Her heart was thudding madly in her chest, and her mouth felt swollen after Daniel’s invasion. He had recognised her from the Moonspinner, she had no doubt about that now! It was the only explanation for his conduct—he assumed she had been Adam’s mistress and, seeing the froideur between them now, had decided to step in. Presumably his ambition was such that he had no qualms in marrying ‘damaged goods’ if she brought him the influence and connections he so desperately craved.
Helena let the reins go slack, allowing the horse to dip its head to graze. Through the screen of branches she was hazily aware of polite Society going about its social round in the Park. A small boy chased a hoop, screaming with delight, while a lapdog ran after him barking madly. It all seemed as remote as a dream.
She forced herself to think what Daniel Brookes might do with his knowledge. Not only was he an ambitious man, but a proud one, and she had humiliated him in front of the lower orders, spurned his suit and fought off his advances in a manner which could only anger him. He frightened her; she had no doubt that everything Adam had told her about his character was true.
What would he do now? How would he use his knowledge to his advantage, for she doubted he ever did anything that was not to his gain. Presumably he would come and be more explicit, tell her in no uncertain terms that he knew she had been at sea with Adam and expect her to agree to marry him in exchange for his silence. And if she refused? Well, then she had no doubt that he would threaten to tell her uncle.
He would tell the story as though he had a moral duty to rescue her from the consequences of her fall from virtue. He would pose as a man in love who was prepared to forgive all, to accept her despite her past and give her a respectable name. Her aunt would do everything in her power to promote the match and her mother, even with her well-known eccentricity, could not permit her daughter to be ruined.
The horse extended its neck, jerking her in the saddle. Helena peered out between the leaves but the two landaus were still there, the dowagers chatting animatedly and showing no inclination to tell their coachmen to drive on. Helena knew she must take the North gate—any other exit from the Park would leave her with a far longer journey through the streets to negotiate.
She could hardly stay where she was until it got dark—being out on the streets at night would be even more scandalous. Finally the carriages rolled away. Helena pulled down her veil and, for the first time regretting that she had chosen such a distinctive horse, trotted circumspectly towards the gate.
Crossing Piccadilly, she attracted many curious stares and quite a few blatantly admiring glances from passing men. Looking to neither right nor left, Helena made her way through the traffic. The streets were thronged with deliveries and with carriages returning from afternoon calls and drives in the parks. Hoping that it would be assumed that her groom was behind her, Helena rode grimly on, her cheeks flaming under the veil.
The footman was startled to find her on the doorstep unaccompanied by the escort she had departed with, but received no explanation. Helena ran upstairs, whisked into her bedchamber, pulling urgently at the bell.
Lucy found her mistress breaking her fingernails in her effort to undo the tight buttons down the front of her jacket. Her hat and whip were thrown onto the chaiselongue and the face she turned to the girl was set and miserable. ‘Help me out of this habit, then take it away and burn it!’
‘But, Miss Helena, it’s brand new!’ Lucy protested, her hands stroking across the rich cloth. Goodness knows what was amiss: when she had hurried past Edward in answer to the peremptory peel of the bell, he had warned her that the young mistress was in a right taking. ‘Never seen the like before,’ he had muttered. ‘And her gentleman wasn’t with her—riding alone in the street, goodness knows what the master’ll say when he finds out!’
Helena spun round, ‘Just take it away and do as I tell you, Lucy! And please tell my aunt I will lie down until dinner. I have a headache.’
And that was nothing but the truth. Shutting the door firmly behind the maid, Helena turned the key and dropped onto the bed. The room spun as she lay back against the pillows, massaging her throbbing temples. She was in a complete state of turmoil and, what was worse, could see no way out.
Try as she might, Helena could not suppress the memories of Daniel’s mouth ruthlessly plundering hers, his tongue invading and demanding. She shuddered, rubbing her hand across her swollen lips as though she could erase the imprint. How very different it had been from Adam’s caresses, even though Adam too had been demanding. But she had welcomed Adam’s kisses, had revelled in his passion and given herself up to their mutual arousal…
She had begun by trying to make Adam jealous: now she had made an enemy of Daniel Brookes and had put her own reputation in jeopardy by riding unescorted through the streets of Mayfair.
