It wasn’t unreasonable to want to protect herself from hurt, was it? Just look at how her own mother had been affected when their father had been taken from her. It had taken her years to be merry again. And yet Mother had often said that she’d rather have had those years with their father—even knowing the heartache that would follow—as opposed to a life spent without him.

Georgie blinked as the blur of London rolled past the windows. Love, it seemed, was like Mr. Johnstone’s submarine—there were no half measures. You had to fully commit. To close the hatch, put your life in another’s hands, and trust you wouldn’t drown. It was easier said than done.

Should she tell Benedict how she felt? What good could it do, when their arrangement was only temporary? He hadn’t asked for her to fall in love with him; he’d probably just feel guilty and awkward because he didn’t return the sentiment. What he felt for her was lust, not love.

Their return to Grosvenor Square elicited the expected flurry of concerned scolding from their mother. Tilly the maid had been cajoled into telling all, and no sooner had Georgie and Juliet been ushered into the drawing room than Mother demanded to know what on earth had possessed them both. Georgie was reprimanded for abandoning Charlotte in the park and “disappearing heaven knows where.” She was given no chance to explain, however, before Juliet was subjected to Mother’s patented what-did-I-do-to-deserve-such-a-trial-for-a-daughter glare.

“Eloping?” she wailed. “Why, Juliet? And with that penniless poet Pettigrew!”

Georgie tried not to snort at the unintentionally amusing alliteration.

Juliet firmed her jaw. “I love him, Mother. We make each other happy. I don’t want to marry anyone else.”

Mother dabbed the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief. “But to be seen leaving with him in a carriage. Unaccompanied. In broad daylight! And then to return home unwed? Oh, the shame!”

Georgie coughed to interrupt what promised to be a fit of dramatic sobbing and general palpitations. “If you’ll just listen for a moment, Mother, I can explain. Yes, Juliet and Simeon were planning to elope, but they abandoned their plans to come and help me. I was kidnapped from the park by Josiah.”

Juliet threw her a grateful look. Mother clutched her handkerchief to her quivering bosom and gasped. “Kidnapped? Why on earth would Josiah do that?”

“Because he’s gambled himself into a hole and thought the best way to get himself out of it was to demand all my jewelry in exchange for my safe release.”

Mother gaped at her. “Why, that little weasel! I always knew he was a bad one. You didn’t oblige him, did you?”

“I did not. Luckily, Benedict Wylde intervened. He succeeded in subduing Josiah and returning my jewels to me.”

Mother frowned. “Wylde rescued you?”