Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
“Should we get some refreshments?” Matteo asked Helena.
Nodding, Helena glanced back at Chastity, who was with a group of friends, including Lord Fleetwood. Helena seemed unsure whether to leave Chastity with her friends or ask her to go with them. Apparently deciding on the former, Helena took the arm Matteo offered, and on they went.
It was nearing midnight. Matteo, Helena, and Chastity attended the charity ball for The Foundling Hospital. It was an event that their mother had obligated Helana and Chastity to attend due to her close friendship with Lady Eastwood, the organizer of the event.
“The refreshment table is near enough for us to see Chastity,” Matteo said, knowing he read her mind correctly.
Helena chuckled.
“Am I that predictable then?”
“Only when it comes to guarding your sisters.”
“I shall take that as a compliment, Your Grace.”
“It was meant as one, my lady.”
Helena grinned broadly at him.
“This is quite a turnout,” Helena observed. “Lady Eastwood will be very pleased, I daresay.”
“Will we see your parents, do you think?” Matteo asked.
“Perhaps.” Helena hid a frown, it would be the first in so many a year that they would be together in a ball. “Papa has always supported the Foundling Hospital. He has no choice, I think, since Lady Eastwood is one of Mama’s closest friends.
Matteo chuckled. After they had finished their drinks, they headed back to be near Chastity again. As they walked, Matteo took her hand again, rested it on his arm, and covered it with his own. It felt so natural to him now, to have Helena close, to casually touch her.
“My dear Helena.”
Lady Margueritte Norris approached them, escorted by an older gentleman.
“Hello, Margueritte,” Helan replied with a polite smile.
Matteo barely prevented his eyebrows from raising to his forehead.
So this was the Margueritte. Helana had told him of the encounter with the said lady, and that led to her relating their previous encounters as young debutants.
None of them was dear nor poignant. In fact, she recounted a young lady who thought herself the empress of all debutantes.
Matteo could still remember Helena’s dramatic expressions as she impersonated Margueritte.
Turning toward her, Matteo felt Helena steel herself.
“What a pleasure to see you here,” Margueritte said, eyeing Matteo flirtatiously.
“My parents are patrons of the Foundling Hospital.”
“Indeed?” Margueritte said absently as she smiled at Matteo. “I believe we have not yet been introduced.”
Matteo swallowed a laugh. As Helena performed the introductions, he felt her subtly pulling him away from Margueritte.
The gentleman she was with, Lord Taylor, they were told, was not very often in London, but was himself a patron of the hospital.
“I am acquainted with your father, the Earl, my lady,” Lord Taylor said. “I was invited to one of the countess’ summer parties at Beecham Park, I believe it was seven years ago. Perhaps we have met each other then?”
“I believe not, my lord. I do not usually attend the summer parties.”
“Ah,” Lord Taylor said.
She had said that her parents left them alone.
But to exclude her from a social event being held at her own home was unkind.
Matteo imagined a nineteen-year-old Helena watching the different summer activities from her bedroom window.
He felt it cruel that she, the grown daughter of the house, could not join in the festivities, while complete strangers roamed around her home and enjoyed all its comforts and offerings.
This time, it was he who pulled her closer.
Some flight of fancy made him imagine them both as younger children.
In his imagination, they were neighbors.
Both seeking absent parents, they would keep each other company.
Matteo’s mouth quirked up in a grin unlike his usual polished smile at the image of himself leading four girls to adventures around Valen Castle and in the nearby wood.
Or riding on the landau and reaching for the branches of the willow trees lining Beecham Park. If only.
“Your Grace?”
Margueritte was speaking to him; he blinked and focused on the conversation.
“I beg your pardon, my lady. What were you asking?”
Margueritte’s smile faltered a little. Clearly, she was unaccustomed to not being paid attention to.
“I was merely asking, Your Grace, how came you to decide on your choice of wife?” Margueritte smiled sweetly in Helena’s direction. “With so many ladies who would say yes to you, you chose our dear Helena here.”
“You flatter me, surely. So many are there?” Matteo laughed at Margueritte, then he turned to Helana and winked at her. “But only one Helena.”
“A gem indeed,” Margueritte said, her smile widening to show all her front teeth. “We have been friends since we made our debut together, you know.”
“I have heard that you were the most popular debutant of your season.” Lord Taylor said.
