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She stared at her sister, stunned but not entirely surprised.

Lillian had enjoyed wrapping up all the minor scratches and bruises that plagued Diana as a child, and tendered the same care to the stuffed bunnies and bears that covered the shelves of their nursery.

But to travel to a land as unstable as Chamberly?

How could Lil even consider such a thing?

“It is far too dangerous. Father couldn’t possibly have approved.”

“Did he not send you across the ocean? He understands it shall be a most respectable group and gave his blessing.”

So their father had failed to protect Lillian from her better nature. If he was unwilling to do his duty, it fell on Diana to talk sense into Lillian, even if her sister was the elder by two years.

“It’s absurd. Contact the Sisters and tell them you cannot come. We will start the correspondence at once.”

She tried to steer Lillian toward home, but Lil easily stood her ground.

“I need to get away, Di. I need a break from …” She gestured vaguely at the poplars and willows in bloom, along with the colorful clusters of camellias and hyacinths, though Diana understood her sister meant something else.

“We depart in two weeks and shall remain through thesummer. It’s better this way.

You must understand that. What remains for us in London?

Not much. You had that right. Perhaps America suits you, but I cannot imagine restarting my life there.

Nevertheless, I drew a lesson from your experience abroad.

Clearly, it helped you learn more about yourself.

I wish to take a different path to a similar outcome. ”

“Then you believe it is our destiny to part ways?”

“I don’t know. Truly. I only know that our situation here is untenable.”

Diana could bear any disgrace brought on by her calamitous decisions if only it landed on her alone.

But she had humiliated Lillian, whose only crime was to be tainted by association, so much that she felt compelled to leave the country altogether.

For that, she could never forgive herself.

And what would happen when Lil returned?

Travel was but a reprieve from the hungry rumormongers.

Diana had learned that unfortunate lesson well enough.

Pursuing a life dedicated to nursing provided Lil with purpose, at least. The sad fact of the matter was that Diana owned no practical skills.

She could claim only a head for discussing books and the matters before Parliament, which she had honed by sneaking into her father’s study to read up on subjects debated among the peerage.

She might pursue a position as a governess in some remote household to the north, where the whispers of her past weren’t doomed to follow her.

The prospect of such a lonely life felt like a giant stone weighing her down.

Diana needed to ally herself with a powerful family—a family who could protect her. It was not how she would have preferred circumstances to stand, but she must face the world as it was, not how she wished it.

Her thoughts returned to Albion Higgins.

Their new footman approached Diana in the front parlor the following morning.

Isaac was Isabel’s younger brother, with the same black hair, delicate features, and pleasant disposition.

His uniform differed from his sister’s but bore the same overly starched look that Father required of all household staff.

He bore the morning’s correspondence on the sterling tray presented to the ladies of the house.

“Letter for you, miss.”

The paper, frayed on the edges, looked like it had been through an ordeal before landing on that tray. The sender had crossed out the original name and addressed the letter to Lady Daisy Stewart. Meaning the elegant handwriting could belong to none other than Albion Higgins.

“Originally delivered on the 14th of February, it was. The butler sent it back.”

So Albion sent this missive in honor of St. Valentine: the one day of the year when a bachelor could send a message to an unattached lady with no social consequence. Even Diana’s severely bruised reputation would not suffer for it.

“Lord Albion insisted I deliver it to you forthwith.” Isaac looked around furtively, as though the man in question might still lurk in a corner somewhere. He would undoubtedly whisper about the Orcan visitor with Izzie and the others. “But Daisy Stewart’?”

“Oh, yes, that is confusing,” Diana said, trying to make it sound of no consequence. After all, if things proceeded as she hoped, they would see more of Albion in the coming weeks. “Daisy is a nickname. A private joke between Lord Albion and myself.”

Isaac was too well-mannered to comment. He merely nodded and left the morning room.

Diana’s hands shook as she withdrew a sharp letter opener from the top drawer of the desk and slit the wax seal to read Albion’s message.

Inside, the paper was creamy white. There might have been a note when first delivered in February, but an additional layer had been affixed over it with a transparent overlay of gold and sealed so tightly she hadn’t a prayer of uncovering the original inscription.

On this new top sheet, in each corner, Albion had sketched a flower outlined in deep indigo ink, each petal distinct, which gave the illusion that the flowers had three dimensions even on flat paper.

Daisies, naturally. She wondered if he’d commissioned it or if Albion Higgins, the picture of a carefree gallant, was a talented artist. In the same elegant hand, Albion had transcribed a short verse:

This day might be mine,

To woo a woman and make her shine.

A lady with every quality so fine,

As to make all gents from London

And the Hidden Realm pine.

The floorboards squeaked as her sister approached the parlor. When Lillian entered, Diana said, “Perhaps we should go to Lady Bellingham’s garden party later this week. I believe we were honored with an invitation.”

“Yes,” Lil responded, not without suspicion. “I thought you planned to spend the remainder of the season abed with some conjured cold.”

Diana shrugged. “It seems I’ve changed my mind. If you’ve time to spare, I have the most darling idea for my headpiece. You’re so clever with a needle and thread. Would you help me pull it together?”