed like too much of a coincidence. But a railroad owner with a damaged reputation wouldn’t be admitted to the home of a marquess. “Of course not. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

They both strode toward the door. Mrs. Cuthbert’s determined steps belied her age. When they reached the entry hall, Mrs. Cuthbert paused to bid Diana farewell. “Thank you, Miss Barton. I’m very grateful you thought to come tell me about this news. If Lord Bryant and I cannot stop this marriage, he is likely to be . . .” She sighed deeply. “In low spirits for quite some time. I hope you will find a way to call on him.”

Without waiting for an answer from Diana, she turned to her butler. “Thacker, have George ready the coach. I will be making some afternoon visits.”

Diana slogged to her carriage in a daze. Her meeting with Mrs. Cuthbert hadn’t gone at all how she had planned. She had come here determined to help Lord Bryant avoid a forced marriage and had left more confused about him than ever. She was also fairly certain she was somehow to blame for Lady Emily’s disastrous engagement.

Nothing was adding up.

“That wasn’t a very long visit,” Nate said as soon as she entered the carriage.

“Mrs. Cuthbert is on her way to visit someone.” Diana settled into her seat.

“Back to the office, then? Or to Mrs. Richardson’s?” he asked, but Diana didn’t answer him. Her mind was still back in Mrs. Cuthbert’s gaudy drawing room. “I don’t see why you don’t want to stay with me while I’m in London.”

“Mrs. Richardson needs me.”

“You told me she was doing better. Smiling even.”