She squeezed his hands, and for several breaths, there was no response. Then softly, Nate clasped her hand just a little bit tighter. “He hasn’t even asked to court you. This is all moving much too fast.”

“How long had you and Grace known each other before you became engaged?”

Nate shook his head, not willing to answer. But Diana knew. Two weeks. She and Everton had spent four times that amount together.

Nate ran his fingers through his hair again and groaned. “I want to see you go to a better man.”

“Nate, I truly don’t believe there is one.” At her words, Nate narrowed his eyes. He didn’t believe her. “Barring yourself, of course.”

Nate glanced heavenward, then to the door they had just come through. She could see what he was thinking: If he is truly such a good man, why hasn’t he come?

“I may give him a chance, but I won’t like it. And it will ultimately come down to his behavior.” Nate pulled Diana back toward the door. Everyone had already returned to the hall. They had most likely missed a portion of the proceedings. “They should be voting soon. We need to go back in.”

She wrapped her arms around Nate’s waist, pressed her face against his back, and squeezed. “Thank you.”

Nate patted her hands at his stomach, then pulled them away so he could open the door. “I haven’t done anything yet. I’m still hoping I won’t have to.”

“Still—” The clamoring noise of the assembly hall stopped Diana.

Something was wrong. The atmosphere of the room had completely changed after the recess. Nate’s eyes widened, and he motioned toward the bench they had been sitting on. They picked their way down the rows until they reached their spot and sat down.

“What is happening?” Nate asked the gentleman to his right.

The man grunted, his mouth puckered up in lines underneath a voluminous gray mustache. “It appears that a woman has been running the railroad business.”

Nate and Diana exchanged a glance. Nate threw back his shoulders. “Yes, and what of it? All of her investors must have known that, and her paperwork has been declared in order.”

“It has been brought up that having a woman run a company is quite a risk, perhaps not one that Parliament should take.”

“Who brought that up?” Nate asked.

“Lord Rayleigh,” the man said. Lord Rayleigh? Diana’s teeth clenched together. He was heavily invested in Mr. Broadcreek’s company. “You must admit he has a point,” the man continued. “Apparently she is a young, unmarried woman. What if she married some good-for-nothing scoundrel? He would take control of the company.”

Diana dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. “Perhaps the investors trusted her enough not to marry a scoundrel.”

The older gentleman simply shrugged and continued listening to the speaker below.

“An addendum must be added . . .” one of the lords was saying.

“Is that Lord Rayleigh?” Diana leaned over and asked Nate.