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Thatnight.

Diana grabbed her fork with such force that she was sure the silverware would snap in half. Stephen and Elizabeth were discussing something, but she could barely function, let alone have an intelligent conversation.

“Diana?” Elizabeth asked. “You seem exhausted, dear.”

Dianawasexhausted. The agitation alone exhausted her, and she could barely keep still on her chair in the beautifully lit dining hall where she always had dinner even as a child.

Her sister-in-law regarded her with interest, but she smiled.

At any other time, Elizabeth would have noticed more. Her sharp intellect would have picked up on Diana’s agitation, and her feisty nature would have required answers. However, she was also exhausted, probably bearing the greatest news this house has heard since she married Stephen. Diana was twice lucky in a way.

“Are you alright, Diana?” Stephen went in full father mode. “Are you feeling hot? Is your stomach upset?”

Thrice lucky.

Diana realized that once Stephen became a father, he would focus all that excessive protective energy on someone else.

“I think I overestimated myself when I agreed to embroider so many pieces for the auction,” she was quick to reassure him.

“You did a wonderful job, though.” Elizabeth smiled.

Diana nodded and mustered as much of a smile as she could. She felt guilty for lying to them, but somehow she was certain that if she said, “I am sneaking out tonight to meet James alone and have him do wicked things to me,” her brother would die of apoplexy on the spot and leave Elizabeth a widow.

I am lying to protect them.

“I think I had better go to bed early,” she said quickly, reaching for her napkin and dabbing at her lips.

“That is a good idea, Diana,” Stephen agreed.

Diana smiled one last time and all but bolted out of the room. She went to her room, where Bess, her maid, waited to help her with her night routine.

Bess, the soft, quiet, loving girl. Bess, the dutiful and blissfully ignorant maid. Bess, who had a room on the ground floor with a window overlooking the back garden.

All Diana needed to do was get to that window. And she had a plan.

The hair was brushed, the nightgown was worn, and the covers were dutifully pulled over her body.

Diana clenched her teeth. It was time to set her plan in motion.

“Anything else, My Lady?” Bess asked dutifully.

This was the moment. Diana could just not go. Not set this whole thing in motion. It was dangerous, and if she was caught…

“I have so much more to teach you, Diana.”

His voice curled around her like a silken vice. Her fingers twitched against the sheets, restless, burning with the dark promise of his eyes. Her thighs pressed together beneath the blankets, taut with tension just from remembering the way his hands had explored her body.

“My Lady?” Bess prompted.

Diana swallowed, determined. “I feel so tired and restless at the same time. Perhaps some chamomile tea would help settle my nerves.”

“Right away, My Lady.”

The moment the maid was out the door, Diana bolted out of bed. She had three days to make a plan for tonight, and she was prepared. She took off her nightgown and hid it under the covers. From there, she produced the black, simple dress she had hidden earlier and threw it on. She dug a black hooded cloak out of the back of her wardrobe and her most comfortable slippers.

She didn’t have a lot of time, but she had practiced. Of course, she had practiced it. She took more pillows and a small, round one and arranged them on her bed. This trick was older than time, but there was a reason it was timeless. Itworked.

She took a step back to admire her handiwork, and she was happy to see that it gave the impression of a body beneath the covers. Sweet Bess would never disturb her after seeing her so tired and gone to bed so early. It was a moonless night that secured darkness.