Chapter 9 #2
Perhaps Helena had planned to introduce the idea slowly to them. But that did not make sense since they had also agreed that today would be his meeting with her father.
It seems that I shall have my work cut out for me in convincing Helena’s sisters that we are indeed in a real engagement.
Matteo smiled inwardly; he welcomed the challenge.
“Your Grace,” Helena looked meaningfully at him. “Have you seen the gardens?”
She gestured towards the window.
“They are quite beautiful this time of year. Might I give you a tour?”
“It would be my pleasure, my lady.”
Matteo felt three pairs of eyes follow him as he escorted Helena out the door.
Helena glanced up at the window to the Blue Room.
She knew that Grace would find a way to spy on them.
The garden was one of Helena’s favorite places in Huntington House.
Indeed, when the weather was pleasant, as it was today, she tried to spend as much time there as she possibly could.
More often than not, she would bring her sisters with her.
The pergola was her project; she had entreated with her father its construction, stating the need for a venue for her sister’s outdoor pursuits, not to mention the aesthetic it would add to the gardens of Huntington House.
In the end, she was granted her request; Helena and her sisters had spent many an afternoon enjoying the features of the gardens.
With Grace on her mind, Helena led Matteo to the Pergola, which, although seen from numerous windows of the house, provided some privacy due to the rose vines that wrapped around it in profusion. She led him to a bench, and they sat down.
“I know what you shall say.” Helena held her hand out before Matteo could speak.
Matteo lifted a brow and gestured for her to continue.
“I did speak to Chastity last night.”
She spread her hands on her lap.
“But I did not tell her yet that you had proposed—pretended to propose! Oh, you know what I mean!”
“Whyever not?”
“I felt that she would not find it believable if I had jumped from disapproving of you to agreeing to be married to you all in a span of a few days. So, I started to plant the idea that I had started to see the good in you instead.”
“How very kind of you,” Matteo smirked at her, but a frown quickly replaced the smirk. “But I must say that I am quite surprised that your parents had not told the family of your betrothal. Surely news as important as their eldest daughter’s engagement to a duke would have been deemed noteworthy.”
How could she explain to him that her parents never bothered themselves with their children’s lives, that they left her in charge of her sisters’ upbringing—their future, in truth—without making them sound cold and uncaring? For she, herself, had wondered the very thing.
She looked at Matteo; she felt neither anger nor resentment for the roles that she was compelled to assume.
Her parents had, after all, agreed to her wish for independence.
A prize of sorts for being a dutiful daughter.
Though now, that arrangement would, at least to her parents, no longer hold.
She would just have to convince them of reviving it somehow once she and Matteo inform them that they would be breaking off their engagement.
She had negotiated with them before; she would do so again.
“Helena?”
Helena started, waking from her reverie.
“They do not normally involve themselves in our daily lives. Perhaps they knew that I would make the announcement of our engagement myself since I am usually the one who brings any type of updates to my sisters.” She waved her hand dismissively.
“The salient point is that Chastity would not have believed it if I had suddenly told her that I had accepted your proposal of marriage.”
Matteo sighed. He shrugged his shoulders.
“How do you propose we handle it now?”
Helena looked in the direction of the house. She let out a long breath. There was no other way. She looked Matteo directly in the eye.
“We shall simply say that when you called yesterday, my feelings suddenly became clear to me, and so when you confessed your own feelings, I saw no reason not to accept your proposal.”
The grin on Matteo’s lips had Helena rolling her eyes.
“I like this new plan.” He leaned closer to her. “I am positively delighted to hear how irresistible you found me, so irresistible that you at once—”
“Yes, yes, that will do.”
Matteo laughed again, and this time Helena found that she was laughing too.
“You will be very smug again to know that my parents are pleased with our engagement, but only because of your title, mind you.”
“Being a duke sometimes does have its merits.”
Helena was not quite sure if he was serious. Shaking her head, she continued.
“They will let us get on with the engagement without any intrusion on their part. Still, everything must appear proper to avoid all and any negative effects on Chastity’s chances of a good match.”
“I must act the true and proper fiancé in everyone’s eyes. Respectful, honorable, and dependable.” Matteo recited, before adding a wink. “And charming, of course.”
“Your Grace.”
“I am to be Matteo from now on.” He reminded her. He took her hand and again kissed it. “And you shall be Helena.”
“Matteo.” Helena tried to sound stern, but somehow his name sounded wistful to her ears.
Suddenly serious, Matteo tightened his grip on her hand.
“I understand what is expected. And I promise you that I shall do all that is in my power to uphold my part in this.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. Matteo.”
He smiled at her then, a light, sincere smile that somehow had a weightier effect on her than his usual charming ones.
Matteo stood up and plucked a pink rose from the vines that crawled above them.
Quick and dexterous, his fingers peeled the small thorns from the stem before handing it to her.
She took it, touched by the thoughtful gesture; she again saw the kindness in him.
It was not something he meant to show others, she thought, but having already perceived it, she realized how natural kindness came to him.
“Thank you.”
“Shall we attend the Wakefield Musicale tomorrow?” Matteo asked.
“We have already accepted the invitation for Lady Trueman’s garden party tomorrow.”
“Ah, but we can attend both.” Matteo touched a finger to her chin. “The musicale starts at noon, the garden party in the afternoon.”
Helena felt a tingling where his finger touched her chin. She supposed engaged couples were allowed these small, harmless, affectionate gestures. So long as they remained such of course. She hardly wished to see the D—see Matteo—sweeping her into a passionate embrace on the dance floor, after all!
“It shall be a very busy day for us then,” she replied.
“And so it shall.”