Lady Follet turned around, coming to a sudden stop.
“You misunderstand me, Emma,” she said, firmly. “I am telling you thatyouare returning home.Youare to prepare for and then retire to bed. I will have the carriage return here to wait for the ball to end. I will certainlynotpunish your sister for your clumsiness.”
Emma’s heart dropped like a stone.
“I did not do anything, Mama,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion, wishing that her mother would believe her. “I do not understand what happened, but I am truly telling you that the only thing I did was take a glass from the tray. I did not fall into him, I did not stumble forward, I did not–”
“I am not interested in any of your excuses!” Lady Follet hissed, grasping Emma’s hand again and pulling herself a little closer to Emma. “Do you understand? You have not only embarrassed yourself, but you have also embarrassed me and your fatherandyour sister! It is best for us all that you take yourself home and do so at once.”
She turned and marched Emma out of the ballroom and into the hall, though Emma’s eyes immediately began to fill with tears, her heart aching at the pain her mother’s words hadcaused. Blinking furiously, she found herself outside, seeing her mother speaking to the footman who instantly hurried away.
“I will return to your sister,” Lady Follet stated, coming back to Emma as quickly as she could. “There are two footmen here. Stay with them until the carriage arrives and then make your way home.”
Emma blinked furiously, her tears returning with a vengeance.
“You are not even going to stand with me?”
“I must be seen with your sister!” Lady Follet exclaimed, throwing up her hands. “I must do what I can to quash the whispers that are surely going to follow you now that this has happened. I will do my utmost to protect Martha from what you have done and, as I have said, it would be best for you to take yourself home and retire to bed.” She shook her head, her jaw tight. “Have the maid soak your gown the moment you return home. Let us hope that your father will not have to pay for yet another new gown for you.”
With that, she was gone, leaving Emma to stand alone but for those two footmen almost standing guard over her. She watched her mother stalk away from her as though she could not hurry herself away fast enough and, though she tried her utmost to control her tears, she could not prevent them from falling to her cheeks. Dropping her head in the hope of hiding them from the footmen who would, no doubt, whisper about what they had witnessed this evening, Emma felt her heart begin to ache all over again. This Season, which had started off so well, was now falling around her ears in disappointment, disillusion, and confusion, and now, all she could do was return home in disgrace.
Chapter Two
“Good evening, Lord Yeatman.”
Frederick smiled and inclined his head.
“We have been friends for many years now, Lord Gibson. I do not think that we need to be so formal!”
Lord Gibson chuckled and stuck out his hand, shaking Frederick’s very firmly indeed.
“I suppose that is true. How good to see you again!”
“And in White’s,” Frederick chuckled, as his friend grinned. “You find me in my favorite place in London, Lord Gibson, and I confess that I have not yet ventured out much into society.”
“No?”
Frederick shook his head.
“I much prefer having a few days to myself when I first arrive. It gives me time to consider what it is that I wish to accomplish, and to take note of who else is present!”
“Ah.” Lord Gibson tilted his head and looked at him, a glint in his eye. “Might I ask you if there is anyone in particular that you are attempting to take note of?”
Frederick laughed and shook his head.
“No, you mistake my meaning entirely. I have no particular interest in courting. I am merely interested in who is present, asI can be rather particular with my friendships and the like, as you well know.”
Lord Gibson chuckled and then sat down in a chair beside Frederick rather than remaining standing beside him.
“That is something I well remember. I do not think that you considered me a friend until we had been acquainted for at least two years.”
“And spent many hours together,” Frederick agreed, laughing along with his friend. “Yes, I am afraid I am a little too discerning when it comes to such things. Mayhap I ought to be a little less so, but I find that it is simply a way that I have settled into, and I do not think that I can change any time soon. You know very well how this came about.”
Lord Gibson nodded, a solemnity in his expression now.
“Your father.”
“Precisely. He was acquainted with Viscount Taylor, thinking him a decent fellow, only of the scandal to not only affect Lord Taylor but also my own father’s reputation. Given that my father was inordinately wealthy, thetonbelieved that he funded Lord Taylor’s schemes though, of course, he did not.”
