Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Helena tried her best to appear calm and serene.
Seated with Chastity in the sitting room, she sorted through the various invitations and letters that awaited her attention.
Her sister, on the other hand, was lazily going through the latest edition of La Belle Assemblée.
They spent the past hour as they had normally done at that time of day.
Callers had come and gone for Chastity. Lord Algate, Sir Abington, and more, one after the other. Helena knew who her sister really waited for, but alas, Lord Strong had not yet made an appearance. Indeed, it had been three days since he had last called at Huntington House.
“Perhaps he has decided that he does not wish for a courtship with me,” Chastity fretted
“It is quite early yet to decipher who will commit to being a suitor.” Helena smoothed her sister’s hair. “For now, you must just enjoy getting to know the gentlemen. You never know, some might actually become your friends.”
“I do not think Papa will appreciate your next update to be that I have made gentleman friends.” Chastity giggled. “Speaking of friends.”
Chastity paused until Helena looked at her.
“Will you ever tell me how the Duke Valen’s call went? You have been most silent about it.”
Helena knew that her sister was waiting for details, and she also knew that she would not get a better opening than what Chastity had just provided then.
“It went quite well,” Helena spoke simply.
“You mean you did not argue?” The smirk on her sister’s lips told Helena that she was being teased.
“No, indeed, we did not.” Helena smiled genuinely. “We actually agreed upon many things.”
“Oh! Well, that is quite unexpected but nonetheless very good. The duke is quite an amiable companion, funny as well.” Chastity reached over to tap her arm. “Remember how he offered to carry you so that you could install the star on top of Dahlia’s Christmas tree?”
Chastity’s giggles at the memory from the previous winter had Helena smiling broadly. Indeed, it was a funny memory, looking back at it now.
It was during the time when she and Matteo had the shared mission of turning Dahlia and Peter’s marriage of convenience into a real one.
They had witnessed what was quite obvious to everyone as well: their friends were falling in love with each other.
But since both of them seemed incapable of acknowledging their feelings for each other, she and Matteo had seized every possible opportunity to bring them together.
“Yes, you are right. He is quite amiable and very funny.”
“And handsome too.” Chastity continued with her teasing.
“Yes, that as well.”
Chastity studied her sister.
“Helena?”
“Yes, dear?”
“May I speak plainly?”
“Of course, Chastity.”
“It seems to me that you are softening towards the duke.”
“Perhaps I am. Perhaps I am seeing qualities in him that I had not seen before.”
Even as Helena said the words, she realized that her statement was not entirely false.
Although his proposal—his plan—would benefit him, it was more beneficial to her and to Chastity.
There was a kindness in it—in him—that she could not ignore.
A trickle of a feeling tickled her, and Helena was not quite prepared for it.
I must be careful. Though I am starting to consider Matteo as a friend, I must never forget that he is still a rake.
Tomorrow would certainly change many things, but that reminder, that warning must remain on her mind.
Matteo found himself once more in the Blue Room of Huntington House.
And once again, he found himself looking out of the garden.
It was a very feminine garden, as gardens went.
Designed more, he thought, with comfort and enjoyment in mind than mere display.
This was not surprising to him, considering that the household had five ladies in it.
He could practically see Helena leading her sisters in various outdoor activities, gathering blooms, painting, and having tea under the pergola.
It occurred to him that aside from chaperoning her sisters, he did not know what Helena’s other activities or hobbies were.
He made a mental note to get to know her more—if only to play a more convincing role.
He did not notice the length of time he waited, caught up in his own thoughts of Helena, and was therefore surprised to see the time on the mantle clock.
Almost a quarter of an hour passed with him waiting.
The butler entered the room and, with a bow, announced his master and mistress, Edmund and Clarissa Huntington, the Earl and Countess of Huntington.
“Your Grace.”
The Earl of Huntington bowed, while the countess curtsied.
“My lord, my lady,” Matteo bowed in answer.
“I have called for tea. Will Your Grace please have a seat?” Lady Huntington said.
“Thank you.”
“I confess surprise at your request for a call, Your Grace,” Lord Huntington said. “Indeed, when Helena hinted at the purpose of your visit, it took me a while to absorb the information.”
