“I have no idea. Jillian provided lessons for his brother.”
“You could teach him.”
“I—” Mari stopped, pushing away the thought of Jamie’s strong arms around her in a waltz. The butterflies took wing again. What was wrong with her? “I cannot see him hopping about to a quadrille. Can you?”
Maddie kept her eyes on the practice going on down below. “He needs to learn. From what I overheard last night, half the matrons present were planning on inviting him to balls.”
Mari felt tears sting her eyes again. Had she been worried thetonwould not accept Jamie? She was the one who was rejected. How ironic.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Maddie leaned over to hug Mari. “I know you had a difficult time last night.”
“Difficult? I was given the cut direct.” Mari stifled a sob. She’d done enough crying. “I doubt I will be receiving any more invitations.”
“Phooey. You know how fickle thetonis. As soon as someone else does something scandalous, they will forget all about your incident.”
Mari shook her head. “I might as well be ruined. I am sure those two gossips standing outside the shop embellished the whole story tremendously.”
Maddie smiled suddenly. “Perhaps I could spread a different sort of story then. I was there, after all.”
“What could you say? I was slung over Jamie’s shoulder, for goodness’ sake.”
“Were you?” Maddie tapped her finger to her mouth thoughtfully. “I think maybe what I saw was you tripping and Mr. MacLeod assisting you until you were able to walk.”
“But that is not what happened.”
“Who is to say? I am sure Mr. MacLeod is gallant enough to go along with my version.”
“Gallant? I really do not know where you are getting all these romantic notions, Maddie, but even if he agreed, Madam Dubois also witnessed what happened.”
Maddie shrugged. “I suspect if Madam Dubois received gown orders from both of us, her perspective might change.”
Mari looked at her friend in shock. “That is bribery.”
“Is it? I doubt Madam Dubois wishes to lose you as a customer.”
Oh, Lord. Was it wrong? Mari felt a slight ray of hope. Perhaps if Society were given two versions of what happened, it would create enough doubt that she would not be totally ostracized. Maddie was right. Thetonwas fickle. If she could just weather the storm for now…
Would Jamie go along with it? Mari looked down into the yard, but it was empty. Did she dare ask him?
Maddie had just gathered her reticule and gloves from Givens when Jamie appeared in the foyer.
“If ye have a minute, I would like to talk,” he said.
“Of course.” Maddie followed him into the parlor, noticing that he left the door ajar. He behaved perfectly properly, choosing a seat across from the sofa where she sat. She really did not understand how Mari could think the handsome Mr. MacLeod a barbarian. “What is on your mind?”
He paused as though thinking carefully what to say. “I dinnae understand all the rules of yerton, and I dinnae understand why anyone would blame Mari for my actions in the shop, but I need to make this right.”
Maddie smiled at him. “I have an idea.” When she finished telling him of her plan, he shook his head.
“’Twas nae what happened.”
“That is what Mari said too, but it really is the best way—”
“If Mari daesna agree, than neither do I.”
She was beginning to see what Mari meant about Mr. MacLeod’s stubbornness. “If we can show those two gossips exaggerated, this will all become of little interest, and thetonwill move on to more juicyon-dits.” She leaned forward. “Mari simply must get an invitation to Almack’s next month.”
“What is Almack’s? And why is it so important?”
