stop. Wouldn’t stop to face the eyes undoubtedly pinned on me.
I found the veranda doors, and a blast of cold air wafted over my face. I blinked hard, fighting back an angry strain of tears, to find Teddy hovering beside me, concern in his kind hazel eyes.
“Cherry? Cherry, buck up, there’s a girl.” He tapped my cheek as if I’d faint, and I realized he’d stripped off a glove; a terrible outrage in the ballroom.
A cold wind zipped over me, sharp as knives through the abysmal protection of my gown. My fists clenched so tightly, I heard each individual knuckle crack. “That horrible—” I began viciously, but got no farther as Fanny seized my shoulders and clutched me close.
“My poor child,” she said softly.
But there was steel in her reassurance. A tone I had long since learned to recognize. Mrs. Fortescue was angry.
There simply wasn’t anything to be done about it. I’d been cut.
I closed my eyes, allowing myself to sink upon the decorative iron bench beside me.
“What shall I do?” Teddy demanded. “Shall I fetch a glass of wine? Something to eat?” His fists clenched by his sides. “My pistols?”
I winced. “No.” Fanny’s stranglehold loosened, and I patted her arm as I disengaged myself. The cold beat against my skin, but my blood surged with anger and shame. Cut in front of all of London proper.
I wouldn’t easily live this one down. My household would feel the sting.
“Something,” Teddy insisted. “There must be—”
“Home.” I smiled, but knew it was a weary thing as I reached out to take Teddy’s bare hand in mine. I squeezed it affectionately. “Don’t let your reputation be sliced to ribbons for me, Teddy. Go back in and find ladies to dance with. Pretend it meant nothing.”
His lips thinned.
But he wouldn’t argue. He knew the game as well as I. Better, for it was his world.
He squeezed my hand in turn, then bowed smartly. “Please take care of her, Fanny.”
For once, she didn’t scold him for his familiar endearment. She nodded, her expression incensed. “Come along, my dove.”
I rose, locking my knees as they wobbled. “Will I see you on Wednesday next?” I held my breath.
He laid his hand over his heart. “Not for the world would I miss it,” he vowed, and vanished once more into the ballroom.
That was my Teddy. With that single promise, something in my chest loosened. I could handle being cut from the Marchioness’s social graces. I could take to the lack of invites, even the whispers when I moved in public now.
But if it had cost me Teddy’s company, I would have gone in and challenged the woman myself. Not, of course, that ladies dueled.
But I would have tried.
“I’m tired,” I said on a long exhale. Fanny laced my arm through hers, and I raised my chin, straightened my spine. I took a deep breath of the refreshing air, and added, “Shall we go home?”
“Can you face the crowd one last time?” Fanny asked kindly, and I hesitated. All those eyes. Judging, pitying. Mocking, no doubt, as a cut from London’s leading matriarch gave them permission to do just that.
And to think I thought the Earl of Compton handsome when he danced with me. How he must have laughed to know he charmed me before delivering the knife.
“Of course,” I said coolly, and stepped once more into the crush to retrieve my things.
I’d be damned if I let the bloody-faced cow beat me now.
Chapter Four
T he Midnight Menagerie kept extremely late hours. Fortunately, it was just before midnight when I returned home to change, and not too long later when I arrived below. As I crossed through the open gate, I searched the spot where I’d left Cummings tied and saw no trace of either his or my passing.
Someone had found him, and the odds were good that it was one of the Menagerie’s people.
I huddled into my overcoat and breathed out a fog that contrasted with the haze around me. It was cold below the drift, lacking entirely the clarity that made
I found the veranda doors, and a blast of cold air wafted over my face. I blinked hard, fighting back an angry strain of tears, to find Teddy hovering beside me, concern in his kind hazel eyes.
“Cherry? Cherry, buck up, there’s a girl.” He tapped my cheek as if I’d faint, and I realized he’d stripped off a glove; a terrible outrage in the ballroom.
A cold wind zipped over me, sharp as knives through the abysmal protection of my gown. My fists clenched so tightly, I heard each individual knuckle crack. “That horrible—” I began viciously, but got no farther as Fanny seized my shoulders and clutched me close.
“My poor child,” she said softly.
But there was steel in her reassurance. A tone I had long since learned to recognize. Mrs. Fortescue was angry.
There simply wasn’t anything to be done about it. I’d been cut.
I closed my eyes, allowing myself to sink upon the decorative iron bench beside me.
“What shall I do?” Teddy demanded. “Shall I fetch a glass of wine? Something to eat?” His fists clenched by his sides. “My pistols?”
I winced. “No.” Fanny’s stranglehold loosened, and I patted her arm as I disengaged myself. The cold beat against my skin, but my blood surged with anger and shame. Cut in front of all of London proper.
I wouldn’t easily live this one down. My household would feel the sting.
“Something,” Teddy insisted. “There must be—”
“Home.” I smiled, but knew it was a weary thing as I reached out to take Teddy’s bare hand in mine. I squeezed it affectionately. “Don’t let your reputation be sliced to ribbons for me, Teddy. Go back in and find ladies to dance with. Pretend it meant nothing.”
His lips thinned.
But he wouldn’t argue. He knew the game as well as I. Better, for it was his world.
He squeezed my hand in turn, then bowed smartly. “Please take care of her, Fanny.”
For once, she didn’t scold him for his familiar endearment. She nodded, her expression incensed. “Come along, my dove.”
I rose, locking my knees as they wobbled. “Will I see you on Wednesday next?” I held my breath.
He laid his hand over his heart. “Not for the world would I miss it,” he vowed, and vanished once more into the ballroom.
That was my Teddy. With that single promise, something in my chest loosened. I could handle being cut from the Marchioness’s social graces. I could take to the lack of invites, even the whispers when I moved in public now.
But if it had cost me Teddy’s company, I would have gone in and challenged the woman myself. Not, of course, that ladies dueled.
But I would have tried.
“I’m tired,” I said on a long exhale. Fanny laced my arm through hers, and I raised my chin, straightened my spine. I took a deep breath of the refreshing air, and added, “Shall we go home?”
“Can you face the crowd one last time?” Fanny asked kindly, and I hesitated. All those eyes. Judging, pitying. Mocking, no doubt, as a cut from London’s leading matriarch gave them permission to do just that.
And to think I thought the Earl of Compton handsome when he danced with me. How he must have laughed to know he charmed me before delivering the knife.
“Of course,” I said coolly, and stepped once more into the crush to retrieve my things.
I’d be damned if I let the bloody-faced cow beat me now.
Chapter Four
T he Midnight Menagerie kept extremely late hours. Fortunately, it was just before midnight when I returned home to change, and not too long later when I arrived below. As I crossed through the open gate, I searched the spot where I’d left Cummings tied and saw no trace of either his or my passing.
Someone had found him, and the odds were good that it was one of the Menagerie’s people.
I huddled into my overcoat and breathed out a fog that contrasted with the haze around me. It was cold below the drift, lacking entirely the clarity that made
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