I wish to pretend this did not happen.
“Return to the assembly,” Lord Padleigh demanded at once though there was no sound of shuffling feet. “Go, now. Do you have no respect at all? May I remind you that a marquess has the ear of…” He didn’t even need to finish his threat.
People began to shuffle and hurry away. Whether Lord Padleigh had intended to threaten he had the ear of a duke or maybe even the Prince Regent, Frederica didn’t know, but now, it didn’t matter either.
As the final person left the corridor, Lord Padleigh turned to face her.
“This way.” He tried to take her hand, but she avoided taking it. “After what has just happened, what does it matter if you’re glimpsed holding my hand, Frederica?”
She wished to say something, to bicker with him again and throw some angry comment in his direction, but she could not. She felt listless, dizzy in her shock.
She placed her hand in his, allowing him to steer her back down the spiral staircase behind them. She barely looked where she was going, just concentrating on holding onto his hand and staying upright as she followed.
“I’m ruined,” she whispered.
“Don’t say that.”
“I was already ruined once. You think a lady can survive two scandals? I didn’t even survive one!”
“Two?” he spluttered, turning to face her as they reached the next floor. “What do you mean two?”
“You have not heard?” This was unthinkable to Frederica. “You’ve not heard why I have been missing?”
“I have been traveling. I came back three months ago to hear that you had been gone,” he said huskily.
She blinked madly. She was sure that someone would have told him by now. Unless, he had decided to stick his head in the sand and ignore any news about her.
“Dorothy didn’t tell you?” she whispered.
“Tell me what,” he said, somewhat impatiently now. “Tell me what?”
Then there was a sound at the distant end of the corridor.
“Another time. We have to get you out of here.”
“Lord Pad — ah!” She was dragged to the side before she could say anymore.
Somehow, Lord Padleigh found a path through the assembly rooms she had not known existed. They trailed down sets of stairs he must have taken before, probably reserved mostly for staff that she had not seen. When they appeared in the entrance hall, he took his frock coat and her cloak from the footman then towed her outside.
“People will see,” she hissed.
“They’ve already seen us, and they think the worst,” he reminded her.
Frederica felt sick. What would become of her now?
Then the very worst happened. As they moved out into the streets of London, they came face to face with two people standing outside a carriage.
“Frederica?” It was Margaret’s voice.
Let the wet ground swallow me whole now.
She came to a stop in front of her parents with her hand still clutched tightly in Lord Padleigh’s. It was odd that he hadn’t yet released her.
“Frederica?” Ernest said, stepping away from the carriage. His jaw dropped so low, it would be a wonder if he were ever be able to close it again. “You’re here?”
Then Margaret’s face suddenly split into a smile. She moved forward quickly and flung herself into Frederica’s arms.
Frederica had to release Lord Padleigh in order to hold her mother.
