Chapter 12

Marie breathed a sigh of relief as she placed her list of possible suitors in the bottom drawer of her desk. It felt so freeing not to have to marry a man she didn't love. Although she did believe that love was possible with the right person, rushed matches hardly ever turned out to be right matches without the proper time and dedication.

Looking to the left, she noted the time on the small wooden clock that had belonged to her father. Her grandmother had insisted she bring it to her shop as a reminder of her parents and how proud they would have been of her. The small black handles indicated that luncheon had long since come and passed. She had woken up especially early to come and tidy the shop along with Janey after the previous day's altercation with James.

That's strange.

A frown creased her brow as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Her clients were late from time to time but never by hours. She reasoned with herself that someone may have gotten cold feet.

Still…

The nagging voice at the back of her mind made her shift in her seat. Even if someone had changed their mind, there should have been a note to say that they weren't coming. There was only an hour left until the next appointment.

The door to the back of the shop opened as Janey stuck her head around the corner. "Do you need the tea yet, miss?" She glanced around the shop with a worried frown.

"Not yet, it would seem that our first appointment has either been canceled or they are running late." Marie tapped her fingers impatiently on her desk.

"Oh, I see," Janey said distractedly and disappeared from view again.

People milled about on the busy street outside, none of them even glancing in her direction.

Standing with a sigh, she made her way over to the window and folded her arms across her chest as she tried to catch a glimpse of the ladies she had been expecting.

A few people glanced in her direction but quickly hurried along whenever they spotted her looking. It wasn't long until she realized that people were giving her shop a wide berth. It wasn't unusual for people to look upon her with scorn, yet nobody had specifically avoided her by walking on the other side of the street.

Her heart sank with concern when two ladies stopped across the street, one whispering to the other before gripping her companion's arm and pulling her along. She had expected backlash from James, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon or for it to affect her business.

She turned away from the window and shook her head, reminding herself that James didn't hold enough influence to sway the minds of the ton.

"Is something the matter, miss?" Janey came out from the back room with a worried from, wringing her apron in front of her. The wrinkles on the usually neat apron made it seem as if she had been stressing quite a bit.

"Mrs. Pomeroy didn't show up with her daughter. I wonder if I got the date wrong. Our next client will be here soon, and they haven't sent a note to say that they have canceled." She tapped her foot impatiently on the wooden floor as she explained her concerns to her maid.

Janey opened her mouth to say something but shut it again when the bell over the door tinkled.

Relief flooded her body but left as quickly as it had come when she spotted a footman in bright blue livery.

The tall man with sandy-brown hair and a very straight nose handed her a note without saying a word and left the shop.

"What does it say? Is it from Lady Pomeroy?" Janey asked hesitantly.

Marie's eyes swept over the note as the gnawing feeling of dread continued to grow in the pit of her stomach. "No, it's from our next client, Lady Beaumont. She thanks us for our time, but will no longer be requiring our services." Her brow creased into a frown as she looked up.

"Does it say why she no longer requires our services?" Janey's eyes widened as she looked at Marie.

"It doesn't." Marie shook her head and allowed the note to fall to her side as she gripped it tightly.

"I don't suppose it means anything bad?" The maid continued to fidget with her apron as she shifted from foot to foot.

"I can't say. It has happened once or twice in the past when people have changed their minds but never twice in one day. It certainly is a first. I hesitate to say it, but I wonder if James McFunnugh hasn't been spreading rumors as revenge." She shuddered inwardly as she recalled the look of anger in his eyes when he'd handed over the contract.

Janey swallowed hard before licking over her lips.

Marie didn't blame the girl for looking so worried; a lot was riding on their business if their reputation had taken a hit. The man didn't hold any kind of sway with the ton that she knew of, but even the smallest rumor uttered at any gentleman's club would damage her reputation.

"Let's not dwell on it; there are plenty of other appointments on the books. Whatever the reason is, I'm sure that it will sort itself out soon. Why don't you get us two of those delicious cream buns from around the corner?" She forced a smile and gave Janey a task before turning back to the window with a worried frown.

The people outside seemed to be crossing over the street right before her shop and then crossing back when they wanted to access the bookstore next door.

