“Ours is a friendship of convenience. The Benevolent Phantom shall remain a mystery, I fear.”
“What is a lady to do for amusement?”
“Your herohasbeen quiet. The scandal sheets have little to relate, but for those drawings the other week. Robbed of his exploits, they resort to artwork of this hero you love?”
“I admire him most vociferously. But love is rather strong, isn’t it?”
Albion held her gaze. “You tell me.”
“You have no call to feel jealous, husband. After all, what is a single person to accomplish? Are there not better ways to remedy the situation?”
“The person responsible for the rescue has saved lives. That is no small contribution.”
“Indeed. Yet, how many unfortunates remain in the Duke of Rostin’s prisons? How many more are doomed to slow death by pestilence due to his wrongful invasion of Chamberly?”
“I’m sure the gent—or lady—would say that all one can accomplish is their best effort. And that the magnitude of the problem should not stop one from doing as much.”
“No doubt. But Parliament is empowered to take stronger action. We can admire our Phantom and also wish for a broader solution. On that note, I do hope for a word with the Prince Regent at Lord Mandeville’s ball. His Royal Highness might pressure these cowardly men in Parliament to act.”
“To legislate the embargo, you mean?”
“Yes. The Prince Regent is not meant to be involved in politicking, but he can’t resist. Our system has many flaws, but if we are not to become a republic, what else is there to do?”
“You’re referring to the United States, I suppose. The rogues who rid themselves of your king once he was no longer useful to them.”
“As I’ve told you, I am an English woman through and through. I’ve no desire to do away with kings and queens and the like. But I trust our parliamentarians to abide by the will of the people and represent our land in an honorable fashion. Not so different from the Hidden Realm, that. At least not the way you describe it.”
“A fair point. But if you’ve a different route to helping the people of Chamberly, why should this Phantom’s identity matter?”
“I burn with curiosity, same as everyone in London.”
“There’s more to it than that. Something is on your mind, Dais. What is it?”
Tell Albie. Tell him of Reginald’s threats. Confess the mistakes you made with Nigel.
Her need for Albion still burned so brightly that nothing could extinguish it. So she could not tell him. She could not willfully downgrade his respect for her. Diana would have to live with the potential disgrace Reginald held over her and steer steadily away from inflicting pain on Lillian, whose face flashed in her mind, beatific and trusting. Never imagining that Diana might own any inappropriate thought, let alone one that could cause injury to Lillian herself.
Shame. She must avoid all costs, just as her father had said. She was not brave enough to tread such fearsome waters.
“A passing fancy, husband,” she mumbled, suddenly concerned with smoothing the bobbinet overlay on her gown’s overskirt. She hated herself for prying, but Reginald’s vileattempt at blackmail had fueled her innate curiosity. For all his bloviating, he’d been right. Were anyone to hold the key to unlocking this enigmatic hero’s identity, it was her amiable husband. “That’s all. I suppose all of this fuss over the Phantom rings rather hollow to me now, with Lillian in that land. All solid news relating to Chamberly, however, is dear.”
Albie leaned forward and grasped her hands in his, intertwining their fingers until hers disappeared into his. Diana studied her husband’s dark green hand, the claws retracted. She adored every part of him. By some miracle, he seemed to adore her as well.
“You don’t suppose the Duke of Rostin has caught up with the Benevolent Phantom?” she said. “And that’s why we haven’t heard about a rescue?”
“If Rostin found the chap, surely he would make no small fuss about it.” Albie reverted to his customarily merry tone. “Let us move to happier questions. Weren’t you meant to visit with Iris this afternoon? I do hope you ladies get on.”
“As it happens, I didn’t go over there after all.”
“Daisy, what’s wrong? I trust our sister-in-law is well?”
A protective instinct budded inside of her. She should not burden him with her troubles. He didn’t deserve that weight.
“It’s not that. I admit I have been flustered as of late,” she said, fanning her face.
“Dais! Should I call a doctor?”
Diana’s words caught in her throat before she choked them out. “No, no. It is more a matter of anxiety. Over Lillian.”
