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D iana muttered a curse.

It was a bad one, and she knew Harrington heard it, because he grinned.

But as Marcus stormed across the balcony and yanked her out of his arms, his face turned solemn again.

Marcus’s eyes were icy with fury. “How dare you lay your filthy hands on her!”

She shook herself. “Marcus! Stop. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Didn’t do anything—” Her brother rounded on her, incredulous. “I saw him, Diana! Saw the way he was forcing himself on?—”

“He wasn’t forcing himself on me!” she snapped. “ I was the one who hugged him !”

Marcus’s nostrils flared. “Have you forgotten who he is? This is the man who once put snakes in my boots. Who started so many vile rumors about me, I cannot count them on both hands. Who stole the only miniature I have of Mother and didn’t give it back for six weeks ! I thought it was gone ! I thought?—”

“I’m especially sorry about that one,” Harrington said, stepping forward with his palms held out.

“I’m sorry for all of them, if you want to know the truth.

But thinking about that one, knowing what happened to your mother…

” He swallowed, and his expression was stricken.

“I feel deeply ashamed, and I’d like to express my?—”

“ Silence !” Marcus shouted, casting Harrington the sort of glare that could turn a man to stone. “You expect me to believe that you’re sorry? At the very moment you come dangling after my sister?” His laugh was vindictive. “How very convenient.”

“No, really, I am sorry. And it’s not what you think.” His gaze fell on her, and his expression turned sorrowful. “I know Diana would never be interested in the likes of me.”

“She most certainly would not,” Marcus snapped. “And that’s Lady Diana to you.”

Diana wrenched her arm from Marcus’s grasp and rounded on her brother. “Why don’t you let me decide whom I grant permission to call me by my first name? Who I dance with, who I?—”

“Because I. Know. Better !” Marcus hissed. “I know he is in possession of a certain amount of wit and charm. But I have known him for almost twenty years. I know the true measure of his character!”

“You knew him when he was twelve years old,” Diana shot back. “I will grant you, his behavior at the time was appalling. But that was more than fifteen years ago. People change, Marcus. And if you would consider the man he is today?—”

“I cannot believe you are defending him!” Marcus snapped. “That you would choose him over me , after everything I have…”

His voice broke, and her brother, who was never less than absolutely confident, trailed off, looking down.

“Marcus.” Diana took two steps forward and seized his arm. “Don’t think of it that way. Just because I hold Lieutenant Astley in high regard does not mean I don’t love you.”

“Doesn’t it?” Marcus asked softly. “Because…”

The click of shoes on the flagstones caused them all to look up.

Edward Astley was crossing the balcony with brisk strides.

“You’re causing a scene,” he said without preamble.

“Gossip is spreading like wildfire across the ballroom that Harrington and Lady Diana repaired to the balcony together, and whatever they did out here was bad enough that you two are coming to blows over it.”

Marcus muttered a curse. Coincidentally, it was the same one Diana had used earlier.

Edward seized his brother by the shoulder. “Harrington and I will exit through the gardens.” He nodded toward a door at the far end of the balcony. “That will lead you into the morning room, should you wish to slip out unnoticed.”

“I think we should all return to the ballroom together and act as if nothing is amiss,” Diana said. “After all, the truth is that we didn’t do anything improper, and the doors were open the entire time. We can brazen it out.”

Edward paused. “That… is a good idea.” He looked pointedly at Harrington and Marcus. “Especially if you two can manage to act as if you’re the best of friends.”

“I can do it,” Harrington offered.

Marcus remained silent a beat before grumbling, “I can do it, too.” He smirked at Harrington. “As friendly as I ever look, that is.”

Diana took Marcus’s arm. Harrington came up on his other side, slinging an arm around his neck. Edward walked beside his brother.

As they came into the ballroom, Marcus leaned in and whispered something to Harrington. It was most likely a death threat, but Harrington laughed as if it were some hilarious joke.

She glanced up at her brother. He was smirking at Harrington. She had to admit, it was cheerful for Marcus , and the expression was probably more convincing than if he’d walked in grinning like an idiot.

Harrington whispered something she couldn’t make out in Marcus’s ear, slapped him on the back, then drifted off across the ballroom with his brother.

Diana caught a trio of matrons gaping at her while a fourth whispered something behind her fan. She gazed at them steadily and arched an imperious eyebrow. In unison, their eyes went wide. One of them took a step back as if she’d been physically struck.

Diana donned a smirk to rival her brother’s. It was good to know she hadn’t lost her touch.