Capturing the Viscount's Heart

by Abby Ayles

  “I will go before we both say something we may regret,” he said sadly. “However, before I go, I ask you to hear me. Things are not always as they seem. Sometimes those who seem the worse for us have our best at heart, while those who profess goodness have the worst of intention.”

  Helena’s eyes turned to him at that. They lingered in each other’s gaze. The urge to pull her to him and hold her as he had before filled him. He wanted to give her comfort, to protect her. Could she not see that? Feel that?

  “Lord Chatleton,” Lieutenant Rock’s voice interrupted. Helena immediately stepped away from him.

  “Lieutenant,” Elias said as politely as he could muster.

  “Am I interrupting something?” the other man questioned.

  “Not at all. I was just looking for Miss Helena to see after the health of her sister. I have not seen her these past days and was concerned.”

  Helena offered no response.

  Lieutenant Rock stepped closer. “That is kind of you,” he said with a smile and then turned to Helena. “I have found the book,” he said, holding the item aloft.

  “I have clearly interrupted your meeting. I will leave you. I would, however, suggest this meeting take place elsewhere. The parlor, perhaps?” Elias suggested.

  “What say you, Miss Helena?” the Lieutenant asked.

  “We should not have come so far unchaperoned. His Lordship is correct. We should go indoors.”

  Elias walked with them back to the house. He allowed the lieutenant and Helena to walk before him so he could keep an eye on them. Once at the doors of the house, he bid them farewell.

  "Good evening," he said with a nod before he turned and walked inside.

  The last thing he heard as the door closed behind him was the lieutenant’s voice bidding him goodbye, with Helena’s small voice in the distance.

  It had not gone how he had planned, but Elias prayed she would heed him. Lieutenant Rock was a charlatan, and if he harmed her, Elias was not sure what he would do.

  One thing was certain. Now that they had spoken, he could not go back to avoiding her. She needed him, whether she believed it or not, and he would be there even if she didn’t wish it.

  Chapter 29

  Helena had hidden in the music room. She wanted to avoid Lieutenant Rock and Elias. She needed to think, and that could not happen with them present. The wedding was mere days away, and she needed to be of the frame of mind to do what she must.

  The lieutenant’s pursuit of her was becoming more apparent. The way he singled her out was obvious, but now it was the way he looked at her. The way he found cause to touch her in some way in gestures as small as their hands brushing against one another in passing.

  She was quick to remove herself from any perceived intimacy as soon as it occurred, but it was clear the gentleman wanted more.

  She needed to be careful and not allow her melancholy and loneliness to govern her good sense. Lieutenant Rock seemed a good man, but there was still a question to the sincerity of his words and actions.

  Helena had not resisted his attention. Initially, she found it comforting and even flattering, despite trying to convince herself it was simply friendship he sought. Now, her thoughts were altered.

  It was all due to the words Elias had spoken. Despite her anger at him, once her emotions had settled, she began to think of what he’d said.

  Elias had never brought her harm. In truth, he was always the one who rescued her from trouble. She could not believe he would act on the contrary now, even with the troubles between their two families. The fact that he had come to warn her at all seemed evidence enough of that.

  Perhaps she had it all wrong? Perhaps she was seeing both men through tainted lenses? How could she be sure?

  She sat at the harpsichord and allowed her fingers to trace the keys. She had not played any instrument in months. Music had all but disappeared in her home.

  Her aunt had a lovely piece. A beautiful woodland scene had been painted upon it. The colors were somewhat muted compared to those of the harpsichord at Balwell. That one was more vibrant, with a painting of people frolicking amongst the spring trees.

  The door of the music room opened suddenly and Agatha entered. “Helena, I would speak with you.”

  Helena stood in surprise. Her cousin did her best to avoid her, yet here she was, asking to speak with her. “What is it, Agatha?”

  “I must speak to you about Lieutenant Rock.”

  What was this? Another warning about the man?

  “What about the lieutenant?” Helena asked cautiously.

  “You monopolize his time,” Agatha said sharply. “It is clear to all that you have some design on him, and I wish to warn you against it. You are in no position to demand such exclusivity amongst the party’s guests. You are about to cause a greater scandal with your behavior than your father.”

  Helena held her composure as her younger cousin ranted, but the moment she mentioned her father, Helena’s calm dissolved.

  She had born her cousin’s criticism of her for as long as she could, but now the girl wished to drag her innocent father into the mess she was creating. Did he not already suffer enough? It was more than Helena could bear.

