Helene, page 10
“Relax, Lady Helene,” he murmured. “Don’t be frightened. I am only giving you what you long for.”
Helene spluttered in rage but bit back the words that sprang to her lips. She could not afford to arouse his suspicions now; yet she could not continue to take his caresses. They were revolting.
Then suddenly she was free. Surprised by this unexpected release, she looked about her and found herself face to face with Captain Longford. His face was white with anger, and his lips were drawn back over his teeth. “Your servant, Lady Helene,” he said curtly. “Your mother awaits you by the pavilion.”
“Why…why you interfering person, you…” Helene stuttered, relieved to be free of the earl but furious with the captain for finding her in such a compromising position.
“Pray do not distress yourself on my behalf, Lady Helene,” the earl said as he casually straightened his neck piece. “I do believe I will enjoy settling my account with the captain.”
Captain Longford looked at Helene in disgust. He found it difficult to believe that she had actually encouraged the earl’s advances, but the familiarity with which the earl had addressed her surely indicated she was not adverse to him. Or had the little minx decided that the best way to help Juliet was to fix her attentions on the earl himself? He looked at her shrewdly. That surely must be the answer, and he was conscious of a feeling of relief, for he had not been at all happy at seeing her in another man’s arms. He shrugged slightly and forced his mind to consider the immediate problems ahead, for, whatever was behind her behavior, there was nothing he could do about it at the moment. He had to concentrate on avoiding a run-in with the earl. It would be difficult, for it was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight; but a confrontation over Helene at this juncture might well ruin all chances of finding the vital evidence that would send him into exile. Helene, unfortunately, would have to be the scapegoat for the present.
He turned to her slowly and said, in a cold voice, “I apologize for my intrusion, Lady Helene. I quite obviously mistook the situation.”
Helene blanched at the sarcasm in his voice, but before she could reply, he turned away from her and she listened in horror as he apologized to the earl.
Extending his right hand he said, “Radford, old boy, I’m desperately sorry to have acted out of turn…but then how was I to know the lady extended her favors so liberally.”
Mortified to have made such a mull of matters, Helene gathered her skirts in one hand and fled. With great difficulty she held back the tears that threatened. Why, oh, why did he have to stumble on her at such an inappropriate moment? Not only had he assumed the worst, but he had ruined her chances of confirming her suspicions about Juliet’s disappearance. Her mortification turned to anger at his interference, but this quickly evaporated as she acknowledged to herself that it had been welcome. Not looking where she was going, she stumbled over a small stone and would have fallen had not an alien hand steadied her.
“Up to your old tricks again, Helene,” a familiar voice murmured in her ear.
Helene looked up in disbelief before shrieking in a most unladylike way. “Nicholas! Oh, Nicholas! the very person. I’m so glad to see you.” At which point she burst into tears, unable to control herself any longer.
“Your actions belie your words, Helene,” Nicholas said softly, puzzled by her tears. “Do not tell me that a season in London has turned you into a simpering female and a wet goose.”
She sniffed loudly as she searched for a handkerchief. “Here,” Nicholas said, “take mine. Now, tell me what is the cause of your unhappiness.”
“HE saw me in the earl’s arms, and I know he thinks the worst, only he doesn’t know why I was there, and…and…oh, Nicholas, the most terrible thing has happened….”
“Egad, girl,” Nicholas said, now thoroughly alarmed. “Let us get off this main thoroughfare, for it will not do to have half of London gawking at us.” He steered her down a small walkway and stopped when they reached a bench. “Sit yourself down, there’s a good girl, and start from the beginning. First off, who is the HE you refer to? And what were you doing in the earl’s arms?”
“Juliet has disappeared,” Helene said flatly, unable to cushion the blow she knew she was delivering. “She’s gone, Nicholas, and her mother thinks she has run away to avoid the marriage…but…but I suspect the earl is behind it all.”
“Ye gods! Helene. Do you realize what you are saying?” Nicholas, shocked by her words, sat down beside her and buried his head in his hand. Finally he raised his head. “Are you sure?” he asked in a voice that trembled with emotion.
