Nate’s voice was starting to rise, so she purposely lowered hers. “Ruined the reputations of three women, you mean. He didn’t actually ruin anyone.”

Nate shook his head, but he did respond in a lower voice. “According to London, it is the same thing.”

“But it isn’t the same thing, is it? When you judge someone, you try to understand his heart. Ruining a woman’s reputation and actually ruining a woman are very, very different things. I asked him to ruin my reputation.” She pointed to her chest with all four of her fingers. “I asked him to. Perhaps those women did the same thing.”

“Why in heaven’s name would they do that?”

“To get what they wanted, Nate. Do you know how hard that is for a woman? Did Grace have any avenues open to her when she was chasing after you? No. You were her only choice.”

“But she loved me.”

“How fortunate for the two of you,” Diana hissed. “However, some women are not so fortunate. They are forced to marry men for the station in life they can provide and not by any choice of their own.”

Nate narrowed his eyes and, once again, ran his hands through his hair. “Now you are exaggerating. Grace’s situation was unique.”

“But having a husband selected for a woman is not unique, is it?”

“What are you saying? Are you telling me Lord Bryant has multiple women a year asking him to ruin their reputations so they will be free to marry men of their choosing?”

“No.”

“Good, because that would be ridiculous.”

“What I’m saying is that he and Mrs. Cuthbert offer that service to women they find in need of it.”

Nate put his elbows on the bench in front of him and dropped his face in his hands. “Is that what he told you?” His voice was muffled.

There was the bang of a gavel and an announcement of a ten-minute recess. People around them stood. She grabbed Nate’s hand and steered him off the bench and into the aisle. The two of them climbed the stairs toward the exit.

Once out of the stifling hall, she pulled Nate to one side. People shuffled around them. She found a corner to the far side of the corridor and led him to it. “This arrangement of his with Mrs. Cuthbert . . . At first, I only suspected it, but after some investigation, one of our investors confirmed it. Nate, look at me.” He turned his head slowly, as if it were the last thing he wanted to do. He looked miserable, unsurprisingly. She was consorting with a man whom most of London considered to be a rake of the worst kind. Not long ago, she believed the same thing about him. “Lord Bryant is a good man. I believe he deserves happiness, and I want to share that happiness with him.”

Nate’s eyes narrowed, as if doubting her motives. He glanced around to be sure no one was within hearing distance. “Diana, don’t be ridiculous. Lord Bryant is not worthy of you. You are smarter than this.” Nate’s head fell back and rested against the wall. He ran both hands through his hair. “I never should have asked for your help in the office. I should have hired an assistant.”