  “Listen, cousin,” she said sharply. “I will speak to whom I may, as you so clearly are able to do. To anyone who would listen. I do not know your grievance with me or my family, but I assure that you need not worry about any scandal on my part.”

  “You will not heed me?” Agatha questioned.

  “I have heard you and this is my response. We are family, but I have yet to receive a single word of welcome or affection from you. Yet you are here to warn me of my behavior when you have made it your mission to let my family’s position be known to everyone?”

  “I simply spoke the truth. You are my cousin but I barely know you. The connection is one that could taint my standing in society and I wish it known that I do not condone your presence here,” Agatha spat.

  “Time apart severs blood connection, does it? Then it is a wonder you have any connections at all,” Helena replied. “I note your feelings and I wish you to hear mine. Never mention my father again or blood or not, I cannot promise you that I will not give you the throttling you so justly deserve.”

  Helena felt better as she unleashed her feelings upon her cousin. The girl was a young snipe and she would endure her no longer.

  “You wouldn’t dare,” Agatha called after her.

  Helena turned in the doorway with a smile. “Is that a challenge? If it is, then I accept.”

  She left the music room feeling lighter. It was almost as if her old self had been awakened after a long sleep. She did not wish to lose the feeling.

  The rest of the day was more pleasant. She was able to convince Beatrice to come out of hiding. Her sister was pleased to hear of her handling of Agatha.

  “I only wish I was there to see it,” she commented as they came down the stairs for dinner. “Should you need to throttle her, I offer my services.”

  Helena couldn’t help but laugh at her sister’s feelings toward their younger cousin. The girl was unfortunately vain, that was all. She held appearances over family and could not see her own faults.

  “Lord, get us through this dinner,” Beatrice said once they were outside the dining room.

  “Smile,” Helena encouraged. “Tonight, we will not allow the words of others to weigh us down. Tonight, we will enjoy ourselves.” Her declaration caused a smile to spread across her sister’s face. The first in some time.

  “Agreed!” she sang before she entered the room.

  The dining room was absent one guest. Lady Alice had been called away by her father, but was due to return in time for the wedding. It left the space beside Elias vacant, but it was soon occupied by Captain Standish.

  Helena found herself seated across from Elias, with Lieutenant Rock and her sister on either side. Every time she looked up, their eyes met over the candles. She had forgotten how she loved to loo
k at the deep chocolate that looked back at her.

  It was there, that feeling she hadn’t known in months. The pull that she always felt when she was with him. She told herself to ignore it and hold fast to her promise to banish him from her thoughts.

  However, every time her eyes met his over the flickering light, she found the thought further and further removed from her mind.

  "Remember my words," Agatha said under her breath as Helena was leaving the dining room. “Do not make a spectacle of yourself with the lieutenant.”

  Beatrice stopped beside her. Helena smiled and turned to her cousin. “Do not forget mine.”

  “I will gladly assist her,” her sister added.

  Agatha shrank at her words and left them. Helena and Beatrice laughed at her retreat.

  “Will you join me?” Helena asked her sister. “I want to go out on the balcony. It is such a lovely evening. The fresh air would do us good.”

  “Not this evening,” Beatrice apologized. “I wish to write to Mother.”

  “Send her my love,” Helena replied as Beatrice left her.

  She strolled toward the balcony. The music of the harpsichord wafted through the open music room door, but it did not tempt her.

  “May I join you?” Lieutenant Rock asked as he approached.

  She smiled at him hesitantly. “Thank you, Lieutenant, but I would like to be alone tonight,” Helena replied.

  “I see. Is there some cause for this?”

  “No, it’s just that I have been constantly surrounded by people the weeks I have been here. I have hardly had time to myself, and I am much in need of it now that Beatrice is on her feet.”

  He smiled and nodded his understanding. “I will leave you on this occasion. I will, however, hope that we could perhaps walk to town tomorrow. I have yet to get the couple a wedding gift and I would love your opinion on my choices.”

  “I will gladly help if my sister is not in need of me,” Helena answered with a small smile. “Enjoy your night, Lieutenant.”

  “You also, Miss Helena.”

  She turned from Lieutenant Rock and continued her stroll outside. She felt his eyes upon her as she walked, but she dared not turn around.

  Helena collected her shawl from where she’d left it in the parlor and then made her way outside.

  The balcony was quiet. The moon cast it in brilliant white. It was full tonight, and the breeze that came with it sent goose bumps up her arms.

  The balcony was large enough to make a stroll of it. She began walking in the large circle as her thoughts began to walk with her through her mind.

