“Son, your arrival is very apt. Dr Frederick just attended to your father,” the Duchess said.
Lord Jeffrey looked away from his mother back to Dr Frederick. His eyes made a slow and deliberate appraisal, moving from the doctor’s head to his feet then up again.
“So this is Dr Frederick,” he said in a tone that suggested he expected someone more impressive.
Dr Frederick was surprised by the tone of his voice. He had expected something deeper.
“Yes sir, I am Dr Frederick.”
“So what is your verdict on the ailment that disturbs my father so?” Lord Jeffrey asked.
His eyes looked playful as if he was bemused by Dr Frederick’s face or gait. Dr Frederick looked at the Duchess’ eyes. They were focused on her son, and when she met his gaze, it was only for a moment.
“I have not made a definitive call on the ailment, Lord Jeffrey. But I suspect it to be a passing seasonal sickness. I only brought medicine to make him feel better. It will leave soon,” Dr Frederick said.
Lord Jeffrey seemed satisfied at the doctor’s answer and said nothing.
“Have a lovely day, Doctor,” Duchess Mona said as she turned and entered her husband’s bedroom.
Dr Frederick made to walk away when Lord Jeffrey’s voice held him back.
“I was told you were at our ball yesterday. I was busy downstairs. We would have met,” he said.
Dr Frederick nodded and looked into Lord Jeffrey’s eyes.
“Yes, we would have. I suppose we might have met in the hall if I had got in any earlier. I had to attend to someone who had a sprained ankle,” Dr Frederick said.
“Sprained ankle?” Lord Jeffrey asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Would that be Miss Helena, the daughter of the Baron of Strabolgi?” Lord Jeffrey asked.
“Yes, my Lord. How did you come to guess so accurately?”
“I met her yesterday. I wanted a dance, but she couldn’t because she was injured,” Lord Jeffrey said.
Lord Jeffrey stooped close to Dr Frederick. He spoke with a lowered voice.
“I will have that dance, maybe in the next ball. I hear that she is a tough nut to crack. She engaged one of my friends, Mr Harding, in an argument at a ball once. Harding felt hard done by, no pun intended, by what he labels her preposterously untrained mouth.”
Dr Frederick laughed.
“Well, I have had a few interactions with her,” Dr Frederick said.
A few intense interactions.
“I had heard of her courage before now, but she was missish all through, nothing out of character for a cultured woman of the ton,” Dr Frederick added.
“Yes, I noticed the same thing. I have designs for her, though, and will surely get to know more of her,” Lord Jeffrey said.
Dr Frederick nodded his head. He did not like the turn of the conversation.
“I need to get going, Lord Jeffrey. Let me not bore you with reports of my mundane doings,” he said.
Lord Jeffrey stared into his eyes. His dark brown hair shone in the heat of the room. He nodded, giving his permission for the doctor to leave.
Dr Frederick pushed the door open and walked down the stairs. He thought only about the Marquess’ comments as he got to the corridor at the ground floor.
Lord Jeffrey’s interest in Miss Helena is more than amicable. He is a notorious rake and surely a more attractive man than I am.
Dr Frederick walked till he got to the porch in front of the entrance of the house before walking down the short stairwell leading into the courtyard. He signalled to one of the stewards standing at the gate. The steward walked up to him.
“I need my mount.”
The steward nodded and walked off quickly to the back of the house. He appeared only moments later, the reins of Dr Frederick’s horse in his hands. He led the horse to Dr Frederick and handed the reins over to him.
“Thank you,” Dr Frederick said.
He mounted his horse and kicked into it. The horse walked to the gate. Dr Frederick rode the horse out of the compound, looking back at the size of the compound.
It’s a big one, with a big house in it. Lord Jeffrey has this, and more to offer Miss Helena.
Dr Frederick was not sure that Miss Helena knew of the Marquess’ intentions. He was sure she would welcome them if she knew.
He is an eligible young man, and soon to be the Duke of Beaufort. Despite whatever attraction that I think exists between both of us, there can be nothing more to it. I should put my focus in my research rather than the way my skin warms when I feel her skin graze mine. It can be nothing more than that.
Dr Frederick dragged at the reins of his steed, driving it into a run. He needed the rush of the wind against his face. He needed it to help him put his focus in the right direction.
Chapter 11
Jeffrey Visits
Helena raised her head from the book she was reading. She didn’t like the turn of the story. The hero of the story had just been killed, and she perceived a loss in direction of the theme of the book.
“Maybe there will be an even greater narrative at the end of the book that will greatly surprise me,” she said out loud.
Miss Justina raised her head, focusing her gaze at her mistress. Helena smiled and raised her left hand.
“I wasn’t speaking to you, Justina. It’s the book,” she said.
