“LeaveBeatrixalone,”Dianaordered.
She paid no mind to Ian’s thunderous expression. He was itching for a fight, and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of acquiescing to so hostile a demand. “I will explain what I can when your temper cools. Take a walk.”
Ian stood stock-still, as if contemplating a challenge to her proposal, and she casually reached into her pocket for her blade. She’d no intent to use it, but he knew what the gesture meant, and his eyes widened a fraction before he marched off to fume along the length of the pier.
“I take it things aren’t going as planned,” Beatrix commented.
Diana scoffed and placed her woolen scarf around her friend’s shaking shoulders. “Forget him for the moment. Are you truly well?”
“It’s only damp at the bottom of my skirts. I don’t need to go inside yet. Luckily, this didn’t get damaged.” Beatrix handed her a black-edged envelope.
They studied it for a quiet moment.
“How was it delivered?” Diana finally asked.
“The skiff pilot. The poor man thought it was a real mourning note. He looked at me so sadly.”
“Perhaps he felt guilty about ferrying you in a boat that would leak.”
“I don’t think anyone interfered with it.” Beatrix sighed. “It’s my natural ability to attract disaster.”
“It is one of your greatest strengths.” Diana tried to hold back a laugh and failed. Beatrix caught her giggle and in short order, the two of them were wiping tears from their eyes.
During their debut season, the ship Beatrix was supposed to travel aboard sank en route to France, and Diana mourned her friend deeply. Years later, the quest to find a better treatment for her father’s illness took them to Melbourne. A Stag missive had led Diana to Beatrix.
When Diana had discovered why Beatrix had remained hidden on the other side of the world, she knew the Stags’s mission would resonate with her, and she’d recruited Beatrix to join them.
She reached out and gave Beatrix another hug, to assure herself that her friend was now well and flourishing. “Lord, it’s so good to see you.”
“And you. I’ve missed you and Amy so much.” Bea’s eyes shone. “I confess, I didn’t think it would take me this long to work up the nerve to leave Melbourne.”
Diana glanced over her shoulder to confirm Ian was finally out of earshot. “There’s been no other news about Henry’s uncle. Our sources say the engagement is still proceeding.”
“So Henry hasn’t stopped it.”
“Not that I know of. But I’ve been considerably preoccupied.”
“Fleeing your wedding with the groom’s brother,” Beatrix teased. “Are you returning to England with us?”
“Not tonight.” Diana clutched Widow’s note. “I have a terrible feeling about all of this, Bea. We’re one wrong move away from disaster.”
Beatrix looked back at the ship. “Nothing firm yet on any of your crew linked to the payments or the attacks?”
“The terrible thing is, other than you and Amelia, I trust no one.”
“What about Ian?”
At Diana’s groan, Beatrix flashed one of her impish smiles. “Oh, it’s like that, is it? And don’t tell me he’s only here for the emeralds. I’ve been gone eight years,but there is no force—neither earthly nor divine—that could make Ian Holt’s feelings for you change that dramatically.”
“I think I have to trust him. Which means I’m going to have to tell him everything, and it will make things worse between us.”
“When I came up with my crazy scheme to win Henry back, you insisted it would be worth the risk.”
“And it will be,” Diana assured her. “But this is different. Ian and I—we haven’t been honest with each other since we were children. There’s no way I can conceive of for this to end well.”
“It will if you both want it enough to work for it. Women like us, Di…we have to fight for our happiness.”
Diana gave her friend another squeeze.