The evening finally wound down. Madame de Villefort announced she wanted to head back to the city, something Madame Danglars had been too anxious to suggest herself, despite her growing unease. At his wife's request, Monsieur de Villefort was the first to signal it was time to leave. He offered Madame Danglars a seat in his carriage so she could ride under his wife's care. As for Monsieur Danglars, he was so absorbed in conversation with Monsieur Cavalcanti that he barely noticed anything else happening around him.
While Monte Cristo had been fetching smelling salts for Madame de Villefort, he'd caught sight of Villefort approaching Madame Danglars. Though their words were whispered too quietly for even Madame Danglars to hear properly, Monte Cristo had guessed what passed between them. Without interfering with their arrangements, he allowed Morrel, Château-Renaud, and Debray to leave on horseback while the ladies departed in Villefort's carriage.