Miss Justina nodded and dropped her gaze back to the shawl she was knitting. Helena looked at the shawl. It was cream in the middle with brown ends. Miss Justina had been working on it for the past four days, and she was almost done. She was sealing up the ends of the sleeves now.
“I’d love you to gift me that for my name day,” Helena said.
She returned her gaze to the book. When she raised her eyes, they met Miss Justina’s. Her maid eyed her playfully and turned up her mouth. Miss Justina definitely wasn’t giving Helena the shawl.
“I know you are too close fisted to do that,” Helena teased.
Miss Justina shook her head and looked back at her shawl. She continued her knitting but kept shaking her head for the next few seconds. Helena wished she could tell what Miss Justina was thinking.
Only politeness to one’s mistress is keeping her from saying something chiding. I couldn’t try this with Lavinia. I wouldn’t hear the end of it.
Helena looked outside her room’s window and saw a rider enter through their gates. She walked to the window to look more closely, but the man had alighted and was standing on the stairwell, beyond where her eyes could see him properly.
“Someone just came in, Justina. Go downstairs and check who it is,” Helena said.
She had been expecting Dr Frederick for the past few days and hoped it was him.
Justina walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. She came back a short while after.
“Who?” Helena asked, as Miss Justina came in.
“Lord Jeffrey,” Miss Justina said.
Helena dropped her book. She nodded and got up. She walked to her mirror and checked herself in it. She looked great, her cheeks just a tad pink. Helena walked out of the room and down the corridor.
“Lord Jeffrey,” she exclaimed on seeing him as she got into the sitting room. “I didn’t know you would come good on your promise.”
Lord Jeffrey smiled and bowed as she got to him, kissing her hand. His lips hardly touched her skin before he raised his head.
“Why wouldn’t I? A man is only as good as his word,” he answered.
Helena heard Miss Justina’s feet shuffle behind her. She walked to the entrance door causing Lord Jeffrey to follow her. She stood behind the balustrade at the balcony. Lord Jeffrey came to stand beside her.
“I hope I did not take your attention away from something very important,” he asked.
“What could be more important than a visit from the Duke of Beaufort’s son?” she asked.
Lord Jeffrey laughed and answered, “A lot.”
“I am on my way to London, on an assign
ment on my father’s behalf. So I decided to drop by,” he said.
“Oh dear. Thank you very much for your visit. I felt you would spend a bit more time with me.”
Lord Jeffrey shook his head.
“It pains me so that I won’t. I have a curricle waiting for me down the street. The driver needed to get something done, so I quickly borrowed one of the horses. I will try to bring you something from London,” he said.
Helena blushed.
“You need not bother, Lord Jeffrey,” she said.
“Except for your name day, which is in two days time,” Miss Justina said mutedly but enough for Lord Jeffrey to hear.
Lord Jeffrey looked back, and when he turned back to Helena, she saw irritation in his eyes. A feeling of anger rose up quickly in her.
Why would he look at Justina with such disapproving eyes? She isn’t one of his stewards.
Helena pushed the ire away. He was leaving. There was no need to go into an argument with him. The disgust in Lord Jeffrey’s eyes had been replaced by amusement.
“If that is the case, then I will be here that day. There is a play at the Beaufort theatre that day, if we could go together,” Lord Jeffrey said.
Helena was tempted to say no but saw it impolite to refuse his first request.
“I will prepare myself for your arrival,” she answered.
Lord Jeffrey nodded and bowed again. He ran down the stairs and mounted his horse in a swift motion.
“Till I arrive, My Lady,” he said, as Helena watched him ride out of the compound.
Helena looked back at Miss Justina and bit down on her lip. She didn’t know whether to feel pleased at his visit or annoyed with the hubris he showed when Miss Justina spoke. She shook her head and went into her room. He left her feeling ruffled.
He might not as well have come.
*******
Lady Lavinia cut a piece of the chicken with her knife and picked it up with the fork. She was putting it in her mouth when she looked up. Her eyes met Helena’s.
“Why do you stare at me so?” she asked.
Helena smiled.
“I noticed too,” Baroness Henrietta said.
Helena looked up and noticed everyone at the table had their eyes on her. They were expecting an explanation.
“Am I not allowed to look at my friend? Your eyes make me feel uncomfortable,” Helena said.
“She’s allowed,” her father said, supporting her.
Helena looked back at her food. Today was her name day, and she had instructed that no money be spent on celebrations. Her father wasn’t having it, at first.
“We are going to host a small party,” he said.
“There is no need for that, Father. This isn’t my first name day and won’t be my last. Keep that money for a more important use,” she said.
“We need all we can get right now,” she wanted to add but decided it would be in bad taste.