  The last few days had her unsettled and unsure of her own mind and heart. Lieutenant Rock seemed an almost perfect gentleman, yet Elias accused him of being otherwise. Then, Agatha and her warnings. It was all too much.

  “I just want some peace,” Helena said softly as she closed her eyes and exhaled a long breath.

  “You deserve it.”

  Helena turned to find Elias sitting on the rail, half hidden by a small shrub that had been set in a planter there.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said as he got to his feet. “I was just sitting here.”

  “I’m sorry to have disturbed you,” Helena apologized and then turned to leave. She had come to escape him and yet there he was.

  “Don’t go,” Elias said quickly and her feet stopped at his command.

  She turned to him slowly and pulled her shawl tighter.

  “How are you?” he asked gently.

  “I am well. And you?”

  Helena could hear her cousin’s warning of scandal and rumor in her head, but she was weary of it all. She was exhausted with constantly watching her manners and having to consider what others would think of her.

  No one would see them from where they stood. Helena had not seen Elias until she had come upon him. She needed a moment of peace. She needed a moment to just be Helena.

  “I am well,” he said with a weak smile. “You seem to have improved in spirits.”

  “I was forced to remember myself,” Helena answered with a small smile.

  “I am glad for it. You were not made to be melancholy.”

  “Neither were you,” Helena agreed.

  “I did not mean to offend you,” he apologized.

  “I know,” Helena answered. “I was upset and not thinking straight.”

  “And now?” he enquired.

  “I am more myself,” she replied.

  “I am happy to hear it. I did not wish you to think ill of me or my intentions toward you. I only meant to help.”

  Helena’s eyes left his face and settled on his chest in embarrassment. He needn’t explain. She knew his heart, and it was always good. Her feelings were born of her resentment of her situation, and the jealousy that seeing him with Lady Alice had sparked within her.

  “I know,” she answered him. “All is as it should be.”

  “Not yet, but I hope soon,” Elias added. Helena raised her eyes from his chest to his eyes.

  “I have received two warnings in two days. I seem to have found myself in more trouble than usual,” she mused weakly.

  “I am aware.”

  “You are?” Helena asked in surprise.

  “I was outside the music room when your cousin sought you out today. I overheard your conversation.”

  Helena was stunned. “I saw no one when I left.”

  “I heard you approaching and stepped across the hall to the den. I did not want to embarrass you or your cousin at having been heard,” Elias explained.

  “You heard what she said to me?”

  “Every word,” Elias replied firmly. “And she was wrong on every account. You have done nothing wrong, Helena. You have enjoyed the only company and comfort offered you, there is no sin in that.”

  She was grateful for his words. It seemed so long since she had received a kind word from him, the one she wanted to hear most from.

  “I was also happy to hear your response,” he said with a smirk as he leaned closer to her.

  Helena giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. “You heard that too?”

  “Well done,” he answered. “Your cousin is unthinkably unkind to one whose blood she shares.”

  “She is young and foolish. One day she will learn that blood means more than position, but yet, I understand her. I have suffered under society’s ridicule for what my father is believed to have done. She did not wish the same for herself.”

  “Still, to be so apparent in her disapproval of you. It was most unkind.”

  “I believe she will be less willing to speak of my family now,” Helena answered.

  Elias laughed, and Helena found herself smiling as the chuckle lightened his face and caused a smile to spread across his handsome features.

  “I believe in your father’s innocence,” Elias stated to Helena’s great surprise. “I have done all I can to prove it, but as yet have found nothing I can share with you on the matter.”

  Helena stepped toward him as the first glimmer of hope she’d had in months ignited before her. “Have you truly been trying to prove his innocence?”

  “I have done all I can. I even enlisted the help of Lady Alice, who is more able to get information from some than I.”

  That was why he was always with her? As a means to help her father? She chided herself for believing otherwise.

  “Elias,” she said but found her words stopped by his finger against her lips.

  “Do not apologize. It is my fault that you had the wrong impression of me and the lady.”

  His finger lingered several moments before he slid it away.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “I made a promise to you, Helena. I will always keep my promises to you.”

  Chapter 30

  Elias woke with a splitting headache. His head felt as if it were about to explode. He forced himself from bed and joined the party for breakfast. The clatter of cutlery threatened to split his head in two.

&
nbsp; “I am sorry, Captain, but I cannot accompany you today,” Elias said as the group left the dining room to prepare for their outing. They had been promised a day at the lake for yet another picnic and fishing. He had been most looking forward to this, but now his mind was not able to bear it.