No sounds came from the nursery as they neared it. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed through the corridor. If Diana didn’t know better, she would never guess that three young children were behind the door in front of them. Mrs. Jenkins opened the door to a scene Diana was all too familiar with: Charlotte on her rocking chair, her baby girl in her lap, the other two boys sitting at her feet. No one was playing or reading or even speaking. They were surviving because that was all Charlotte could muster, and her children followed her lead.

The two boys turned at the sound of Diana’s entrance, and Tommy jumped to his feet. “Miss Diana!” He ran to her side. “We haven’t seen you for ages and ages.”

“It has only been a few weeks, but it feels like ages to me as well. It was a good day at the office, and I was able to sneak away early.”

“A good day at the office?” Charlotte asked, her eyes showing a spark of interest. “Are investments coming in all right?”

Diana hadn’t told her of Mr. Broadcreek’s visit three weeks ago or the late shipment, but Charlotte was astute enough to know when Diana was worried. The lines of Charlotte’s eyes softened. Diana needed to be better at pretending. The last thing Charlotte needed was to be worried about the railroad business. She had enough to deal with at home.

“They are coming along well.”

“Have those men started to leave you alone?”

Diana bent over and pulled Drue into her arms. “Believe it or not, they have.”

“And you are certain none of them caught your fancy?”

“Very certain.” Diana had mentioned the problem of men showing up at the office to Charlotte when it had first started happening. At the time, she hadn’t realized how persistent some of the men would be, nor quite how many there would be. No matter how many times she had explained to her friend that she wasn’t interested in any man who came to pursue her solely for the purpose of gaining a railroad, Charlotte had held out hope that there would be some diamond hiding among them. “Even if one of them did prove to be half decent, we both know I couldn’t marry until the company was sold. I’ll not have a man taking control of the company.”

“But if you trusted him . . .”

Diana laughed and spun around once with Drue still in her arms, making him laugh as well. The very sound seemed to brighten the room. “You married a very good man, Charlotte. Not all men are like him. As soon as Richardson Rail is sold, these men will be gone.”

“But when the company is sold, you will be wealthy, and you will still have your share in your brother’s business. Your riches will always be a part of your appeal whether they are tied to a company or not.”

Diana took a deep breath. Charlotte was right. But once the company was sold and Charlotte was taken care of, things would be far less complicated. The decision of whether or not to trust a man would affect only Diana. There would be no risk to this little family. They had seen enough tragedy.