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But after he deposited her back at her aunt’s side?

The world changed. Lady Wharton’s normally cheerful face had turned faintly green. She caught Livie’s arm. “We’re leaving.”

“Why?” Livie asked. Past her aunt’s shoulder, the Countess of Silverton whispered something in Lady Regina’s ear. As the countess drew back, Lady Regina’s lips curled, her eyes glinting with disdain. She looked Livie up and down with a terrible look of enjoyment on her face, like a cat that has cornered a mouse.

What on earth had happened?

Livie gazed back, keeping her face calm. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She certainly hadn’t enticed Lady Regina’s fiancé into the bushes, behavior that according to rumor had led to the demise of the lady’s first betrothal.

Daisy popped up at Livie’s shoulder. “Mama, the most peculiar thing just happened. I was to dance with Lord Marcellus, but he said that under the circumstances—”

“Follow me,” Lady Wharton snapped. She didn’t walk around the ballroom; she cut straight through all the clusters of people waiting for the next dance to be called. Livie had always known that her father’s older sister was a formidable person …

But now?

When the same people who normally bowed and scraped before her drew back, whispering behind their fans, looking away? Lady Wharton swept forward like a ship in full sail without regard for anyone in the room.

Lady Castlereigh was standing in the hallway with Mr. Paine, the Master of Ceremonies at Almack’s. “Lady Wharton, I shall have to withdraw your vouchers,” she said in a pained voice.

“This is a travesty, Amelia, and you know it.” Livie’s aunt snapped.

“In the event there has been a miscarriage of justice, all will be forgotten, as you know,” Lady Castlereigh stated. Her face was placid and expressionless, like a pond without a breath of wind.

Normally, Lady Wharton would curtsy before the Almack’s patroness; instead, she snatched her pelisse from a waiting footman and flew through the door, Livie and Daisy hurrying after her.

“Mama!” Daisy cried, the moment she entered the carriage. “What—”

“Be quiet,” her mother commanded. “I feel distraught. I am never distraught.” She sat upright, staring into space.

When Daisy opened her mouth anyway, Livie squeezed her hand and whispered, “Hush.” Her cousin habitually sent her mother into a fury, as when Daisy ran out to visit a bookseller without a maid in attendance. But this felt different. This, whatever this was, was of a different magnitude altogether.

For one thing, their vouchers had been withdrawn.

Livie had never heard of such a thing. Of course, young ladies, even those from good families, didn’t always receive a voucher. One of the patronesses had to personally vouch for you, your family, and, it was rumored, your dowry.

Her mother would be devastated.

With Livie’s eventual debut and need for vouchers in mind, Lady Tyron had carefully tended her childhood friendship with Lady Castlereigh with years of monthly letters, even though she confessed to finding the exchanges dull.

And now those vouchers had been withdrawn?

Livie’s heart sank to her toes. Beside her, Daisy managed to hold her tongue, though she was clearly simmering like a pot on the boil.

Finally, Lady Wharton drew in a breath. “I can’t see any way to soften the truth.”

“What?” Daisy burst out. “Mama, I didn’t do—”

“Livie, your father has been arrested for crimes of high treason.”

CHAPTER FIVE

SOCIAL RUIN IS CERTAIN

The news of her father’s arrest struck Livie like a blow to the head. One minute she was confused, and the next she was seized by rage and horror. “Father is not a traitor!” she cried.

“A crime of high treason? Uncle would never do such a thing!” Daisy chimed in, her hand tightening around Livie’s. “As you said, Mama, it’s a travesty. What do they say he supposedly did?”

“No one at Almack’s knew the details,” Lady Wharton said grimly. “When the HMS Royal Oak docked this afternoon, the Secretary of the Navy was waiting for my brother, and they took him into custody. The news only leaked this evening.”