Feigning embarrassment, Margueritte lowered her lashes.
“You embarrass me, Lord Taylor.” Margueritte smiled at the older gentleman, then at Matteo. “Of course, there were many beautiful debutantes with me as well, but I have no idea why I was the one most gentlemen sought out.”
Matteo recalled Helena’s description of Margueritte.
“She thinks that she is better than every other lady in every way.” Helena had said with a huff.
It seemed that the years had not changed her much.
“But although Helena is perhaps a late bloomer, there is no denying now that she has grown attractive. So far from the girl I first met during our first season,” Margueritte added magnanimously.
“Perhaps, but seeing a likeness of her which was done during her coming out, I see not much has altered.” Matteo took Helena’s hand and kissed it. “The same beautiful blue eyes, the same lovely face.”
And he meant it as well, having come across a miniature of her in the mantlepiece of the Huntington House sitting room, he had asked her when it was made. The likeness was very accurate, he remembered thinking.
Margueritte’s cheeks reddened faintly. But she spoke again.
“Oh, indeed.” She smiled again. “Afterall, a handsome gentleman deserves a beautiful lady.” Then turning to Helena, she added, “Helena dear, you must be on your guard, for there will surely be those females who would do anything to catch His Grace’s eye.”
She said the last words with a coquettish look at Matteo.
“I see Lady Teresa Hill waving at us,” Matteo said, suppressing a laugh. “You must excuse us.”
Helena heaved a sigh of relief when they left.
“How did you bear your first season with someone like her always being around?” Matteo said in a weary voice.
“Fortunately, that was also the year that I met Celine and Dahlia. There were a few other debutantes that I became friends with, although not as close as the three of us have become.” Helena said, this a time with a genuine smile. “Lady Teresa is without her husband; that is new.”
Matteo pointed to an older gentleman who was also making his way to Lady Teresa.
“Ah, I never mind. It is almost impossible to have them apart.”
“Are they very much in love then?”
“Oh, yes. As I’m sure you know, all of Dahlia’s family is composed of love matches. That is why it was a great sadness to her when she thought that hers would be the only loveless match.”
“Well, we all know how that turned out.” Matteo grinned.
“Indeed,” Helena agreed with a grin of her own.
When they reached the Marquess and Marchioness of Bolton, they greeted them enthusiastically.
“My, but do not the two of you look very good together. What a picture you make.” Lady Teresa said.
“Indeed.” The marquess agreed.
“And how is dear Chastity? Mary and Claire said that it has been very unfortunate that they have not been able to spend as much time together as they would have liked,” Lady Teresa said.
“Yes, we appear to not be able to match schedules. So much has been happening that time seems to fly by so quickly,” Helena replied.
“Oh, before you know it, my dear, you shall be married as well. What a beautiful bride you shall make, Helena, and His Grace a handsome groom,” Lady Teresa added. “And what beautiful children you shall make as well.”
The last statement made Helena blush profusely.
“Thank you, you are very kind,” Helena smiled, but Matteo felt her hand tighten on his arm.
He could tell by the stiffness of her back and shoulders that she was growing tense. They spent a few more minutes talking to Dahlia’s parents. When Matteo deemed the time spent with them sufficient, he made their excuses.
He led Helena to a less crowded corner of the ballroom and gave her a moment to recover herself.
“Better?” Matteo asked after some time.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Perhaps another drink will—”
“Where is Chastity going?”
Matteo quickly looked to the spot where Chastity had been standing with a group of her friends. His eyes followed her as she made her way across the crowded ballroom and then, looking about her, went out a balcony door.
“She has gone out to the balcony by herself,” Helena said with a note of trepidation.
“Perhaps she just needs some air.” But Matteo himself was not convinced. He was suspicious about the wary way that Helena had checked for anyone watching her before she eventually stepped out onto the balcony.
He knew very well that ladies behaved that way when they were about to do something improper.
“Would you like to give Chastity a few minutes?” Matteo asked Helena.
Her hands were clasped together as she pondered her answer.
“If we suddenly barge right out into the balcony and see her with some friends, she will accuse me of treating her as a child again, of stifling her.” Helena swallowed. “But if we do not go after her and trouble befalls her…”
“There is an easy solution to address both,” Matteo tried to ease her tension. He could see that her worry was real. “Let us go and get some air. The ballroom has become too stifling, do you not agree, my lady?”