Thankfully no one came to enquire after her, although she knew her aunt and uncle and mother were in the house. Doubtless it would not be long before they came up to change for dinner. She would just close her eyes, rest and try and regain some composure before she had to face them.
The sound of the door knocker made her eyes fly open in surprise. It was a strange time for a caller. With a growing sense of unease, Helena got up from the bed and tried to see if there was a carriage below. Most likely it would be Lady Faulkener, losing no time in reporting Miss Wyatt’s outrageous behaviour to her shocked relatives.
It was a full ten minutes later when Lucy entered Helena’s chamber and bobbed a curtsy to her mistress who was pacing anxiously up and down. ‘Lady Wyatt’s compliments, Miss Helena, and she says, will you please join her in the drawing room. And, miss, she says you’re to wear the jonquil silk.’
Oh, dear—it must be Lady Faulkener, and Mama wanted her to look as demure as possible in the most understated of her evening gowns. Helena had still to think of any convincing excuse for her behaviour other than that she had lost control of her horse—not that any of her family would believe that for a moment!
Fifteen minutes later she took a deep breath on the threshold of the drawing room and pushed open the doors, fully expecting to be confronted by Lady Faulkener, resplendent as usual in purple. But in place of a censorious dowager there was Lieutenant Brookes, darkly handsome in full dress uniform, standing with her uncle before the hearth.
The Commodore was beaming with delight. At the sight of Helena he crossed the floor and took both her hands in his. ‘Helena, my dear, there you are! You look as fresh as a daisy—that yellow becomes you very well, very well indeed. Now, see who has called! Make your curtsy, my dear.’
Utterly off balance, Helena still had time to notice the expression on the faces of her mother and aunt as they sat side by side on the sofa. Lady Breakey looked particularly triumphant, her normally pale features animated and a broad smile curving her lips. Even Lady Wyatt was looking as near smug as that well-bred lady would ever permit.
Bobbing a curtsy, Helena fought with her confusion. Why were they all looking so pleased? And Daniel—why, he could not have wasted a moment from when she had fled from him in Green Park before repairing to his lodgings and changing for this visit.
Her uncle took her by the hand and led her to Daniel’s side. Helena kept her eyes averted from his face. She knew she had gone pale and she could not trust her voice to speak.
But Sir Robert was doing all the talking. ‘Now, my dear, Lieutenant Brookes has called particularly to speak to you, Helena. And I must say, we are all very pleased about the nature of his…er…’ he cleared his throat and twinkled at her ‘…subject matter.’
Lady Breakey rose to her feet with a gracious smile. ‘My goodness, look at the time: we must dress for dinner. Come, Sir Robert, come, Sister. Helena, you will entertain the Lieutenant in our absence.’ It was a command, not a request. Helena watched helplessly as her relatives withdrew, leaving her with her adversary. What could they be about, to leave her so unchaperoned?
She stepped towards the bellpull hanging beside the fire
place but, before she could ring for her maid, Daniel’s hand closed round hers, arresting the action. ‘No, Helena, we do not need your maid. Why do you think I am here?’
Helena snatched her hand free and stepped back away from his looming height. ‘To apologise, sir, I sincerely hope.’ In the dark uniform he dominated the room, exuding the confidence and self-satisfaction of a cat.
‘Apologise?’ He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. ‘Apologise for sampling what you were offering?’
‘Offering!’ Helena was outraged. ‘I would not offer you the time of day, sir! And if you know so little about women to believe I was compliant, then you have made a serious error of judgment.’
Daniel rested one elbow on the mantleshelf and smiled into her furious face. ‘I have considerable experience of women…’
‘So I have heard, but it would appear you have learned little from it,’ she flashed back and saw the anger stir deep in his eyes as he realised that Adam must have told her something of his history.
‘Considerable experience, as is only to be expected of a man of the world,’ he continued smoothly. ‘But young ladies are not expected to have any experience, are they, Helena? Certainly not as much as you have.’
