Page 14 of The Uncompromising Marquess
Lord Applegate’s words pierced Florence’s heart as she gasped in shock.
“Whatever injury you speak of, I am not to blame,” he continued, a trifle brusquely. “Now, if you will excuse me, I should like to return to my conversation.”
Florence’s mouth dropped open as she stared aghast at Lord Applegate. The very next second, tears began to burn in her eyes as she caught the superior look on her mother’s face. Turning away, she felt Helena’s arm around her shoulders but, shrugging it off, she pushed her way through the crowd and out of the ballroom entirely.
7
“Lord Applegate?”
Joseph frowned, swiveling on his heel as his conversation with Lord and Lady Hardy was interrupted. An older lady stood with her head lifted, looking at him with a slightly raised eyebrow. When he said nothing, she continued speaking to him as if they were already introduced, even though he had no recollection of her.
“I hear that some incident occurred recently where my daughter was injured. It was only a trifle, of course, but she states that it was entirely your doing, Lord Applegate. Is that so?”
Joseph cleared his throat, doing his best to keep his composure in public. This lady was riling him with her sharp questions and slightly narrowed eyes, as well as her rude, inconsiderate manner. “I beg your pardon?” His voice was a little louder than perhaps it ought to have been, but Joseph did not lower it. Whilst he could not speak his mind in public, Joseph wanted to make it quite clear that he did not think well of this interruption. Pulling his gaze away from the lady, he let his gaze dart about the room, aware of just how many guestswere present. His breath hitched as his eyes landed upon Lady Florence and Lady Wickton and, at that very same moment, realized precisely what it was that this lady now spoke of. It was the incident that had taken place at the soiree, when he had accidentally caught Lady Florence’s cheek with his hand – but he would not have called that an injury, would he?
“My daughter, Lady Florence?” The lady – Lady Grangemouth, if he recalled correctly – tilted her head just a fraction. “She has informed me that what took place was entirelyyourfault, Lord Applegate. Is that what took place?”
Looking around before he answered, Joseph took in the number of faces turning their attention towards them, clearly hearing the conversation. This was garnering more attention with every passing second, and he did not much like it. Heat rose in his chest as he saw just how many people were listening to him, hearing the accusation that this lady had put to him. He had a choice before him, a choice that would bring the murmurs of thetondown upon him if he was not careful.
I did not injure her, not in the way that she is suggesting,Joseph told himself, standing tall.I do not want thetonto think that I have done anything serious, especially not when I am trying to find a suitable young lady to wed.
His choice was made. “I do not know what you are speaking of, I am afraid.” Joseph gave her a small nod before turning away again, shame beginning to burn up his chest and into his throat, not daring to look at Lady Florence. “Whatever injury you speak of, I am not to blame. Now, if you will excuse me, I should like to return to my conversation.”
Lady Grangemouth made a noise in the back of her throat that sounded like disbelief, but Joseph did not want to turn back to look at her. As far as he was concerned, the conversation was at an end.
“I think you must be mistaken, Applegate.”
The clear voice of his sister swung through the air towards him, and Joseph’s stomach dropped to the floor.
“Do wait a moment, if you will.”
As Joseph glanced over his shoulder, hoping that there would be very few onlookers, he caught his sister drawing the attention of Lady Grangemouth.
“My brother has forgotten, I am sure,” Emily continued with a congenial smile on her face – a smile that did not spread up into her eyes. “Applegate, are you sure you do not remember what happened?”
Joseph’s jaw set tight as he turned to face his sister and Lady Grangemouth. “Emily, I do not think that this is an appropriate time for any such conversation.”
Her eyebrows lifted, and Joseph’s face grew hot but he did not move nor pull his gaze away. Yes, he might well have been in the wrong to deny what he had done, but his sisterhadto understand that he had done so for good reason – he had not wanted theton’s whispers to start surrounding him, believing that he had caused Lady Florence some grievous injury!
“What do you mean?” Lady Grangemouth was frowning herself now, looking very confused indeed. “Lord Applegate has already confirmed to me that he has done nothing. There is nothing more to say. It is clear to me that, just as I suspected, my daughter was the cause of whatever took place. She has brought the injury upon herself, just as she has always done.”
These words sent a twist of guilt through Joseph’s heart, and he dropped his gaze, his shoulders rounding a little. He did not know what Lady Grangemouth meant by stating that it was ‘just as she has always done’ but he did not much like the tone in which that had been spoken. Conflicted, he ran one hand over his jaw, seeing Emily’s eyes narrowing just a fraction as she held his gaze.
He swallowed hard.
“I am sure that my brother has forgotten, so youmustexcuse him,” Emily said, before Joseph could open his mouth. “There have been so many balls and soirees and the like, he has mayhap quite forgot what took place!” Looking back at him, she smiled sweetly, steel shining in her eyes. “Do you not remember? With Lady Florence? I myself was present so I saw everything.”
Joseph curled his hands tight. “Lady Florence?” he asked, as if to suggest that he could not remember the lady. “What evening was it, Emily?”
Lady Grangemouth’s head turned one way and then the next, watching the conversation flow but saying nothing.
“Why, it was the evening that I surprised you with my unexpected arrival,” Emily answered, her tone steady but the weight in her eyes growing continually, near forcing a response from Joseph. “I amcertainyou will remember what took place, will you not?”
Letting a frown pull at his brows, Joseph cleared his throat gruffly. “I do not recall any severe injury.”
Lady Grangemouth blinked.
“I did accidentally catch Lady Florence’s cheek with my hand,” he continued, speaking quickly now so that it would all come out at once instead of being forced from him bit by bit. “It was an accident, of course, but I did not see any severe injury, Lady Grangemouth.”
