“Lord Falconer ought not to be doing anything of the sort,” she said, quietly. “I do not understand all of what has taken place, but it must have weighed on your conscience.”
Lady Judith closed her eyes.
“My father insists that I have a gentleman of particular standing as my husband. Lord Falconer did not quite meet that standard, but he insisted that there was a way. He has told me that he loves me and–”
“I do not believe him, and neither should you.” Joy closed her eyes in frustration over her own quick tongue as Lady Judith’s face went pale and a tear slid down her cheek. “Forgive me, Lady Judith but I must speak truthfully. If Lord Falconer truly loved you, then he would not have demanded that you do such things as this.”
Lady Judith closed her eyes and sniffed.
“If my reputation is tarnished, then I… I… I shall never marry. Perhaps I have made a dreadful mistake.”
Miss Fairley’s eyes turned to Joy’s and the sympathy within them was within Joy’s heart also.
“I will do my very best to make sure that your name is kept from this.”
When Lady Judith’s eyes flared, only for her expression to crumple, Joy’s heart ached all the more. This was no act, she was sure of it. Lady Judith appeared completely broken by all that had taken place, and realizing now that Lord Falconer did not care for her in the way that she had believed must be all the more distressing.
“Come.” Miss Fairley put one arm around Lady Judith’s shoulders. “Let us go and sit over here.”
Joy watched as Miss Fairley let a sobbing Lady Judith away, her heart growing heavier by the moment – only for a hand to touch her shoulder.
“Lady Judith is upset, I see.”
The urge to throw herself into Lord Yarmouth’s arms was so strong, Joy could barely hold herself back. The gentleman smiled at her, a fire in his eyes which she had never seen before. A fire that she too felt within her own soul.
“Might you wish to step out with me for a few minutes?” His hand went to hers and Joy nodded fervently. “I will not keep you long, for fear of what society might think.”
“Society thinks me still a wallflower,” Joy replied, linking her arm through his. “I doubt they will even notice me.”
Lord Yarmouth laughed.
“Mayhap on this occasion, I shall be grateful for your standing as a wallflower, if it means that I can take you from here without anyone being aware of it!”
Leading her through the door of the ballroom, he turned this way and that before stepping into what appeared to be a small parlor which, thankfully, was well lit.
Joy did not hesitate, unable to hold herself back from him for another moment. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled softly when his arms encircled her waist. A long sigh escaped from him, and she felt the same relief wash through her.
“I have your ring.”
“Do you?” Lord Yarmouth leaned back and Joy smiled, putting one hand to her reticule to find the ring and setting the other on his shoulder. “Lady Judith was rather eager to give it to me though…” Frowning, she shook her head. “I should like it if you would be careful to keep her name from theton,with respect to all of this. No doubt you will be telling society what Lord Falconer has done, but given how distressed Lady Judith is, I believe that, while what she did was wrong, she did it because of his insistence – and because she was afraid of being parted from the gentleman she loved.”
Lord Yarmouth took the ring from her but continued to hold her gaze, his eyebrows lifting.
“He told her that he loved her?”
“He did.”
Closing his eyes, Lord Yarmouth’s jaw jutted forward.
“He truly is a scoundrel.”
Briefly, he told her everything that had taken place in the townhouse, and Joy listened with growing astonishment. Putting her hand to his cheek – and a little astonished by her own boldness – she smiled softly up at him.
“That must have been very difficult for you to hear – and to see. He was your friend.”
“He deceived me, just as he deceived Lady Judith. I confess that the shock will take a little time to recover from, but I am glad to have learned the truth, at least.” Smiling, he leaned into her hand. “And I am grateful for you.”
“Oh?”