Deciding that she couldn't wait around any longer, Marie walked to the door and exited her shop. There had to be an explanation for what was going on; something didn't sit right with her, not when one appointment was canceled without explanation and the other was missed.

The shop door shut behind her back as she stepped into the afternoon sun.

A gentleman quickly cleared his throat and hurried along when he spotted her.

This can't be just a coincidence.

She worked up her courage and walked in the opposite direction of the gentleman. If there was anywhere that people would be gossiping close to her shop, it was the café just down the street.

The door to the café opened for her as a maid stepped aside, allowing her entry into the crowded room filled with white wicker furnishings.

People stopped talking and looked at her with a great amount of curiosity as she chose a seat in the corner at a single table.

"What can I get you, miss?" The bright-eyed young blonde pulled a small book and pencil from her apron pocket as she readied herself to take Marie's order.

"Just a cup of sweet tea, thank you." She pushed the menu aside and glanced around the room, hardly paying any attention to the maid.

Few people looked at her now as they returned to their hushed conversations.

It might still be a coincidence.

She relaxed a little and sat back in the chair. There was every chance that she was overreacting, and nothing was going on at all. She'd had quite a stressful few days, and that had taken a toll on her mind and body.

"Can you believe that they went to her for help and got treated in such a manner?"

Marie's ears pricked up again as she leaned a little further back, partially obscuring herself from view, using a giant potted fern as a wall.

"I know, I heard from my maid this morning that the woman practically convinced Arabella to run away. She all but told her to ignore her parents' warnings and leave everyone behind. I'm not sure what I would do if it was my daughter, but I certainly wouldn't allow the matter to rest there." A second lady's voice carried to her ears as the pair was shown to a table on the other side of the potted plant.

The first lady seemed to tut disapprovingly as she took her seat. "Poor Lady Arrindell and her husband are shattered by their daughter's decision. They put so much effort into helping her find a suitable match. I wouldn't be surprised if that nosy matchmaker told her to never speak to them ever again."

That's a lie!

Marie's heart screamed in protest as she listened to the women speak. She would never have told a young girl to go against her parents and cast them off. She had simply told the girl to follow her heart.

"I hope she knows just how much pain she has caused those poor parents; I know that she bases her matches on love, but still." The second lady's voice trailed off as if she had made her point.

"Of course, one needs to take into account how uncomfortable and difficult life will be for such a young girl. She will never be able to shake off the scandal if she marries that simple boy."

Marie's heart stopped as she shut her eyes and struggled for breath. She had just escaped one problem, so why was she suddenly being thrust into another? She raked her mind as she tried to recall her conversation with Arabella. She had been so distracted that all she could remember was the sad look in the poor girl's eyes.

"Here is your tea, miss." The maid placed her tea in front of her on the table and left.

Trying to remain hidden, Marie leaned forward and retrieved the cup. The two ladies seemed to have moved on from one snippet of gossip to the other. She couldn't believe that Lady Arrindell was trying to throw her under the bus when her daughter had fallen in love behind their backs.

The women had spoken as if Marie had personally introduced the young girl to a man who was far beneath her station. Even if she had known the two personally, she would never have suggested a match with so much working against it. Her ears pricked up again when the ladies returned to her.

"Speaking of matches, I saw Lady Pomeroy and her daughter hurrying away from Miss Webster's shop this morning. I would not be surprised if Miss Webster gave them similar advice," the second lady who sounded a little too smug for Marie's liking informed her friend.

She wanted to jump up and scream that she never even had a chance to speak to the woman. Everything that was being said about her was completely unfounded and unjust. Taking a deep breath, she reassured herself that her past successful matches would help safeguard her against at least some of what was being said. There was no use in defending herself so publicly when any actions on her behalf would only make the situation worse.

When push came to shove, she would have people like the Duke and Duchess of St. Clair on her side. Besides them, she had made several other matches with earls and barons. Her reputation would suffer for a short while at least, but eventually, those desperate for love would come to her again.

Sitting back, she sipped on the hot tea, trying her best to reassure herself that all would work out in the end. Besides, how harmful could a bit of gossip be? Things would slow for a week, possibly two, but she and Janey would soldier on and bring the business back to where it had been.