Page 27 of A Mismatch Made in London

My stomach sank. Would her brother blame me for this? He already disliked me.

Perhaps I should have warned her more seriously not to endanger her reputation by going riding alone with Mr. Fairweather.

“Jeremy will never forgive us,” Marianne whispered.

“Let us not think the worst,” Robert said. “Fairweather may have taken her home. She’s probably there now, waiting for us.”

None of us spoke as he led us toward the entrance so we could find our carriage. And even though the lanterns were beautiful and had changed the whole appearance of Vauxhall Gardens, I no longer cared to look. I focused on not slowing us down as we made our way through the crowd.

The carriage ride home was miserable. Marianne was softly crying, with her husband looking morose and handing her his handkerchief. I was thankful to have brought my own handkerchief. I wiped my tears as discreetly as possible, not wishing to draw attention to myself.

My poor friend. What would this ride cost her? And why had he not brought her back to Vauxhall Gardens before dark?

We reached home and met Mr. Beaumont as he was descending the stairs.

“Back already?” he asked. But then his eyes narrowed. “What has happened? Where is Juliet?”

Marianne burst into tears.

“She went riding with Mr. Fairweather. We were hoping—” Robert stopped speaking.

The sound of carriage wheels stopped outside.

“Who is Mr. Fairweather?” Jeremy demanded. “What do you mean she went riding—”

We heard muffled voices, then someone opening the front door. My heart was in my throat as we all turned to look.

In walked Juliet. Alone.

“For heaven’s sake, why are you all staring at me like that?” But there was a strange, vigilant look on her face, quite unlike her usual expression.

“Where have you been, and with whom?” Jeremy said. He sounded calm, but his face was a thundercloud.

“There is no need for—I went on a carriage ride with Mr. Fairweather. Did Mr. Wallcroft not tell you?”

She was pretending nonchalance, not looking anyone in the eye as she removed her gloves, but I could hear the shakiness in her voice, and even her hands trembled.

Jeremy folded his arms across his chest. “Robert?”

“We went to Vauxhall Gardens, which you already knew,” Robert said.

Juliet started to walk past me toward the stairs.

“Stop.” Jeremy glared at her. “I want to hear you after Robert is finished.”

“We went to the music room in the rotunda to hear a concert. There weren’t enough seats together, so Juliet sat in the back with Mr. Fairweather and Mr. Wallcroft.”

If it were possible, Jeremy’s scowl grew more threatening.

“When the concert was over, Mr. Wallcroft told us that Juliet and Mr. Fairweather went riding in his carriage.”

“Alone.”

“Yes.”

“And you are just now arriving home.” He focused his scowl on Juliet. “After dark.”

“As you see. But nothing happened, and I am home safe and sound. As you see,” she repeated.