Page 25 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
“He is so very sweet,” Juliana said, but before she could continue, Matthew stepped between them.
“I was just returning Juliana home, and then I will meet you,” he said to Betsy. “Tell Mother apologies for my lateness.”
Juliana looked at him in dismay. “I am keeping you from an engagement?”
“Just dinner with my family.”
“You should join us,” Betsy suggested, and Juliana responded with, “I’d love to!” just as Matthew ground out, “Absolutely not.”
“I do not mean to intrude, but if I am welcome, I would be most interested in accompanying you.” She stopped as her face heated again, and she regretted her pale cheeks and their propensity to show her every emotion. “That is, if I would be invited.”
“Of course. Guests are always welcome at my mother’s dinner table,” Betsy said, but Matthew, of course, was already shaking his head.
“You wouldn’t be interested,” he said, “and your family will wonder where you are.”
Juliana placed her hands on her hips.
“On the contrary. I would be most pleased to meet your family and share a meal. I shall send a note to my brother telling him I have a dinner engagement, if he is even interested as he will likely be preoccupied with Emma. She is expecting and Giles is quite attentive. Besides, Emma will come up with an excuse for me if it is required, as long as she knows that I am safe — which I am, for I am with you. My mother and sister are out for the evening, so they will not even notice.” She decided that Matthew was no longer welcome to have an opinion in this and turned to Betsy. “How far do we have to go?”
Betsy appeared to be quite enjoying their exchange.
“It is not far at all. Just around the corner. Mother will bemostexcited to meet you.”
Juliana stole a glance at Matthew, who appeared rather pained, but he seemed to have accepted the fact that there wasn’t much he could do about the situation now that Betsy and Juliana had started forward. Juliana saw Tom clap a hand on his shoulder in solidarity, and she had to laugh even as she wondered if this was the best of ideas.
But she was too interested in what was awaiting her to question it any further.
Betsy chatted amiably with her about everything and nothing as they made their way down the wide street and turned the corner to a much narrower road with doorways rather close together. Matthew said nothing at all until they arrived at a small home on the corner, which looked remarkably well kept and quite comfortable. They didn’t knock on the door but instead Matthew walked right in. With only the slightest of hesitations, Juliana stepped in front of him when he held the door open for her, only to be greeted by a cacophony of smells and voices.
“There you are!”
A tall, statuesque woman wielding a wooden spoon came toward the front entrance to greet them. She hugged Betsy, kissed the baby, patted Tom, and swatted Matthew all in seemingly one motion before her eyes came to rest on Juliana.
“And just who do we have here?”
“Juliana,” she said, introducing herself when it seemed that Matthew had lost his voice. “I hope you do not mind that I have invited myself to your home.”
“Nonsense,” Betsy said, waving a hand before walking deeper into the sitting area of the house. “I invited you.”
“You are welcome, my dear,” the woman said, although she was obviously quite interested in just what Juliana’s connection was to any of her children. “I haven’t seen you around before and I’ve lived here all of my life. When did you meet Betsy?”
“About five minutes ago,” Juliana said with a smile. “Matthew was escorting me home and Betsy and Tom happened upon us.”
“Well, I am certainly glad they did,” she said with a warm smile, although she obviously had a number of questions for her son, who stood like a brooding statue behind her.
Juliana turned toward him. “Would it be possible to send the note round? I shall tell my brother I have remained with Lady Maria to dine tonight.”
“You have certainly been spending a lot of time with Lady Maria,” he said with the first sign of humour on his face since they had run into Betsy, and Juliana couldn’t help but chuckle herself.
“I suppose I shall have to call upon her and tell her that I have been using her as an excuse. I have no idea if she will help me or not as that seems fairly terrible of me, but I best try.”
A man who must be Matthew’s father came in and greeted them, taking her cloak.
“Mr. Archibald,” Juliana greeted him, and he waved her words away.
“Call me Henry. And welcome to our home.”
Matthew led her into the small sitting area, which was full of people who must be his siblings and their spouses, while children were playing with various dolls and other wooden toys on the floor before them. It was noisy, boisterous, and so different from any meal Juliana had ever attended before.