Helene nodded. “As sure as I can be, Nicholas.” Quietly she related the story as she knew it, leading up to the scene she had just left. However, the telling took its toll, and as she finished, her voice was barely audible. Nicholas, realizing that for once he would have to retain control of his temper, did a creditable job of calming her, even though a cold fury gripped him.
“Even if your suspicions prove to be correct, Helene,” he said somberly, “there is absolutely nothing you can do. This, I am afraid, is something you must leave to me.” He deliberately failed to mention that he could do nothing without the aid of Captain Longford, for he knew that to raise that name at this point would only incite Helene to protest.
Somewhat to Nicholas’ surprise she nodded her agreement. All that she had endured that night had left her incapable of speech. In many ways she was relieved that Nicholas had stepped in, for she now realized that she had created a situation with which she could not cope. Her chagrin that the earl had stolen her virtue would be lasting, and she wanted nothing more than to return home immediately and bolster up her shattered pride.
“I say, Helene.” Nicholas’ voice held a note of concern, for it was unlike her to let events overwhelm her. “Are you going to be all right?”
Helene raised her eyes to Nicholas’ face. “Yes, Nicholas,” she responded in abject despair, “I’ll come about. Please take me to Mama and I will plead a headache and go home.”
Anxious to search out Captain Longford, Nicholas decided not to press her further. Instead, he patted her arm understandingly. “That’s the spirit, old girl. I’ll call on you in the morning and let you know what I have decided to do.”
11
NICHOLAS had no sooner restored Helene to her mother than the cold anger he had suppressed on hearing about Juliet boiled over. There was no doubt in his mind that Helene’s suspicions were correct, and that his loved one was in jeopardy. He spent several minutes cursing himself roundly for not responding to Helene’s letter sooner; had he done so, then Juliet would be safe now and, more probably, in his arms. Oblivious to the curious looks he was receiving, he continued to walk up and down the gardens, scanning the crowds for Captain Longford. He felt as helpless now as he had when the surgeon had told him that he would have to lose his arm, only what he had lost today was far more precious. His first inclination had been to seek out the earl, but common sense finally prevailed, which prevented him from inviting such a confrontation at that juncture.
Muttering angrily to himself, he continued his search. His mind was in a turmoil wondering why the earl would want to abduct so genteel a lady. What did he plan to do with her anyway? he asked himself, refusing to allow his mind to dwell on the implications of Helene’s story. He looked at his watch and was horrified to see that he had wasted an hour.
“Dammit!” he exclaimed. “He never seems to be at hand when I need him. Where can he be?”
“Nicholas! Nicholas Dexter! Wherever have you sprung from, old boy?” A voice interrupted his train of thought.
“Egad!” he responded, staring without immediate recognition. “Monroe? Is that really you? What disastrous changes have been wreaked in my absence?” he exclaimed in mock horror as he agilely sidestepped an embrace. “Good to see you, even so, you old popinjay.”
“Haven’t changed a bit, have you, Nick? Always were a bit jealous of my way with the clothes, what!” He linked arms with Nicholas and started to stroll back along the footpath Nicholas had just been pacing. “Time for a drink, I hope,” he invited. “Lots of news to catch up on, and the gossip,” he rolled his eyes upward. “I swear you will not believe half of it.”
Nicholas laughed as he disengaged himself. “Matter of fact, Monners, I’m in a deuced hurry at the moment. Supposed to be meeting Captain Longford.”
“Well, you have just missed him,” Monroe said cheerfully. “He left for Waiter’s at least five minutes ago. In fact, said I might join him for a hand or so.”
“I would have thought his play a little deep for your pocket,” Nicholas teased, inwardly cursing himself for forgetting that the captain had mentioned his intention of dropping into his club. “Since when have you been able to afford to sit with such illustrious company?”
