"I do not know, Mr. Crouch," Marianne replied, taking back the cordial tone she'd used earlier. "If I knew my daughter's whereabouts at all times, we probably wouldn't be speaking here at this moment."

Melody had begged for them to attend that ball last year. If only she'd yielded and not allowed for them to go, none of this would have happened. Melody would be Mrs. St. John-Black and she would likely be better off than she was now.