Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The carriage fairly flew as Helena called for the coachman to go faster. She was tossed left and right, but she cared not. Never mind that she would probably look like a hag when she reached Valen House, all that Helena cared about was that she reached Matteo before he left for the church.
On the other hand, she did not want to think of what he would say when he saw her, or how he would react to her being in his home unannounced, uninvited. There was a part of her that said he would be happy to see her, but she had been through so much to know that nothing was ever a sure thing.
The carriage slowed down significantly, and Helena’s heart raced to make up for it. She leaned out the window and called to the coachman.
“Baxter, why are we moving so slowly?”
“There is a bit of traffic, m’lady,” the coachman answered. “It is caused by a line of carriages that are all entering Hyde Park. They are clogging up the street, m’lady.”
Helena ground her teeth in impatience.
“I should have just walked! Or ran more like it.”
She must catch Matteo before he leaves for the church. Whether he would listen to her or not, she wanted to spare him the stress of going to the church to find that Chastity would not be there to meet him. She felt that she owed Matteo that at least.
“Is it moving at all, Baxter?” Helena called out again.
“No, m’lady, there seems to be an argument between the two carriages in front that has completely stopped the traffic.”
“Of all the inconsiderate—”
Helena broke off as she made up her mind.
“Baxter, you can return to the house; I shall go on foot.”
“By yourself, m’lady?” Baxter’s frown was telling. “Will you not take Roberts here?”
The coachman gestured with his head at the footman who was at the rumble seat of the carriage.
But Helena was hardly listening, for she had already reached out to open the carriage door and was halfway down when she answered her coachman.
“Have Roberts follow, if he can keep up, for I am in a frightful hurry!”
And Helena, without another word, ran as fast as she could to the direction of Valen House.
She picked up her skirts and cared not at the people who stared at her. Running was definitely not considered maidenly, at least not in London.
“Almost there!” she told herself.
Just another turn and Helena would reach her destination.
At the turn, Helena had to stop and catch her breath. Some distance away, she could hear Roberts calling after her. She waved at him to let him know that she was fine and did not need help. When she had caught her breath, Helena resumed her pace.
In the distance she could see Valen House.
“Matteo,” she whispered even as she went faster.
Matteo stood by the window of his study.
As soon as he had finished dressing, Matteo had locked himself in his study, giving his butler strict instructions that he must not be disturbed until it was time for him to leave.
He was not precisely sure what he had planned to do there, he only knew that he wanted to be alone. In a house where he was the only resident, that sounded preposterous, but it was because Matteo, at that moment, could not tolerate even the presence of his own servants.
He read his correspondence, even tried to answer some of the letters, he rearranged the decanters of brandy he kept well-stocked in his study, and finally, when he could think of nothing else to do, he stood by the window and watched the happenings outside Valen House.
Matteo was counting the passing carriages when he heard the familiar tapping sound on the window facing the gardens.
It was the robin again. The red-breasted bird flitted about from pane to pane as it did the last time Matteo had seen it. He tapped the glass with his finger thinking to get its attention.
“It’s you again, little robin. Are you looking for more worms for your babies? I still have none I am sorry to say.”
When it flew out of sight of the window, Matteo was inexplicably disappointed. Was he losing his mind? Before he could answer his own question, the same tapping sound was heard from the window that faced the street.
“You are trying a different tactic, I see, smart bird, but the answer is the same, little lady, still no worms here.”
He tapped at the pane again, still thinking and hoping to get the red-breasted bird’s attention, when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of silvery blue that was running down the street and seemed to be heading straight in the direction of Valen House.
Mateo moved closer to the window in disbelief.
Am I losing my mind?
He pressed his forehead to the window, looking for an angle to better see. The figure came closer and closer, and Matteo’s heart skipped a beat. He knew that gown, he knew those golden tresses, come undone by her rushed movements.
A warmth was starting to spread through him. He tried to quell it, to keep his feelings at bay, for he did not know what he would do should he be disappointed.
But his heart had other ideas.
Could it be? Was it Helena? Of course it was! His heart knew that it was Helena! A short distance behind her, a footman came running, apparently trying to catch up with her, but no match for those flying feet “My lady Helena,” he called out.
She was now only a few yards from the front door to Valen House.
Matteo cursed. What was he still doing watching her from the window? He bolted from the study and went to the front door. He was swinging the door open as Helena was reaching for the knocker.
They stared at each other in silence. Helena’s chest was heaving from the efforts; her hair had, by now, come completely undone from its chignon.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright from her run.
And, Matteo confirmed with a full heart that she was wearing the gown she had worn at the Woodacre Spring Ball.
Helena’s eyes roamed his face, swept over his form. When she saw his attire, tears welled up in her eyes. Matteo was wearing the silvery blue waistcoat that he had worn to match her gown, the same gown that she now wore.
Helena sobbed, and Matteo caught her as she tumbled towards him.
“Matteo,” she said in between sobs.
“Hush, my love, hush now,” Matteo murmured against her hair.
“What did you call me?” Helena turned to look directly at him.
Matteo smiled at her.
“You heard me perfectly, Helena.”
Suddenly realizing that they stood in view of the entire street, Matteo pulled her inside. The footman who had followed her had slunk back against the side of the door, trying his best to be properly inconspicuous.
Matteo gestured for him to come inside. He led Helena to his study, now finding it funny that it was the only room in his entire house that she had ever been to.
“Would you like a drink?” He asked her, feeling suddenly awkward.