Monroe had the grace to look sheepish. “I hold my own…sometimes. Anyway, we won’t dwell on that. Come, I shall accompany you to Waiter’s so that you can keep your appointment and maybe I will be able to recoup my losses of last night.”
“Only a fool puts good money after bad,” Nicholas observed mildly. “But then I always did say you had more money than sense.”
“God! Nick,” Monroe said, ignoring the thrust, “it really is good to have you back. I’ve missed you. I hope you are planning to stay awhile. There’s just one thing I want to say—get it off my chest so to speak—and I’ll not speak of it again. But when I heard about your accident, I was aghast and…and…well, I felt for you, Nick.” He stopped, uncertain of himself, for he didn’t want to distress his friend. Much to his amazement, though, Nicholas smiled.
“Thank you, Monners,” he said, touched by the sincerity of the words. “I have adjusted to the loss now, but it wasn’t easy.” He paused, anxious to be on his way, but not wanting to offend his friend. “You know, for one awful second I thought you were going to say you had written a lament for me! So let us depart before you get any ideas.”
Monroe laughed. “No, I’ll not bore you in that direction, for I fear that my efforts would be greeted with derision.”
An hour later, after Nicholas had managed to extract Captain Longford from the club, they were sipping a brandy in the captain’s rooms. Nicholas looked at the captain with a new respect. “This isn’t the first time you have helped me, Robert, and I thank you for your forbearance.”
“Not at all, Nicholas,” he responded, thankful to see that Nicholas had calmed down considerably. “In this instance, your help will be of far more value to me, than mine to you.”
“I am beginning to realize that the earl is a truly evil individual. Whatever do you think he plans to do with Juliet?” His voice broke, his mind unable to cope with his worst fears.
Captain Longford, seeing the desperate misery in his eyes, hastened to put him at ease. “I don’t think he will dare do anything for a few days. It is more probable that he will wait and see if Lady Sweeny creates a fuss about her daughter’s mysterious disappearance….”
“But we know she intends to do nothing,” Nicholas interjected.
“Thanks to Lady Helene. The earl, however, doesn’t. If he intends to sell Juliet to one of the European houses, I am sure he will bide his time in order to get more money….”
“Enough!” Nicholas exclaimed in a strangled voice as he rose clumsily to his feet. “I cannot talk about her in this fashion, Robert, else I will be tempted to seek out that…that…reptile immediately and force him to tell me where he is hiding her.”
“My apologies, Nicholas. I know how you feel. Yet you mustn’t blind yourself from the awful truth.”
“I will face up to that, should it become necessary, but don’t, I beg you, expect me to think upon it now.”
“As you wish,” the captain responded slowly, wishing there were some way he could help his young friend. “Shall we run through our plan one more time?” he asked gently. “Then, I suggest we both try to get a few hours’ sleep, for they may well be the last for the next few days.”
Nicholas nodded as he poured himself another brandy. He raised his glass in a salute as he resettled himself in his chair. “I know the object is to find the location of the warehouse where the earl is housing these women, but why are you so certain it is in Vauxhall?”
“A simple matter of deduction, Nicholas,” Captain Longford replied. “I know he owns extensive property in Vauxhall, and the man who was following me mentioned that he was to meet his contact in Vauxhall. You must blame my failure to question him more closely to account for the fact that we don’t know the exact location.” He gave Nicholas an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about that. Anyway, you will follow the earl during the day, and I will take over in the evening. At all times, however, we will be covered by your man James or one of my men so that if one of us stumbles across the answer, he can be dispatched to fetch whichever of us is resting.”
“Agreed,” Nicholas said grimly.
“A word of caution, my friend. On no account are you to do anything foolish by yourself. Should you be the first one to discover the location of the warehouse, you are to wait until I get there before entering. Similarly, I will wait for you.”
“You have made that point perfectly clear several times, Robert, and I do assure you that I have no intention of doing anything foolish. At least not until I know Juliet is safe and unharmed.”
“And you will refrain from acting stupidly then, as well,” Captain Longford said quickly. “I want no heroics from you, Nicholas, and I am certain that you would not want him to make a fuss that might well result in Juliet’s name being bandied about in public.”
