Juliet's eyes widened in disbelief. “What?”
“Just when I thought you couldn't possibly disappoint me any further.”
Weston couldn't help but join in at this point.
“I fear this has all been blown out of proportion.”
“You will speak when spoken to, young man.” Peter said, turning to look at Weston, sheer venom in his eyes.
“Do you realise what you've done?” Adam said, his eyes squarely on Juliet. “To yourself, to us? To the family? Everyone back in the hall is aware of this, and it is only a matter of time before this spreads.”
“Good lord.” A feminine voice called from behind the bushes. Weston felt the color drain from his face. It could only be one person.
“Well enough, Lady Beatrice appeared the same way Juliet's dad had come, intense disbelief scrawled all over her face.
“Weston.” Beatrice started. “So this wasn't a lie. You were caught in a compromised position with a spinster?”
Weston frowned. What exactly did Lady Violet say?
“Mother, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding.” Weston said, not oblivious to the fact that his explanation was all falling on deaf ears.
“Oh, Heavens.” Beatrice continued. “Who knew the price of coming to this ball would be to have my family's name dragged through the mud?”
“What a night.” Juliet heard Camilla say. Slowly, more people joined them in the garden. One-sided arguments turned into full blown chaos, and it grew even louder.
Weston turned to look at Juliet. He could tell, even with the mask on her face, that she was crying. Her tears triggered something in him. Something primal. Something unusual.
Something he was most definitely going to regret.
“Perhaps there is a way to settle this.” He said. The loud murmur around him drowned out his voice. He turned to look at Juliet again. He couldn't bear to see her in pain.
“Everyone, quiet at once!” He screamed. His voice pierced through the cold night air, causing silence to occur at once. All eyes were now on him.
This was going to blow back on him. He knew that.
“Perhaps there is a way to settle this.” He repeated. The words were there, at the tip of his tongue. Saying it, was going to change his life forever. It was going to eliminate any sort of freedom he was hoping he could achieve at the end of the day.
Saying it, would change his destiny, but hopefully, it would help Juliet a little.
The piercing gazes continued to burn into his heart. He didn't want to wait any longer.
“I would like to marry Lady Juliet.”
There. Like the air of a new season, his words sent waves of fresh murmurs sweeping amidst the crowds.
Juliet took off her mask in utter shock and turned to look at him. He didn't reciprocate.
He couldn't.
There was no going back.
***
Breakfast at the Willowbrook Manor, two days later, was a disaster. The usual clinking of spoons against plates was nowhere to be found. In its place were loud words from every corner, berating Juliet.
As she had predicted, the rumors had spread beyond control, and she could do nothing about it. At first, the gossip had been met with speculation. Lady Violet was a notorious gossip monger, and she had a reputation for spreading fake news. However, when the scandal sheets took over the story, and it started to appear on paper, the lack of conviction instantly faded away. A day later, every Earl, Duke, and Lady had grown aware of the news. The one and only Marquess of Estfield, caught in a garden with an unchaperoned spinster.
“You have tainted this house forever. I hope you know that.” Peter said, bringing Juliet back to the present. Right before her was a boiling cup of tea and some cloves of fish that hadn't been touched since they landed on her table.
