“You may have heard that?”

Now it was Diana’s turn to shift uncomfortably. “I may have sought out that information.”

Lady Yolten leaned forward again, her eyes dancing. “Has Lord Bryant shown an interest in you?”

“No,” Diana answered before remembering their pretense. “I mean, yes.” Her hair was suddenly itchy, her face exhausted from controlling her reactions to anything Lord or Lady Yolten said. “I don’t know how to answer that.”

“Are you, perhaps, in love with someone?” Lord Yolten asked.

Lady Yolten leaned forward again. “Does his family approve?”

Lord Yolten joined in. “Is he beneath you?”

“Or perhaps,” Lady Yolten eyed her husband, “above you?”

Their questions came so quickly, Diana didn’t know where to start. Gone were their uncomfortable gazes from earlier. They were eager to hear any news they could of Lord Bryant or, more specifically, of her love interests that had nothing to do with Lord Bryant at all. All their energy from previously had returned, but there was no plausible explanation as to why.

“I’m much too busy with this railroad to pursue a relationship with any man.”

“Pshaw.” Lady Yolten flicked her wrist in the air. “Now you are speaking like a man. You are a woman. You were made for taking on more than one interest at a time. I see no reason why you can’t build railroad lines and also spend time with a suitor.”

“You mean with this man you believe me to be in love with? Or with Lord Bryant?”

Lady Yolten grinned. “Both.”

Yes, the woman was most definitely mad. Lord Yolten glanced at Mrs. Oliver and back, then leaned forward so he could speak softly. “Whatever Lord Bryant is offering you, I would suggest you take him up on it. I haven’t known him to fail when he puts his mind to something. You can trust the man.”

He sat back in his chair with a satisfied smile on his face. Lady Yolten seemed just as pleased with the turn in conversation. Why would the man who had been Lord Bryant’s rival recommend him so heartily yet so secretly? Diana closed her eyes and allowed her mind a moment to think. The pieces finally fell into place.

There was only one possible explanation.

Lord Bryant hadn’t been a rival at all.

Diana opened her eyes and, in an effort to not seem so overcome, straightened the papers at her desk. When she was certain her emotions were contained, she leveled her gaze at Lord Yolten. “Lord Bryant has offered me nothing,” she said truthfully. “I’m not certain what you mean,” she lied. Then, with a quirk of a smile, she made certain he knew she was lying. Lord and Lady Yolten glanced at each other and beamed. Diana couldn’t have chosen a more perfect couple to interrogate.

Diana quickly went over Lord Yolten’s account and answered a few more of Lady Yolten’s questions before they left.

“Don’t forget to invite us to the wedding,” Lady Yolten said as she walked out the door. A pain crossed Diana’s chest as she smiled and nodded. Lady Yolten had been nothing but kind to her, and Diana had repaid her with dishonesty.