Nicholas sighed. “You are always so damnably right, Robert,” he said reluctantly.
“Good. Now that is settled we can decide what we should do about Lady Helene.” His voice held a note of concern that was not lost on Nicholas.
“Ah, yes, Helene,” he said. “I think it would be best if I had a word with her in the morning.” Mindful of his earlier conversation with her, he could well imagine how she would react if she had to confront the captain again. “Methinks she would not take kindly to a visit from you…at least not for the time being,” he added quickly as he saw the captain frown in annoyance. “I know she feels some embarrassment over the rescue you effected.…”
“And only just in time,” he said, fighting to control himself. “She needs to be spanked soundly for playing such a dangerous game. Honestly, what I would like to know is what on earth she thought she could accomplish getting herself involved with the earl.”
“I do believe she thought she could persuade him to confide in her.…”
“Then she is a bigger fool than I thought,” the captain broke in.
“I am sure she agrees with you, Robert, but don’t be so harsh on her. She honestly believed that she was doing the right thing to help Juliet.”
Captain Longford fingered the stem of his snifter thoughtfully as he tried to discern his feeling for Helene. He itched to be able to shake some sense into her to prevent her from courting trouble, but then what? A groan escaped him as he realized that he wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and protect her from herself. To be able to show her what a kiss could really be like—not the sort meted out by the earl, but ones of tenderness first, leading to the passionate ones he wanted to shower her with. “How was Natasha when you left Paris?” he asked Nicholas abruptly, endeavoring to turn his thoughts away from Helene and the maddening scene of her in the earl’s arms.
“Well enough,” Nicholas responded, momentarily enjoying the captain’s discomfort, which he knew to be caused by Helene’s outrageous behavior. “Said to say she was looking forward to your forthcoming visit with a great deal of pleasure.”
Captain Longford grimaced. The idea of making love to her was suddenly distasteful. “She will have to wait some time, I’m afraid, as I have decided to postpone my trip.”
“Pressing business elsewhere?” Nicholas inquired wickedly.
“Possibly,” Captain Longford replied evasively. “I thought to take a look at the Americas.”
“Surely you don’t have to go so far to rid yourself of the fair Helene’s image,” Nicholas said, wanting to get his friend to acknowledge his feelings openly.
“What did you say?” Captain Longford demanded in surprise. “I have never heard such nonsense in my life. I think you overstep the mark of our friendship, Nicholas, my boy.” He sat back, shaken by the simple truth of the words.
Unabashed, Nicholas grinned. ’Twas but a shot in the dusk, old boy,” he said. “Felt certain that the wind blew in that direction, but my apologies if I’m wrong.”
“Even if it did, it would never do,” Captain Longford said slowly. “I’m not the marrying kind and anything else is unthinkable. Anyway, it is well known that David Burton is considered her most likely suitor.”
“Well, I suppose in that case it wouldn’t do to say that Helene, in my opinion, has formed a decided attachment for you. No,” he paused and waved his hand about airily, the brandy slopping over him, “it would most certainly be the height of indiscretion.”
“Go home and get some sleep, Nicholas,” Captain Longford said gruffly, “before you get your just reward for interfering. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
It was a long time after Nicholas had left before the captain went to bed. Unable to shake Helene’s image from his mind, he continued to drink in an effort to find some relief from his thoughts. One thing was certain, and that was he would leave England just as soon as he could. Maybe that way he would be able to forget those tantalizing blue eyes.
12
NICHOLAS was up beforetimes the next morning and was knocking on the Ambels’ door whilst most of the ton were still abed. The footman, surprised by such an early caller, was even more surprised when Helene, looking pale and tired, swept down the rounded staircase and greeted the visitor warmly.
“Come, Nicholas, let us go to papa’s study,” she said. “That will insure our privacy.” She turned to the footman and smiled sweetly. “It will not be necessary to inform Lady Ambel of our visitor, Hector, at least not for a little while.”