‘Sir, you are impertinent. I do not have to stay here and listen to your innuendoes.’ Helena turned in a swirl of skirts and stepped towards the door.
Brookes moved swiftly, blocking her escape. ‘Not so fast. No one will interrupt us, I am here with your family’s blessing to make you a declaration.’
‘A declaration! Have you taken leave of your senses? I would not marry you, sir, if you were the last man in Christendom!’ So that was why her family were looking so smug. Daniel must have secured her uncle’s permission to address her, and they had abandoned her, thinking no doubt that the privacy would be welcome to both.
And after what had passed between them in the park, she could not conceive that even this man, with his overweening confidence and transparent ambition, could believe his attentions would be welcome to her. ‘You assault me and insult me, and now you have the effrontery to propose marriage to me. I can scarce believe my ears—but you, Lieutenant Brookes, had better believe yours, for I will tell you this plainly, I will never consent to marry you.’ She faced up to him, her chin high with defiance, eyes sparking angry fire.
The Lieutenant was not in the least discommoded by her defiance, regarding her flushed and furious figure with amusement. By God! He had started this pursuit to advance his naval career and to get one over on Darvell. He would have married the plainest spinster in the kingdom if that would have served his purpose; but this woman was stirring his blood as no other had before!
‘You really are magnificent when you are roused, Helena,’ he drawled. ‘I am becoming more and more reconciled to this course of action.’
Helena clenched her fists by her side in an effort not to strike out at him, puncture his self-assurance and arrogance. ‘Oh, come, sir, since we are being frank, let us say it plainly. The only reason you want to marry me is to form an alliance with a family which has much influence in your profession.’
‘That is very true, and I believe I would have offered for you even if you had been plain and at your last prayers.’ Daniel Brookes was not going to admit just how much he desired her, he could not afford to give her any weapon against him. ‘Your looks and your spirit are an added bonus. But you ask me to speak plainly, and I will do so. If you were not your uncle’s heiress, then your attractions would not be enough to induce me to take used goods.’ His face was hard, with every line of the hate and ruthlessness it had held on board the Moonspinner.
Helena felt as though all the breath had been squeezed from her lungs. With an enormous struggle for composure she managed to whisper, ‘Used goods! You insult me; I will call my uncle and have you thrown from the house.’
Daniel seized her quite roughly by the shoulders. His broad palms burned hot through the flimsy silk and she shivered with fear and loathing. ‘Come, madam, stop playing the outraged virgin. Both you and I know you were on Darvell’s yacht as his mistress, and that you acted the trollop to deceive my men and myself when we were about His Majesty’s lawful business. So enough of this, unless you wish me to tell your family all.’
He knew! Daniel Brookes really knew that it was she on the Moonspinner! There was no point in continuing to deny it. ‘They know what happened.’ Helena twisted out of his grasp and took refuge behind the sofa. ‘And they know nothing untoward or improper occurred. Lord Darvell rescued me when I was washed out to sea, and returned me as soon as possible to my mother, who was most grateful to him.’
‘Poppycock. You forget, my dear Miss Wyatt, the length of my…acquaintanceship with Darvell. You expect me to believe that you were on his yacht and that you were not in his bed?’ He sneered at the betraying colour on her cheeks. ‘Oh, no, you may have gulled your dear mama and your aunt, but, Helena, I do not believe that if you had mentioned one word of this to your uncle the Commodore you would not have been married to Darvell within the week.’
‘Then I will tell him now,’ she defied him. ‘He will be very angry, but he will believe me…’
‘What, believe you have had no intimate relations with that man when he sees this?’ Daniel Brookes removed his pocket book from the breast of his uniform jacket and unfolded a sheet of paper.
With a sinking heart Helena realised that he was the one who had found that treacherous drawing. She remembered seeing him stoop, then put his pocket book away at her aunt’s reception, and it all fell into place. Frozen she watched his tanned fingers smooth the paper and hold up the sheet.
