Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Helena sat on her bed, pillows propped behind her, and read the same line in her book for the third time. Somehow, the sentence still did not make any sense.
“What is the use?” she muttered.
She hardly remembered a word she read in the last half hour. Putting the book down on the bedside table, she swung her legs down the side of the bed and stood up.
Helena paced her room the same way she had at Hyde Park. But she felt that her mind moved at a much faster speed. His voice, his look, his words seemed to repeat themselves in her mind.
I propose a false engagement between you and me.
“Absolutely mad!”
What kind of man—nay, gentleman—would propose such an arrangement?
“A mad one!”
She stopped in front of her vanity mirror and sat down. She reached behind her and started undoing her braid to give her hands an occupation. Taking her brush, she passed it through her blond hair absent-mindedly.
If people believe us to be courting, there will be no gossip—not the destructive kind, that is. There will be no scandal, and more importantly, it will allow you to keep a closer watch on Chastity’s suitors, since there will be no unwanted advances on yourself. Your only focus will be on Chastity.
I can be of actual help as well, for I will easily recognize every rake in London.
Being connected to you would spare me the endless parade of matchmaking efforts from ambitious mamas. Indeed, I do not need a repeat of the events at Lady Chapman’s ball.
“The proposal is unconventional, but I cannot deny its logic or its usefulness,” she murmured begrudgingly to her reflection.
She knew that gossip would have already formed about Chastity and her dance partners and suitors.
If they kept running into Matteo as they had been the past few days—indeed, Helena was convinced that he was running into them, on purpose—the ton would have contrived new gossip about Chastity associating with him, a renowned rake!
There was no saying what kind of damage that could bring to her sister’s prospects.
A false engagement between the duke and her would definitely stop gossip from spreading.
“Am I even considering agreeing to his proposal? What am I to say to Papa and Mama?”
Of course, they need not know the full extent of the arrangement. She had had falling outs with suitors before—and although a broken engagement would be a weightier thing—it was something that she believed she could manage, especially as she was already considered a spinster.
She could and would manage her parents and convince them to give her a reward as she would see her sisters wed. But for now, the more important thing was to give her full effort for Chastity.
She looked at herself incredulously in the mirror. Helena considered herself a most sensible woman, able to see things in a most matter-of-fact and practical way. And yet here she was thinking over Matteo Castor’s proposal of a fake engagement.
“Because there is some merit to it. Even more than some.”
She shook her head in reluctant acknowledgement, somehow already knowing that she would agree to it.
“But not without some conditions, if you please!”
There must be rules, and she must be the one to set them. She must think them through properly.
Helena stood up, took the candle from her bedside table, and brought it to her desk. Pen and parchment ready, she started writing a note to Matteo Castor asking him to call the next day.
Matteo was halfway to finishing his breakfast when his butler handed him the sealed piece of parchment. He knew at once that it was from Helena.
“Thank you, Mr. Bordley.”
Taking one last drink from his teacup, he stood up and went directly to his study, leaving his breakfast. He did not want anyone, not maids or footmen, not even the dependable Mr. Bordley, around when he read the letter.
He secured the lock on the door and hastily broke the seal. He ignored the sudden racing of his heart. Unfolding the note, Matteo focused on the elegant hand.
Your Grace,
If you would be so kind as to call at Huntington House this morning, I would be very much grateful. The hour before noon would be ideal.
There are things that must be discussed.
Yours, etc.,
H. A.
Matteo smiled broadly. He felt his shoulders relax as he dropped into the wingback chair behind his desk.
“Of course, there are things that she wishes to discuss.” Matteo grinned to himself. “She would hardly be Helena if she did not.”
He ran a finger over her closing lines. Yours, etc.
Mine, and so forth. He grinned again. This was going to be an interesting arrangement.
The hour of eleven in the morning found Matteo knocking on the front door of Huntington House. The surprised look on the butler’s face when he asked after Lady Helena Ayles—not Lady Chastity—was significantly more pronounced than when he read Matteo’s name and title on his calling card.