“If you have some water, please.”
Matteo poured her a glass of water from the jug that he had just recently arranged with the decanters.
Helena drank gratefully.
Matteo took the glass from her when she was done and pulled her toward the sofa that faced the gardens. Without saying anything, Matteo took out his handkerchief and gently wiped at her temples. He lifted her hair and wiped the back of her neck as well.
Her small intake of breath affected Matteo’s own breathing.
“There,” he said, “more comfortable?”
Helena nodded.
“Yes, thank you.”
Helena took a deep breath.
“Matteo.”
“Yes.”
“I-I am here because, well, to tell you that the wedding to Chastity has been called off. I am so sorry about how everything turned out, I deeply apologize for I have been of great trouble to you.”
Helena covered her face hastily, then continued in a quiet voice.
“I promise that my whole family and I will stay out of your life for good.”
Matteo was quiet; when he spoke, it was with a thick voice.
“Are you?”
“Am I what?” Helena asked.
“Sorry to tell me.”
Matteo gazed at her with all the intensity that he felt.
“No,” Helena said honestly, breathlessly. “I am not.”
“Good,” Matteo answered. “Because neither am I. Understand me, Helena, I would have married Chastity out of duty to you.”
Matteo gently touched her face with his hand.
“And out of love for you, Helena. I would do anything to secure your happiness, and if the way to achieve that was to marry Chastity, then I would do it.”
Helena looked into his green eyes, studied them. And finally, she spoke.
“Do you love me, Matteo?”
“Must you even ask?” He took her hand and placed it on top of his beating heart. “Yes, you are my beloved, the one I dream of marrying, the one I want to marry. I am in love with you, Helena, so deeply captivated, so completely in love with you.”
“Oh, Matteo.”
Tears streamed down Helena’s cheeks.
“I love you, I love you!”
Matteo took Helena in his arms. He tightened his hold on her for fear that it was all a dream. He felt such perfect happiness, as if all the suffering, the pain, and neglect in his life were being paid for tenfold with the love that Helena offered him.
He kissed her until he was convinced that she would not disappear. When he lifted his lips from hers, Matteo traced the outline of her cheeks.
“What are you thinking of?” Helena asked Matteo when she noticed his preoccupied look. “Have you become tired of my company already?” she pouted.
“Hardly that! Never that!” Matteo tickled her sides.
When Helen recovered from her laughter, she asked him again.
“Will you ever tell me what you are thinking?”
“Yes, I have almost worked it out in my mind.”
“Worked out what?” Helene was now very intrigued. “Tell me, if you please.”
“Aha! I have got it!”
“Got what?” She slapped him playfully on the chest. “You cruel man!”
“What is the name of your footman, the one who arrived on your heels?”
Helena frowned, clearly confused.
“Roberts.”
“I am in need of him.”
“Of course, but where is your staff?”
“I have dismissed them for the day.”
“All of them?”
“Yes. That is a bachelor’s privilege, you see.” Matteo looked wistfully at her. “But it is a privilege I would be happy to lose.”
“Enough with the riddles, Matteo!” She cuddled closer to him. “Tell me what is in that brain of yours, please!”
“You have been to my house precisely two times now, Helena.”
Helena thought about it, then she nodded.
“Yes. So I have.”
“The first time you ended our arrangement, the second time is now. The third time is supposed to be lucky.”
“Is it?” Helena asked, very amused.
“Yes. Third time’s the charm.”
“But there is no third time,” Helena said, confused.
“There will be,” Matteo said, his voice deep, his look piercing.
“Well, do go on,” Helena said breathlessly at the way he looked at her.
“Helena, will you marry me? Will you be my life’s partner?”
Before she could answer, he took her hand and kissed it.
“Share this life with me, share every joy, every tear, every kiss, share them with me.”
“Oh, Matteo, you know I shall!”
She flung her arms around him, kissed him with all the love there was in her heart.
“I love you, Matteo Castor, for all that you are, for all that you have, the good and the bad.” Helena ran her fingers through his hair. “I love you.”
They sat for a long time, entwined in each other’s arms. Content and blissful, when Matteo suddenly stirred. He chuckled to himself, earning a puzzled look from Helena.
“What is it? What is so funny?”
Matteo smiled at her.
“There is a clergyman waiting in church, expecting a wedding to take place today.”
Helena looked at him as if he had gone mad.
“Are you suggesting…”
“Precisely.” Matteo smiled his most charming smile at her.
“But the banns? Or a special license…”
“I think I never told you that your father had required me to marry you using a special license. He wanted the Archbishop of Canterbury to know of the connection, I think.”
“You had a special license for our false engagement?” Helena asked in utter disbelief.
“Well, I could not very well tell your father that I refused to get one, could I? It would have ruined our well-crafted plans entirely.” Matteo grinned.
“You really did it.” Helena laughed out loud, her arms encircling him.
“What is more, is that special licenses are valid for three months.” His grin turned wider.
“Are you saying,” Helena stressed every word she said, “that our special license is still valid?”
Matteo nodded.
“What say you, Helena Ayles?” Matteo kissed her. “Shall we get married today?”
Helena traced her fingers over his eyes, his lips, his too-long hair that she loved.
“Yes, I think I would love to be married to you today, Matteo Castor,” Helena said solemnly.”
They looked at each other, eyes shining, smiles as bright as the sun, and stood up.
“Now, for your footman Roberts, I have just the task for him…”