“They haven’t tried to stop me. But my family is a bit unconventional. When Nate started his company, it went against everything Society said he should be doing. But in the long run, it has been essential to saving our estate in Baimbury and has made many investors quite wealthy.”

“Yes, but a man starting a business and woman owning one are two very different things,” Lord Yolten said.

Diana shrugged. “I don’t disagree with you. Nate had to start his business from scratch. I simply have to keep it running. My part is much easier, for certain.”

Lord Yolten raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Yes, that is what I meant—that it is easier to own a business than to start one.” He chuckled. “You have it easy. It is a wonder more women aren’t running railroad companies.”

“I said easier. I wouldn’t exactly say it is easy. I have run into a few issues since I started.” Like the fact that if she married, the business would essentially belong to her husband.

Lady Yolten curled her finger around a ringlet that had escaped her bonnet and skipped over to Mrs. Oliver’s desk. “How do you like working for Miss Barton? Is she quite the taskmaster?”

Diana’s stomach dropped. She and Mrs. Oliver hadn’t spoken much since Mrs. Oliver had discovered Lord Bryant’s true nature, or the nature he wanted everyone to think was true. Diana was less and less sure of him every day.

“Miss Barton is the best of employers,” Mrs. Oliver said loudly, then motioned to Lady Yolten to come closer.

Oh dear. What would she say in private? For some inexplicable reason, Diana wanted Lady Yolten’s approval, and it had nothing to do with the fact that her husband was an investor. Lady Yolten was the type of woman Diana would want as a friend, someone full of life and not seduced by societal rules. The first trait would have attracted her anyway, but the second was a prerequisite for any friend now that Diana was a businesswoman.

Fortunately, Mrs. Oliver was a bit hard of hearing and had lost the ability to understand how loudly she whispered. “Just don’t lock her in the storage room. I learned that the hard way.”

Lady Yolten’s head jerked back in surprise, and she gave Diana a look that seemed to say, Just what kind of employees do you have here?

Diana laughed in return. “It was simply a misunderstanding. I’m certain it won’t happen again.”

“Oh, it definitely won’t,” Mrs. Oliver said.

“Now that my wife has introduced herself to your staff and made herself comfortable in your office, what did you want to see me about?” Lord Yolten asked.

Lady Yolten returned to Diana’s desk, and both she and her husband sat down. Diana took a deep breath. How did one go about gleaning information about Lord Bryant? Had Lady Yolten loved him? Had he broken her heart? Or she his? None of those questions were appropriate, but she would stay at the office working late for weeks in return for knowing the answers to them.