The Blue Room was a pleasant room which afforded a view of a well-tended garden. The tall windows allowed the morning light to filter in through their panes. He walked to the window to appreciate the view—for Matteo appreciated beautiful things—when the door opened and in came Helena.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she greeted him with composure.
If she was feeling any apprehension towards their meeting, Matteo could see no sign of it. Perhaps the way her hands were clasped together conveyed some form of nervousness, but Matteo found that his own hands were clasped together tightly behind him as well.
“A good morning to you, Lady Helena.”
She motioned to the settee. Matteo watched her as she sat. Indeed, not apprehension, but gravity. The set of her shoulders, the intent expression on her face, told Matteo that it would be a serious call.
“And how is your family?” he asked, trying to sound as casual as he possibly could.
“They are all well, thank you.”
Helena glanced at the open door of the Blue Room. Looking at him, she stood up and pushed it almost closed, but for a few inches. She went back to the settee, this time taking a seat closer to him.
“I accept your proposal.”
Matteo’s eyebrows rose. A smile appeared on his face.
“Your pretend proposal, that is. Not a real one since you did not really propose. Well, you did, but it was just for—”
“Helena.”
“I accept.”
Matteo nodded.
“But I have one condition; you must speak to Chastity, for she will be thoroughly surprised by this. She knows how much I dislike…”
Helena’s eyes widened, her face turned instantly red.
Matteo threw his head back and laughed. The blush stained only her cheeks when he recovered and looked at her again.
“She knows how much you dislike me. Please continue.”
He could see her forming the words in her mind.
“We must make the engagement seem real to her. If we convince her, then it will be easy to convince everyone else.”
Matteo inclined his head in a small bow.
“I understand. I shall do my best to seem convincing.”
“My parents are to leave for a visit to their friend’s country estate in two days. So I am afraid that you must meet with my father very soon, tomorrow in fact.”
Matteo nodded again.
“I shall leave him a message requesting a meeting with him tomorrow at his earliest convenience.”
“Thank you.”
“After I speak to your father tomorrow, I shall speak to Chastity as well. Perhaps you can start dropping hints?”
“She was already surprised that you came to call on me today.”
It seemed that the Ayles butler was not the only one surprised that Helena would have a gentleman caller. Matteo wondered at that but kept his thoughts to himself.
“So, Lady Chastity knows that I am here.”
“Yes, my sisters and I were all together when Mr. Keble announced your visit.”
“I think we must establish the details of how we came to be engaged.” Matteo leaned closer to Helena. “Just so we are consistent in our story.”
Helena blinked.
“Oh, yes, of course.”
“We can say that you finally fell for my charms—”
“Matteo.”
“Ah, finally an improvement, you are addressing me by my given name,” he smiled, inexplicably satisfied. “We can say that we formed an attachment when we were staying with Peter and Dahlia.”
“Perhaps.” Helena frowned, thinking. “But just a few days ago, Chastity asked me why I was so against her being in your company.”
Matteo was both entertained and irritated. Helena had been thinking about him, but what those thoughts were, he was not sure he wanted to hear.
“Perhaps you can say that you were jealous of the attention I bestowed on her?”
The look she gave him could have pulverized rock. He laughed then, without warning, took her hand in his.
With a trace of laughter on his lips, Matteo touched his lips to the back of her hand.
“Tell her that I have been secretly in love with you since the previous winter, and that I, fool that I was, tried to deny my feelings. But our encounters over the last few days have spurred me to action.”
Helena let out a short breath. She looked at her hand held in his, then rolled her eyes and answered in a droning voice.
“I can say that I started to care for you despite your blackened soul.”
“Not quite the declaration of love that I was hoping for, but it will do.” Matteo grinned.
“If she asks, shall I say that you proposed just now?”
“Yes. This would be the perfect time for a proposal.” He started to kneel on the floor. “Shall I get down on my knees and—”
“Will you please cease!”
But Helena’s sharp tone proved ineffective by the giggle that escaped her. For a few seconds, they grinned at each other.
Matteo could almost believe that, at that moment, they truly did care for each other.
Helena cleared her throat and suddenly looked away.
“And how long shall we stay… engaged?”
