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“Capital!” And with a swift kiss on her hand, Albion left Diana with Sir Reginald while he and the Regent, along with their little group of toadies, attended to the far more critical matter of having a bite to eat and some fun at the Phantom’s expense before retiring to the gaming room.

A lady she’d known from the time before her scandal with Nigel Halman walked by, the ostrich feather on her headpiece dipping along with the slight nod of her head.

Diana managed a smile. She had to content herself with knowing that Albion’s family protected her.

No one wished to offend the orcs. Lady Margaret, who had hurt his brother, Duncan, had only done so because she deemed the messy incident a misunderstanding.

Causing trouble for the wife of Lord Albion Higgins was a different matter altogether.She prayed Reginald Addington understood as much.

“I was hoping we might have a word alone,” he said. “Now is as good a time as any.”

Gone was the smug man she remembered from Lady Talridge’s supper party.His eyes darted back and forth nervously. He seemed gaunter. He was about to ask her about the Phantom. Deep down, she had to allow that the question caused her to burn with curiosity.

But she would not cower to Reginald’s crude request. She was not his marionette to be manipulated. “Pray tell,” she said.

“Have you had any luck in discerning the identity of our Phantom?”

Diana let out what she hoped was a haughty laugh.

He was but a fly buzzing irritably along the inside of a window frame.

She was a Lady of the Hidden Realm, not to be trifled with, a sensation bolstered by her choice of attire for the evening.

“You are so deluded as to think I shall agree to be your spy? To destroy an honorable and courageous individual?”

“If you do not, do you believe your sister will forgive your intimate connection with her fiancé?”

“I’ve no desire for my sister to learn about this letter to Nigel. If one such exists. But no matter. I’ll handle it as best I can.”

“You don’t care if your husband knows as well? Knows what sort of woman he married.”

She gulped down a little cry before restoring her composure, standing straighter in her Orcan gown.

“Clearly, you understand nothing of the Hidden Realm, Sir Reginald. Affairs between men and women are far different there. Your threats are hollow, as are your principles.”

He rubbed his hands together as though the knuckles were sore and needed soothing. Likely, he was itching for a pinch of snuff.

“I think you will help me,” he said quietly. “For your sister’s benefit.”

“Did you not hear a word? Show her the letter. Our relationship will withstand the blow.”

“It is most charitable of the Sisters of Benevolence to conduct their missions of goodwill to Chamberly. After the Phantom started meddling in his affairs, the Duke of Rostin transformed into a most dangerous man. Unstable, yet fully in charge of his duchy and now of the Free State of Chamberly. Even a mission of mercy could run afoul of Rostin. Who knows what might happen.”

An ominous chill settled in Diana’s chest. Her sister’s smiling face rose to prominence in her imagination. Lillian, who had been there when her parents were not. Lil, whom she had betrayed so terribly, if only in her mind.

Diana kept her arms crossed, though more to steady herself than to appear insolent. “Speak plainly.”

“Your sister is a brave young woman. Very brave indeed. To take such a risk in these turbulent times. Her safety must be in grave danger in such a place.”

Diana re-adjusted her posture to accommodate her comfortable but voluminous Orcan attire. “You’ve no idea of my husband’s pull, both in this land and the Hidden Realm.”

“Don’t tempt Lady Lillian’s fate by sharing anything with Lord Albion. He has abundant resources here in London and in his homeland as well. But when it comes to communication? I assure you I can send word there faster, for I’ve a direct method of summoning the Duke of Rostin’s attention.”

She swallowed hard. “I thought you wanted to marry Lillian. And now you threaten her?”

“I owe Rostin a great deal of money. I must help him apprehend the Phantom. And I don’t think your family is in a position to help me with that. It seems your father knows something of debt as well.”

Diana looked down, anger and fear warring inside of her.

Reginald Addington was even more of a snake than she previously supposed.

His interest in Lillian had been driven by debt.

He had assumed their family had money, too new to the ton to understand that a title did not guarantee as much.

In truth, it often meant quite the opposite, which he had apparently discovered.

“Do not doubt me, my dear. If my previous comments have yet to move you, I’ll do whatever is necessary.

The Duke of Rostin is willing to take my advice on handling a group from my country, particularly if it is in the service of apprehending the English outlaw.

He has assured me that will square my debt. ”

At first, Reginald’s voice seemed to reach her ears from some distant place, and then, suddenly, it was as if he was shouting in her face.

Diana’s stomach turned so violently she thought she would lose its contents.

Lillian would never have been in Chamberly in the first place if it weren’t for Diana, who had made such a mess of things.

If it hadn’t been for Diana’s imprudence, Lillian would be tucked away safely in London. She was certain of it.

“They are but nurses,” she said weakly.

“Whether these sisters are truly on an errand of mercy or their intentions are less benign is up for debate. They may be there to help the Phantom. Stranger things have happened.”

Another image appeared alongside her sister, the elusive figure wearing a cloak that left both his face and form a mystery. “I shall ask Lord Albion to square your debt,” she said hoarsely.

“I have already done as much and was flatly refused.”

Diana’s brows pinched. “He must not have understood the circumstances. If you—”

“Your husband was clear enough that his brother controls the money. And I haven’t the luxury of time to convince that dour fellow to so much as spare a ha’penny.”

“If I cause this courageous man to come to harm, how would I live with myself?”

“Far better than if you allow your sister to come to harm. Regardless, that is your cross to bear. One can live with a great number of things when circumstances necessitate.”

“Circumstances you have concocted,” Diana said faintly.

Her mouth was so dry that she gave in to a coughing fit. To her dismay, Reginald tried to pass her a handkerchief, which she waved off.

When she finally regained some semblance of her senses, she no longer saw the man before her.

Rather, she conjured her sister’s image once more, smiling as she accepted the hand of a sailor to board the ferry to Calais and then on to Chamberly.

If there had been some mechanism by which she could switch places with Lil, condemn herself to any horrible fate so long as her sister remained safe, she would have gladly submitted to it.

“I have noted that Edward Langley appears particularly distracted this evening,” Reginald said casually.

“Odd that,” Diana said. “But so what?”

“See for yourself.”

William Langley and his younger brother, Edward, had set themselves apart from the other men.

Unlike those fellows, their gazes did not survey the ladies.

Sensible enough in William’s case, for he was long—and it was said happily—married.

But Edward was not. And their tense shoulders suggested two gentlemen discussing a business deal rather than which lady he should ask to dance.

Most shockingly, she caught sight of a crumpled paper passing from William to Edward.

Blink, and one might miss it. Diana had the fortune of not blinking, or misfortune, as the case might be.

The Langleys were precisely the sort of brash young men she suspected were attracted to the danger and the noble purpose of the Phantom’s endeavors.

“I would keep an eye on him, were I you,” Reginald said.

Edward Langley made his way to an alcove.Then, he moved a few steps further to a secluded chamber. He wished to examine the contents of the missive alone.

Diana would have given her life not to do what had to come next. But her life was not what Sir Reginald demanded.

Diana gave Edward Langley another minute alone before following him into that room.