“Move aside, move aside! I am her cousin. I will tend to her,” he said, and the crowd parted for him, and he even pushed Nathaniel aside to lean down and pick Jane up into his arms.
Yes, she might not have been able to get Nathaniel on her own, but with Lord Claridge's being so eager for Jane, she most certainly could. With Jane out of the way, Delilah could make her move and Nathaniel would have no other choice after what was printed in the scandal sheets as well as what had just been witnessed by her mother and all the old gossips that she could collect. He would have to take her.
She wore a little smile as she watched as Lord Claridge proudly carried Lady Jane from the balcony. Nathaniel watched, his shoulders sinking.
***
The ballroom was in chaos when Nathaniel returned to it. He did not even glance back at Delilah as he stalked off the balcony back towards the sound of music. Lord Claridge seemed to enjoy the dramatics of his entry into the busy room. He came upon Lord and Lady Barnett, and Lady Barnett screamed when she saw her niece unconscious in her cousin's arms. But they hurried away towards the door and soon were gone.
“What happened?” his mother asked him, rushing up to him when she found him, pulling up his sleeve.
Nathaniel yanked out of her grasp. He was half-tempted to race after Lord Claridge and Lord and Lady Barnett to see if Jane was all right, but he refrained. They would certainly not welcome hisassistance at this time. Besides, her running away had been his fault. He should never have allowed Lady Delilah to get so close to him, especially not in a secluded location.
What a fool he had been. She had tried that very thing once before, and now Jane thought the worst of him, even more so after the scandal sheets. He could feel more eyes on him. But the hosts made the music continue and that distracted people enough for him to turn towards the door.
“She fell, and she is hurt. Remain if you like, Mother, but I need to go home.”
“No, we will come with you, Nathaniel,” she said, and he was surprised by her calmness and kindness.
His expression must have been very bleak indeed for her to give up their time at an important social gathering to follow him and his embarrassment and shame. In the carriage home, people were silent. The only two people who looked remotely happy were Thomas and Emily, and he was happy for them.
He was glad that Thomas was by Emily's side through all of that too, for there would be more scandal after that night, and he was too tired to think about it yet. At home, the men helped the ladies from the carriage, and Thomas stood at the base of the entrance stairs, watching as Emily walked up to the house.
He turned to Nathaniel. “Should I stay, old friend? I don't know what happened, but we can talk about it if you like.”
Nathaniel put a hand on his friend's shoulder. “You are kind, Thomas. Perhaps tomorrow, but right now I would like to go to bed. Sometimes things look better in the morning.”
Thomas gave him an encouraging smile. “Yes, sometimes in the evening. I hate a painting that I've done, but in the morning light, it looks far better than it did the night before. Things will come right.”
“Thank you.” Nathaniel watched Thomas leave, and he trudged up the steps to his house.
He was glad not to find Emily or his mother waiting for him in the entryway. He went to a study for a little while to be alone before he walked up to the stairs to his bedroom. So much had happened in just a few moments. Delilah had pretended that he'd given her a note, then she looked at him as if she was about to kiss him.
Then Jane had appeared, and then all the old gossips had appeared as well. But before anything could occur from that, Jane had fallen, and Lord Claridge had come with pride to carry her away.
It all seemed as if it was orchestrated somehow. But that couldn't be possible, could it?
He found himself questioning that over and over as he slid into bed. He had never had such bad luck in his life, and it seemed as if someone was behind it. And he had a feeling he knew who.
Chapter 39
The next morning, Jane awoke with a headache. She groaned a little at the dull pain, and as her eyes flickered open, she saw that she was alone, finally. Yesterday, it had seemed endless, the way people had worried about her, spoke to her, tried to get her to wake and to calm.
She tried to sit up in bed, but tired and laid back against the pillow, pressing her hand to her forehead. The memories from last night came rushing back so quickly that it made her head ache even more.
The fall, the foolish unexpected fall. In her haste to get away from the horror on the balcony, she had tripped and hit her head on one of the stairs. She had awoken after her fall in the carriage on the way home. Edward had explained everything to her, but she remained silent, and she was too hurt and humiliated to speak any more of it.
They settled her into bed, worried over her while they sent for the doctor. The doctor had left a little while later, happy to state that there would be no trouble, that she must only rest for a time. It was only then that they’d left her in peace to nurse her aching head as well as her aching heart on her own.
Her whole night had been tortured by dreams. She dreamed at that moment, seeing Nathaniel nearly kiss Delilah and Delilah's happy face as she turned to look at Jane and gloat.
But there was more in the dream. For days now, she couldn't help but remember the scene at Nathaniel's country home, when she had been completely bare and exposed, opening up her body to Nathaniel. In that moment, it had felt as though all was right in the world.
She had been embarking on a new adventure just as she had always dreamed of, and there had been hope inside their kiss and their touch. She had been certain of it. Even now, after all that had happened, she could still feel him inside her as he brought her to pleasure.
She could still feel the affectionate yet urgent way he’d gripped her and kissed her. But unfortunately, she could also still remember the way she had told him, like a fool, that she was falling in love with him. She still considered herself a fool after last night, too.
After she'd escaped Edward's clutches at the ball, she had gone to the balcony and searched for Nathaniel to talk to him just as Margaret had advised. It was far better to talk than to let it go on as it had, but then she wished that she hadn't done that, for then she had come across the two of them.