“So long as it proves useful for us both.”
“It cannot be that indefinite.” Helena considered. “Perhaps until Chastity herself becomes engaged, I think.”
“Alright.”
“Our first consideration must always be Chastity,” Helena said in a matter-of-fact manner.
“Yes, it is why you agreed to do this in the first place,” Matteo replied in much the same tone.
“We must be very careful. Our activities as an engaged couple must be planned around her own activities.”
Again, Matteo nodded.
“We must avoid any unnecessary events.”
“My lady, I am afraid that you describe most of the Season’s activities.” He replied in a wry voice.
Helena ignored him and continued.
“We must do everything we can to ensure that there is no gossip and that Chastity’s reputation is kept spotless.”
“Of course.”
She cleared her voice again. Matteo could see a faint blush on her cheeks. When she spoke, she could not look him directly in the eye.
“You must be… You must remain unattached, that is, you must not associate with…” Helena looked distressed.
Matteo, hiding his amusement, took pity on her.
“I shall leave my rakish ways so long as our arrangement stands, this I give you my word as a gentleman,” he said solemnly.
In fact, there was no need for Helena’s request, for he had not been in his rakish ways, as she would call it, for quite some time now.
Perhaps it was ennui, or perhaps simple weariness of London society, but there was a restlessness in him that avoided female companionship.
Until now, until this particular female.
“Thank you,” Helana said just as solemnly. “And I, for my part, will make sure that the scheming mamas will understand that you are off the marriage mart.”
Matteo had a sudden vision of Helena fending off said scheming mamas away from him using a stick. He stifled a chuckle.
“Well, I think that mostly covers everything.”
“Yes.”
They looked at each other for a long moment. Matteo felt that something else needed to be said, but did not know what.
“If you will allow me the use of your pen and parchment, I shall write the earl a note now.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” Helena stood up. “Come to the sitting room, if you please, Your Grace.”
“A while ago you were calling me Matteo.”
Helena smiled somewhat shyly at him.
“Matteo.”
She led him to the empty sitting room and on to the small writing table that occupied one corner of the room. She took out her writing things and moved away to give him privacy.
Matteo made short work of the task and directly handed her the letter.
“I will take my leave for now,” he said, rising. “I shall see you tomorrow, unless your father has a reason to decline my call.”
Helena shook her head.
“My father will not decline a direct request from a duke.”
Matteo thought he heard resentment in her tone, but he could not be sure.
“Until then, Helena.”
He took her hand again and kissed it.
Outside, he headed in the direction of Hyde Park. He needed to think. He kept off the walkways and stayed on the green to avoid any acquaintances.
He had accomplished what he had set out to do. And yet there was a tight feeling in his chest that he could not quite shake off.
Helena had said yes to his scheme. He had wanted something from her, and she had said yes. Surely that must count as a victory for him. And yet he did not feel the win, he did not feel triumphant.
Instead, he felt unsteady, as if he walked on uneven ground.
He had devised the scheme as a way to solve both their problems, and to, he admitted, have a bit of fun with Helena. He thought it a clever and efficient solution; a form of protection for her, an excuse for him. A tidy little arrangement.
He frowned and stopped beside a tree, leaning against its trunk. He had not expected her to go about it with such seriousness, or with a litany of rules.
He would play the part, and he would play it well.
“It shall be easy enough, for I have always done just that most of my life,” Matteo murmured.
He would smile, charm Helena’s family and friends, play the role of the devoted fiancé. He knew what he had to do, he would act the part of the perfect betrothed. And he would do it perfectly. He sighed.
“Then why does playing a part somehow feel different now?”
An unwanted feeling was making itself known. Discontent. A feeling that was entirely foreign to him, or at least a feeling that he had long ago forgotten.
“Perhaps I am getting old.”
He breathed deeply.
And was it also because he knew that this time, there was more at stake? For his proposal also meant that he had pledged to help not only Helena, but her sisters as well. Perhaps to be depended on by others was a feeling that he still had to get used to.
Matteo straightened and continued his walk, thinking, all the while, what was it that he had gotten himself into this time?