Tristan released her at once. “Good night, darling.” He caught up her hand and brushed a lingering kiss on her knuckles. “I will see you later,” he added softly.
“Good night,” she replied with a tremulous smile. She wasn’t wrong about him. She didn’t—couldn’t—believe that. It would come out right. She was sure of it.
It had to. Didn’t it?
Evangeline seized her wrist and towed her down the hall, swiping at her eyes once or twice. Joan glanced behind her, but didn’t see either Sir Richard or Tristan following. In the hall her aunt sent a footman off to fetch the carriage, snapping at him to hurry. Another servant rushed to bring their cloaks, and Evangeline almost shoved Joan out the door.
“I hope,” she said when they were alone in the carriage, “that my fears are unfounded. I hope my trust has not been abused. I hope—” Her voice broke. “I hope I shall have nothing dreadful to confess to your parents.”
Joan was grateful for the darkness that hid her face. “I’m sure you don’t.”
“When I suggested you let him kiss you, I never meant you should walk away from a ball, where dozens of people might notice your absence and his! I never meant you should be indiscreet—a kiss could be given in a moment of privacy, behind a garden hedge or around a corner. You should not have stolen away to the loneliest part of the house where everyone will draw the worst conclusions!” This time there was a definite sob in her aunt’s anguished cry.
She began to feel very guilty. As much as she longed to, there was no real defense available to her. She couldn’t protest that nothing had happened, because it most certainly had. She couldn’t wave aside the notice of gossips and busybodies, because she knew quite well it was almost guaranteed. Not only were she and Tristan both taller than average, her gown had drawn attention. She knew people had been remarking his presence at her side, although she’d never really regretted that fact the way she did right now. It was inevitable that someone would whisper about it, and then it would be all over London. The notorious Lord Burke seduced the daughter of the very proper Lady Bennet! The first frisson of panic went up her spine as the realization crashed over her that her mother would hear of this.
“I’m very, very sorry,” she told her aunt. “I didn’t think ... well, not clearly enough. He didn’t really tell me we were sneaking off, he just took my hand, and then ...” She blinked, her own eyes growing wet. “But I wanted to go with him. He—he did kiss me, Evangeline—”
Her aunt made a sound like a strangled sob.
“And it was lovely,” Joan added longingly. “I love him. And I think he loves me.”
“Did he say so?” Evangeline leaned forward anxiously. “If he declared himself, my dear, this will all end well. Your father will allow it, if your heart is engaged. Your mother will see the wisdom of the match; it’s a very good one for both parties. Tell me he proposed marriage, or made any promise at all, and I shall stop haranguing you at once.”
“Not—not precisely marriage, no,” she said in a small voice.
Evangeline sat back and put her hands over her face. “Then I needn’t waste time worrying over whether Richard will shoot him. If Richard doesn’t, I most assuredly will.”
“Oh, no!” she gasped. “Why would you?”
“Joan.” Her aunt’s voice sharpened. “You are not that naive.”
“But I want to marry him,” she protested.
“I should bloody well hope so! You may have no other choice.”
“I could say I felt unwell and went to the retiring room alone ...” Joan offered, more for her aunt’s sake than her own.
“I looked for you there,” snapped her aunt. “Another young lady stepped on her flounce and tore it off; there were several people helping calm her and mend it. They will know you weren’t there.”
“Perhaps I found a quiet room to sit and recover from a headache ...”
“More than one person remarked Lord Burke’s absence. How will you explain that coincidence, after the attention he paid you? It looked to everyone as though he was declaring his intentions, and then both of you disappeared. And you, sly minx! Encouraging me to dance with Sir Richard so I would be distracted!”
“No!” Joan protested at once. “That is not why. I’d no idea Tristan and I would ... I only wanted you to dance and enjoy yourself.”
Evangeline sighed. “In the end, that matters naught. My dear, you are caught. Take it from one who has made the same mistake and searched in vain for a way out.”
Joan bit her lip as the carriage turned into South Audley Street. “What will you tell my parents?”
Her aunt said nothing. She had the front facing seat, and her gaze was fixed out the window. In the lamplight her face was pale, but she seemed suddenly turned to stone.
“Evangeline?” Joan leaned forward and touched her aunt’s arm. “Are you ill?”
“Not yet,” said the other woman in a strained voice. “Your parents are home.”
Chapter 24
The frisson of panic bloomed into full-scale alarm. It was one thing to contemplate her mother hearing about tonight, and a very different thing to be faced with the consequences right this minute. “Now?”