Father already knows that.
Her mother was insistent on doing something, so she supervised the stewards in making a big celebratory meal the night before, to be eaten that morning. Helena woke up just before dawn to receive the shawl she asked Miss Justina for, as a gift. The day started out just nicely for her.
They had just settled down to eat. The table was full with plates of chicken, veal stock, sliced ham in small round bowls, and plates of poached salmon. The Baroness had made hot red sauce that was really spicy and tasted great with the meat. Everyone in the family was present at the table, except the boys who couldn’t possibly leave their school in London just because of Helena’s birthday. The Baron said grace, and they were about to start eating when Lady Lavinia arrived, screaming and singing name day songs. Helena spent a few minutes calming her down and getting her to join them at the table. Now Helena stared at her because she was wondering how Lady Lavinia managed to be so uppity all the time. Of course, she needn’t tell them what she thought.
Lady Lavinia dipped the slice of chicken on her fork into the sauce and put it in her mouth. Helena watched as she swallowed it then sipped from the cup of lemonade in front of her.
“Lady Henrietta, this meal is exquisite. You really stuck out a neck for Helena,” Lady Lavinia said.
When she saw that Helena was looking at her, she added, “If she deserves it is a completely different story.”
Helena was tempted to throw the lemonade in her cup at Lady Lavinia.
“Focus on your food, Lavinia. After we eat, we’ll have time enough for verbal jibes,” Helena replied.
“I always have time for verbal jibes,” Lady Lavinia said.
“Obviously,” Miss Melanie commented.
Lady Lavinia turned to Miss Melanie who quickly turned her focus on her meal. Helena was ready to jump to her sister’s rescue if Lady Lavinia decided to switch her playful goading to her.
Melanie is no match for Lavinia’s sharp tongue.
The Baron moved his seat back. He was done eating. He mopped at his mouth with a napkin and looked at his wife.
“Happy birthday, Helena, I do hope this day turns out more wonderfully for you than you can imagine,” he said.
“I’ll try to spoil it as much as I can,” Lady Lavinia said in a playful manner.
Everyone at the table burst into laughter. Helena shook her head.
Lavinia could never change.
Lady Henrietta pushed her chair back and followed her husband out of the room. Helena noticed Miss Melanie kept looking up, shifting her feet.
“Are you going somewhere, Melanie?” she asked.
Melanie met her gaze and shook her head timidly.
“I think she has an appointment with some of her friends. She told me something like that,” Miss Jacqueline said, drawing an unpleasant stare from her younger sister.
“You can go. I am holding no one back. My name day is also just another day,” Helena said.
Miss Melanie was elated and jumped to her feet.
“Thank you, sister,” she said before walking out of the room.
Helena nodded. She watched her sister walk out in her short, blue gown. Two stewards came into the dining room and cleared the plates of the Baron and Baroness. They also brought plates of biscuits and tasty looking cookies. Helena was full. She surely wasn’t going to eat the biscuits. Helena stood up, drawing looks from Lady Lavinia and Miss Jacqueline.
“I am going to the garden,” Helena said.
Lady Lavinia moved back from the table too.
“I’ll be right behind you,” she said.
Helena still had her plain morning gown on. She wasn’t planning to go anywhere; she just wanted to read in the garden for the rest of the day. Helena picked up the book she was reading on the centre table as she passed through the sitting room and continued her walk out into the courtyard. She went down the stairs and round the house into the garden. She sat on the bench and opened her book.
She was still sitting in the garden two hours later. Lady Lavinia and Miss Justina sat beside her, busy playing a game of cards. Helena was at the end of the book now. Her guess had been right. The book had a deeper story that meant more than the life of the initial protagonist. Helena closed the book and looked at its front page again.
“Priestly Desires,” its title read.
Helena was about opening it again when she heard her name.
“Miss Helena,” a young boy called her.
She looked up to him.
“There’s a man asking for you. He says his name is Lord Jeffrey,” the boy said.
Lady Lavinia nudged her friend on the arm.
“Helena, you didn’t tell me Lord Jeffrey comes here to see you,” Lady Lavinia said winking at the same time.
“He’s only been here once,” Helena said, disregarding her friend’s teasing tone.
She stood up and walked out of the garden. She saw Lord Jeffrey standing at the base of the short staircase leading to her house’s porch. He looked immaculate in a white jacket and tucked out white shirt over black br
eeches which ended in his black Wellington boots. There was a golden wristwatch on his arm that caught her eyes. His brown hair took on a black shade in the day’s light.
When he saw her coming, his plain expression became a frown. But he smiled again when she was a few feet from him.
“Good day, Miss Helena, happy birthday,” he said.
Seduced by an Irresistible Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 13