“I understand that it is quite sudden,” Matteo spoke in his most serious voice. “I apologize; I should have intimated my intentions much earlier.”
“No, it is not that, Your Grace.” The earl answered.
“Oh?”
“It is that we are very surprised at our daughter’s decision to accept your offer of marriage,” the countess said.
Did Helena make her dislike of him known to her whole family? He had a comical vision of her listing down his faults and posting them around their home for everyone to see.
“I see,” he said instead.
“We had thought that she was committed to her decision to remain unmarried,” the countess continued.
So, Helena has resolved to remain unmarried. Why, I wonder?
He found it hard to believe that she lacked suitors. She was intelligent, beautiful, and interesting. Matteo could name more of her attributes that were commonly attractive to most males—and some attributes that he found extremely attractive.
I shall have to ask her about this. Quite interesting.
“But that hardly matters now,” the earl interjected. “She has done very well for herself with her acceptance of your hand. It is still fulfilling her duty to our family, though it was not what we had originally expected.”
The mystery grows and grows.
Matteo found himself wanting to read what was in Helena’s mind.
She is indeed a fascinating woman.
“Shall I take that as your approval and blessing to my engagement to your daughter, Lady Helena, my lord?”
“Indeed, you have both my approval and my blessing, Your Grace. Helena could do no better than a duke with a family name both ancient and wealthy.” The earl stood to shake Matteo’s hand, who stood as well.
Matteo knew that title, wealth, and position were the cornerstones of a good match for the ton.
He should not have been surprised to know that those were the only considerations of Helena’s parents for their approval of his suit, but accepting him without questioning his intentions or plans for the future of their daughter seemed rather cold to him.
Mentally shrugging his shoulders, he could be nothing but satisfied that things were going according to their plans.
“Now you must excuse us, Your Grace.” Lord Huntington said. “Lady Huntington and I must prepare for another engagement.”
“Of course.” Matteo bowed. “I thank you for your time.”
“Your Grace.” Lady Huntington curtsied. “I shall send Helena down shortly.”
“Thank you.”
And without further ceremony, the earl and countess exited the Blue Room, leaving Matteo to himself once again.
It did not take very long this time for the company to join him. Helena, along with all three of her sisters, swept into the room, all wearing varying expressions on their faces.
Chastity had a questioning look, though she smiled easily at him. The other two younger sisters, whom Matteo had not yet been introduced to, were openly studying him. On Helena’s face, however, Matteo could read an expression that was unmistakably relieved.
“Your Grace,” Helena curtsied. Behind her, all three sisters curtsied as well.
“I bid you a pleasant day, Lady Helena.” Matteo bowed and then, turning to her sisters, bowed again. “Ladies.”
“Might I introduce you to my other two sisters?” Helena gestured to them. “Lady Faith Ayles and Lady Grace Ayles.”
“A pleasure, my ladies.”
“Faith and Grace, this is His Grace, the Duke of Valen.”
“Your Grace.” Both curtsied again.
Matteo caught Helena’s eye and raised a brow in question. A question she seemed to have understood, Helena nodded to him and directly addressed her sisters.
“My dears, I have the very good news of informing you that His Grace and I are engaged.”
Was it Matteo’s imagination, or did Helena’s voice sound higher in pitch than it normally was?
“Engaged?” Chastity repeated, clearly surprised.
“Yes, Lady Chastity,” Matteo smiled at her. “I have just secured your father’s blessing and approval of my engagement to your sister.
He went closer to Helena, took her hand, and kissed it. The varying reactions had him holding back laughter.
Chastity’s eyes widened at the open display of affection, Faith rolled her eyes, Grace covered her giggles with her hand, and Helena blushed scarlet.
“I must say that I am quite surprised.” Chastity turned carefully to Helena with a question in her eyes, to which the older sister replied with a look of her own.
“Why am I only hearing of the duke now that you are already engaged to him?” Grace asked with a bluntness that Matteo rather appreciated.
Based on the exasperated looks on all the older sisters’ faces, her bluntness was a common occurrence.
So, Helena had not sufficiently warned her sisters.
He had thought that she would at least inform Chastity.
He wondered how four sisters could not have communicated such news between them.
Then again, he imagined that a day’s warning was not a sufficient length of time to impart a life-changing decision.