Page 70 of Leap of Faith
When they pulled up to the gates of Vauxhall, they were not the only ones arriving by boat, but the others were in hired wherries.
“Look!” Hope exclaimed. “It’s magical.”
Thousands of colourful lanterns twinkled throughout the trees of the park, and music wafted seemingly from the trees as they wandered away through the dim paths towards the grove. This was notonevent, as commoners mixed with Society on neutral ground.
“Remember, never go anywhere without one of us,” Westwood warned. “As you can see, the rules of the beau monde do not apply here. The women are not all ladies and the men will not behave as gentlemen. And under no circumstances take to the dark walk—even together! There are no rules at all there.”
“You fill me with such confidence,” Faith muttered.
“I want you to carry this. It is only a precaution.” He slipped a muff pistol into her hand. Faith looked at it as though it were poison, but slipped it into her pocket, wondering why they had come after all. However, her sisters’ faces were full of delight, and had she not been afraid of what Sir Julian would try next, perhaps she would have been excited as well.
* * *
Thus far,the evening was going as planned. The Whitford ladies seemed delighted by Vauxhall—even Dominic had to admit it was enchanting. The weather was warm with a slight breeze coming off the river. The music was superb, and so far, the audience was well behaved. Often the more raucous crowds did not venture out until later at night, and Dominic hoped to have the ladies safely tucked up in their beds by then.
At the end of the performance, the music changed for dancing and a light supper was served. An array of chicken, thinly sliced ham, bread, and fruits were served them, along with the rack punch that the gardens was known for.
Friends and acquaintances passed by to greet them, and Dominic thought Miss Whitford had relaxed enough to enjoy herself.
Lady Sefton, one of Lady Westwood’s close friends, stopped by the box with her husband. “We just came from watching the acrobats and they were walking across ropes over our heads!” she marvelled.
“There are acrobats here? Where?”
“On the path to the rotunda,” she answered.
“May we go see? Surely it would be safe if we all go together?” Hope asked.
“I think if ten of us go, there could be no harm,” Rotham offered.
“Very well,” Dominic conceded. It was still not late, and none of the walks were considered dangerous. The paths were crowded, however, and they were jostled about as people moved in either direction.
“Take my arm,” Dominic said to Miss Whitford, as he was already placing her hand through his elbow. It was a firmer grip than if they’d been on promenade.
Carew was on her other side escorting Grace. For some reason he did not care to examine, Dominic was grateful to have her to himself.
“Look!” Hope said as she pointed.
There, strung above the paths were ropes, and men in very tight breeches were walking across, a couple of them even twirling batons with fire on either end.
As the group made to walk underneath, Dominic halted them. “Perhaps here would be safer,” he remarked. “And more decent,” he muttered.
The acrobats continued to put on a display, twirling and tossing the batons back-and-forth between each other. They scurried across the ropes and, occasionally, one of them would perform a leap and a twirl on the thin rope.
“You find this a dead bore, I imagine,” Miss Whitford said in his ear.
“What does that matter? You and your sisters are delighted.”
She laughed. “It takes very little for those who have been sheltered in the country. I imagine if they had been of the female variety, it might have been a bit more attractive to you.”
He looked down and smiled at her. “But of course.”
“Shall we walk on to the rotunda? It is much too crowded here for my liking.” He signalled over the ladies’ heads to his brother and Rotham, and they indicated to the others to move along.
Rotham was at the far end with his brother and Fielding, and they began to push their way through the mass of people. However, someone took exception to being forced to move and turned around and threw a punch. It connected with Rotham’s shoulder, and he thrust out an elbow to protect Miss Hope.
“Mill!” someone shouted, and that was all it took for the scene to erupt into chaos.
Arms were swinging everywhere whether they connected with flesh or not; the ladies were shrieking with displeasure and horror—although, a time or two, he saw one of them put out a well-placed leg to trip someone or shove someone in the back when they came too close.
