Chapter 20 #2
“You simply must come to London before the Season is through,” Elara insisted, squeezing Helena’s hands. “I shall introduce you to every dressmaker worth knowing, and we can scandalize the ton together at the theater.”
“I should like that very much,” Helena replied, laughing.
Evander’s mother, Nora, came up to the table as well, offering her congratulations and embracing Helena tightly.
“Welcome to the family, my dear,” Nora said warmly, patting her cheek. “You have already done more for my son than any physician these last two years.”
She pulled back to study Helena’s face, her sharp eyes softening.
“I watched him disappear into himself after he came home,” she went on quietly.
“I had nearly given up hope of seeing him laugh again. After people called him such names… I thought he would never leave the house again. But now here you are, and he cannot seem to stop looking at you.” Her voice caught, just slightly, before she composed herself and smiled.
“Forgive an old woman her tears. You have given me my son back, Helena, and there is no debt I could ever repay you for that.”
Soon, Mary-Anne followed, and she and the Dowager Duchess of Redgrave fell into a cordial conversation, their heads bent together as Nora asked after Alex.
It was as Patricia was hesitantly making her way to their table, however, that a servant appeared by Evander’s side and handed him a letter.
Her curiosity and concern piqued as she watched her new husband grow still and turn a slighter shade of pale.
Yet before she could ask if anything was wrong, he opened the letter and visibly relaxed.
“It is a letter from Jeremy,” he explained.
“Jeremy?” Patricia asked, finally reaching their table.
She looked accusingly at the servant and demanded, “Where did you find this?”
“In his quarters, Your Grace,” he answered respectfully.
With a quickness that surprised them all, Patricia snatched the letter from Evander’s hand and began to read from it aloud—a choice she suddenly seemed to regret as she verbally expressed Jeremy’s deep love for his valet to those around them.
Patricia quickly ceased her audible reading and fell silent as her eyes continued to roam over the rest of the letter.
When she finally finished it, she slowly drew it down to her side, her gnarled fingers crumpling the letter into a ball.
“Oh, please do not be upset,” Helena pleaded, gingerly placing a hand on Patricia’s shoulder as the old woman stared off into the distance in dumbstruck silence.
“Jeremy wanted so much to make you happy. That is why he and I went to all this trouble. He was so concerned about your failing health that he was willing to go through with a wedding he did not want just to make you happy one last time, he said. He nearly gave up his—”
“Do stop talking, dear,” Patricia stated, giving Helena a wry, tired look. “I am entirely aware of what he was willing to give up because of me.”
She then glanced at Evander, who was watching the conversation unfold intently but silently.
“I understand that you two almost gave up something as well. All because of a lie I chose to tell.”
Helena and Evander shared a confused glance.
“A lie?” Evander asked.
Patricia let out a weak laugh.
“I might be outrageously old, but my health is not failing,” Patricia confessed.
“I just wanted to see my grandson happy and settled. He had such a strained youth, you know. I thought perhaps that pain was something he still carried around, and if he were to marry, he would be able to share that burden with his wife.”
Patricia looked at Helena and Evander, studying them closely.
“Though I see it was not a wife he wanted to share that burden with. But you, Evander, it is you who may now share your struggles with your wife. A wife, it seems, to adore you. I wish you both the sincerest happiness, and I apologize for being the reason you almost did not have it.”
Evander’s touch was a loving caress across Helena’s back, and, not caring at all if her guests found it inappropriate, she relaxed into his side, nuzzling her cheek against his black suit.
“Thank you, Patricia,” Evander answered solemnly.
Patricia gave a curt nod, then tapped the tip of her cane against the floor.
“Now, if you will excuse me, I believe I shall retire to my quarters. It has been a most… interesting day. Enjoy your wedding breakfast.”
Everyone gathered around the table watched quietly as Patricia walked out of the parlor with her head held high.
Once she was gone, friendly conversation resumed.
As Helena spoke with her mother, a familiar face caught her eye, and she froze.
Evander seemed to notice right away, and when he started to pull back, she realized he had followed her gaze to Lord Ingram.
“Evander, no,” she murmured, clasping his hand tightly. “Not here.”
“I warned him to stay away,” Evander snarled under his breath.
“Perhaps he has come to make his excuses,” Helena said, watching as the once proud man approached with visible caution, staying well outside arm’s reach of Evander as he offered a shallow, stiff bow.
“Your Graces,” Ingram said, addressing them both with a tightness in his voice that betrayed how little he wished to be there at all. “I merely came to offer my congratulations on your marriage, and my apologies for any… unpleasantness that may have marred the festivities of the week.”
His eyes flicked briefly to Evander’s face, then dropped just as quickly away, and Helena noted the way he kept his injured hand tucked close to his chest, bandaged and clearly still paining him.
“How very gracious of you,” Evander said, his voice deceptively pleasant, though his grip on Helena’s hand had turned to iron.
“I shall not trespass on your celebration any further,” Ingram added hastily, already retreating a step. “I merely thought it proper to pay my respects before I take my leave of the county altogether.”
“See that you do before anything fatal befalls you,” Evander replied, and his words had Ingram paling and bowing once more before he turned and hurried from the room, not sparing either of them another glance.
“Leaving the county…” she murmured. “Do you believe him?”
“No,” Evander said flatly. “But I intend to make certain of it, regardless.”