Even at that distance it was shockingly intimate, every line etched with a knowledge she should not have had. Her love and longing was writ large for the most insensitive viewer to read: her family would have no difficulty interpreting it.
He was too far away from her and the sofa was between them: she had no chance of seizing it. With deliberate care Daniel folded the paper and replaced it safely within his jacket.
‘You would not, you could not be such a blackguard as to use that against me,’ Helena gasped.
‘Oh, I would. As I will explain to your uncle, my love for you has overcome my natural scruples and I am prepared to hazard my honour to save yours.’ He grinned mockingly, his eyes roving impudently over her slender form molded by the silk gown.
The room swayed and Helena grasped the back of the sofa, holding on to it as she unsteadily worked her way round until she could sit on it. ‘Sit there,’ she commanded shakily, gesturing towards a chair opposite. ‘Do not come near me—I must have time to think.’
‘Very well.’ Lieutenant Brookes dropped his long form into the chair and regarded her like a big tom cat who had caught a mouse and was tormenting it by letting it free between its paws.
Helena dropped her head into her hands, feeling her fingers cold against her hot cheeks. It steadied her and she fought to regain her composure and find a way out. If by her defiance she forced Daniel Brookes to show the drawing to her uncle, she was lost. The Commodore would not hesitate to insist on the marriage between them. If Sir Robert did not see the drawing but she told him the truth, he would insist that Adam married her—and she had no doubt that he would.
Tears filled her eyes. Adam would do the honourable thing the minute he knew she was compromised, as he had offered before. But loving him as she did, she could not bear to be married to him, knowing that he had been compelled to take her.
Helena could faintly see some glimmer of a solution, a thread of hope through the maze. She raised her tear-stained face and said, ‘Very well, then, I agree to tell my family we are betrothed.’
Daniel got to his feet and came to make her an ironic bow. ‘Madam, your warmth overwhelms me.’
He made as though to take her hand and Helena drew back. ‘If you try and kiss me, I swear I will claw out your eyes,’ she said evenly.
‘Oh, I intend to do rather more than kiss yo
u, my dear, but that can wait. Anticipation adds spice, I have always found. Now, dry your cheeks and I will ring for your family to rejoin us and hear our happy news.’
Chapter Ten
The ordeal of Helena’s family’s congratulations and pleasure in her betrothal was difficult to bear. Her silence and flushed cheeks were regarded by her aunt and uncle as the bashfulness only to be expected from a well-bred young girl newly affianced. Lady Wyatt, however, observed her daughter with unease.
Something was not right, Helena was not happy. Lady Wyatt assumed that Helena’s heart was still with that wretched rake Adam Darvell, but that her superior sense had guided her to a more suitable match. Ah, well, time and the respectful attentions of such a handsome and successful young man as the Lieutenant would soon put that right.
Her future son-in-law was responding with manly modesty to the hearty congratulations of his superior officer, but turned as soon as he could to her, paying Lady Wyatt every attention. ‘Lady Wyatt, may I call later this week to discuss a date for the wedding? I am fortunate in being attached to the Admiralty at the moment—’ he cast a warm glance towards the Commodore, who was sitting next to Helena on the sofa ‘—but I expect to return to my ship by the end of next month.’
Lady Wyatt raised a brow. ‘If you intend to marry before then, we must certainly apply ourselves to the arrangements with some speed.’
Her sister-in-law appeared at her side, brimful of excitement. ‘Now, you need not concern yourself, Sister, Helena will be married from Brook Street. St George’s in Hanover Square, of course, is the only possible church, do you not agree, Lieutenant Brookes?’
He turned to her, instantly attentive. ‘I bow to your judgment on all these matters, madam.’
With awful inevitability Sir Robert pressed Daniel to stay for dinner. The meal seemed endless to Helena, but by the time the desserts were set before them she had at least recovered enough composure to make small talk with her fiancé. But behind the façade of social chitchat Helena’s mind was working furiously. She had a plan, but her first concern must be to do nothing to alert her aunt and uncle, and particularly her mother, who was very acute and attuned to her daughter’s mood.
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