“A pity, indeed,” she agreed.
A few minutes later, when the dance ended and the orchestra took a break, Lord Trent returned her to her parents’ table. Daphne and Lord Mangue arrived a moment later.
“May I escort these two lovely ladies down the Grand South Walk?” Lord Trent asked. “We’ll go down one side and back up the other. As a married lady and mother, Lady Hollidge must be considered a suitable chaperone.”
“As long as you don’t go as far as the Firework Tower,” Lord Chimes warned. “I don’t want these girls anywhere near the Dark Walk.”
“We shall turn on the path by the third arch,” Lord Trent promised.
Caroline thought Geoffrey’s plan was going exceedingly well, but Lord Mangue was not to be left out.
“Capital idea,” he said, earning Caroline’s mother’s nod of approval. “Lord Trent and I shall keep them safe and enjoy the gardens at the same time.”
Caroline’s heart sank.How would she get away from him?
The four of them departed the Grove to promenade down the Grand South Walk toward the less busy sections of the Pleasure Gardens.
Simply knowing Lord Diamond was nearby had Caroline tingling with excitement. As they approached the third Triumphal Arch where Lord Trent had indicated Geoffrey would be, the hair on the back of her neck rose, imagining him watching from the darkness. They turned as promised to cross the width of the gardens.
A moment later, Lord Diamond sauntered toward them, hailing his friend Lord Trent and also greeting Lord Mangue.
“Do you know Lady Caroline and Lady Hollidge?” Lord Trent asked his friend, sounding sincere.
“I have had the pleasure of making Lady Caroline’s acquaintance,” Lord Diamond acknowledged, taking her hand and bowing over it, giving her knuckles a gentle squeezebefore he released her.
“And while I have met Lord Hollidge at my club, I have not yet been introduced to his lovely wife. Good evening, Lady Hollidge.” He turned his full attention upon Daphne, taking her hand and bowing over it.
Caroline almost wished Daphne were single at that moment, for then Lord Diamond could feign interest in her. If he were linked with Daphne in the public’s perception, then they could be near one another more easily.
“Even though it is an odd number, my lord, if you are alone, why don’t you join our happy group,” Caroline offered.
“How gracious of you,” Lord Diamond said.
Soon the five of them were watching the rope-dancing theatre. If only Lord Mangue wasn’t there, Caroline could speak freely in front of their respective friends. Yet despite wracking her brain, she could think of no way to put the man off.
“Are you here escorting your sister?” Lord Diamond suddenly asked Lord Mangue.
“No, why do you ask?”
Lord Diamond made a great show of appearing mortified. “I should have said nothing. I apologize.”
Alarmed, Lord Mangue insisted he answer. “Tell me, Diamond.”
“I would swear I saw her earlier when I arrived. She has brown hair and a single mole on her cheek, does she not?”
“She does, but my family made no mention of her coming here tonight, nor can I imagine whom she was with.”
Lord Diamond gave a grimacing smile. “No matter, then. She wasn’t actually with anyone. Walking along on this very path when I last saw her, and she was quite alone, so that’s fine.”
“Are you mad?” Lord Mangue exclaimed. “That’s not fine at all. Tell me precisely where she was going.”
Lord Diamond widened his eyes as if only just realizing something.
“Come to think of it, Mangue, I believe she was heading toward,” he paused, looking toward the far wall at the back of Vauxhall’s acreage before he whispered, “the Dark Walk.”
Lord Mangue reared back as if facing a tiger.
“You probably should make sure she is well,” Lord Trent advised. “Although odds are she was meeting a friend and isn’t alone any longer.”
