She didn’t pause, and she didn’t look back, but fled down the hallway, clutching the gaping neck of her gown in her fist. A sob rose in her chest and burned up her throat, but she choked it back and stumbled on, around corners and down hallways she’d never seen, past doorways she didn’t recognize.
She ran until she was panting, her heart thrashing in her chest, turning one corner after another, certain she heard the thud of heavy footsteps behind her. When she stopped at last her hair was tumbling down her back, her eyes were blurry with tears, and she was lost in some corridor in Steeple Cross she’d never set foot in before.
Thud.
She froze as the muffled footsteps came toward her. It was Lord Boggs, come after her! It must be. She pressed flat against the wall behind her, gasping for breath, her heart shuddering with panic, but there was no place to hide, and his footsteps were drawing closer—
“Miss Templeton? Are you lost, miss?”
“Sarah.” Juliet sagged against the wall, weak-kneed with relief. “I, ah… it’s the silliest thing, but I’m afraid I got turned around on my way back to my bedchamber.”
As lies went, it was a pitiful one, but it was all she could do not to burst into tears.
Sarah wasn’t fooled, of course. Her kind brown eyes widened as she took in Juliet’s disheveled hair and clothing, but she didn’t ask any questions, bless her. “It happens all the time, miss. Steeple Cross is a big, confusing place.”
“It is, isn’t it?” In more ways than one.
“Shall I just fasten your buttons for you, miss?” Sarah didn’t wait for an answer, but set the heavy coal scuttle she was carrying down on the floor, turned Juliet gently around and fastened the row of buttons on the back of her gown. Then with a few quick tugs, she settled her skirts in place. “There you are, miss. That’s much better.”
“Thank you, Sarah.” Tears were threatening again, her nose burning and her throat aching, but she held them back with ruthless determination. At the very least, she could do her best not to fall utterly to pieces in front of poor Sarah. “If you could point me in the direction of my bedchamber, Sarah, I’d be most grateful to you.”
“I’ll take you there myself, miss.” Sarah gave her a reassuring smile. “I was just going to the guest wing to see to the fires, in any case.”
“How fortunate. Thank you.” Juliet followed after her like a lost puppy, down one corridor after the next, around a dozen corners and past endless closed doors, until at last they turned into the hallway with the familiar green-and-gold patterned carpet, and the green-striped wallpaper.
“Here you are, Miss Templeton. Shall I come lay a fire for—”
“No, thank you, Sarah.” She wouldn’t be here long enough to enjoy a fire. “I’ll be fine. You’re very kind. Thank you.”
“Of course, miss.” There was unmistakable sympathy in Sarah’s eyes, but she only nodded again, and made her way down the corridor, back in the direction they’d come.
Juliet hurried into her bedchamber, closed the door behind her and fell back against it, her breath hitching. The urge to throw herself onto her bed and succumb to a despairing flood of tears was unbearable, but there wasn’t time.
She’d have to move quickly.
She peeled her eyelids up from sticky, aching eyes and glanced at the door that connected her room to Lady Fosberry’s. If she opened that door right now, woke Lady Fosberry and poured all her misery out at her ladyship’s feet, Lady Fosberry would soothe and pet and reassure her, and then she’d do whatever Juliet asked of her, even if it meant a hasty retreat from Steeple Cross.
The two of them could be tucked into a carriage and on the road back to London within the hour. But Lady Fosberry was no fool, nor was she naïve. She’d see at once that something had gone terribly amiss, and she wouldn’t rest until she found out what it was.
Once she did…
She’d never allow her dear young friend to be so grievously insulted without doing everything in her power to see it set to rights, and then there’d be no end to this miserable business.
No. She couldn’t bear it. It turned her stomach.
So, she didn’t approach the connecting door. Instead, she hurried to the desk, fumbled about until she found paper, a pen and some ink, and scrawled a hasty note to her ladyship. Then she changed into her warmest traveling dress, donned her cloak, stuffed a few bits and pieces she thought she’d need into her valise, and pushed the note under the connecting door.
Then she slipped out, and took care to pay attention to where she was going.
“Juliet? My goodness, you’re up early.” Lady Cora was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes when she opened her bedchamber door.
“Yes, I beg your pardon for waking you. I need…” She needed so many things, she hardly knew where to begin.
But what she needed most was to leave Steeple Cross.Now.
“Dear me, you’re already dressed. You make me feel quite lazy. Where are you going at such an early…” Lady Cora trailed off, her smile fading when she noticed Juliet’s expression. “Oh, dear. Something dreadful has happened, hasn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so, yes, but there’s no time for me to tell you now.” Lady Cora would hear of it soon enough, just as everyone else at Steeple Cross would. “But I need a favor, Cora. Will you help me?”
