Seduced by an Irresistible Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Henrietta Harding

  “A friend of my father brought many such parcels for us yesterday. They contain silk of the finest make. I decided to bring some for your father, one for you,” Lord Jeffrey said.

  Helena covered her open mouth with her hand. She had not expected such a gesture from Lord Jeffrey. She never imagined him, capable of such benevolence.

  This is so different to the reports I have heard of him.

  “Lord Jeffrey, thank you very much for this kind gesture, but there is no need for …”

  “Nonsense,” Lord Jeffrey interrupted.

  He pointed to Miss Justina standing at the top of the stairwell.

  “Come take these in.”

  “No,” Helena said quickly.

  “Go and get stewards to carry these in, Justina,” Helena said.

  Lord Jeffrey looked at Helena, and his eyes weren’t kind. He looked surprised that she had disputed his order and angry that she had the guts to do so. Lady Lavinia started coming down the stairs, and Lord Jeffrey shifted his gaze to her.

  “Lord Jeffrey, although my friend is still too shocked to be appreciative enough, I want to say thank you on her behalf,” Lady Lavinia said.

  “Ah, it’s no problem at all,” Lord Jeffrey answered.

  Miss Justina appeared again from within the house. Two stewards came after her. Three of them went down the stairs. The stewards overtook her and walked to the parcels as Miss Justina joined Lord Jeffrey.

  “My Lord, the Baron asks that you come in to see him,” Miss Justina said, looking to her mistress as she ended the statement.

  Lord Jeffrey nodded. Miss Justina turned, leading him into the house and to the Baron. Helena didn’t move. She watched them climb up the stairs and disappear behind the closing door.

  “You do not look overly impressed,” Lady Lavinia said, moving to stand beside Helena.

  “I am. This is a wonderful surprise,” Helena answered.

  “So why do you have a grim face?” Lady Lavinia asked.

  Helena shook her head.

  “He has something against Justina,” she said.

  Lady Lavinia burst into quiet laughter. Helena didn’t join her.

  “What could the Marquess of Beaufort, the son of the Duke, one of the richest men in England, have against your maid?” Lady Lavinia asked.

  “We both know Justina has become more of a friend than a maid,” Helena argued.

  “He isn’t to know that. He has been surrounded by eager servants all his life. Please allow him some room if he doesn’t find it easy to understand why a steward would be so close and free,” Lady Lavinia said.

  Helena said nothing in response. Lady Lavinia was right. She would have to talk to Lord Jeffrey.

  Her wait to speak with Lord Jeffrey took far longer than she thought it would. Lord Jeffrey and her father discussed long into the day. Helena was seeing Lady Lavinia off in her carriage when Lord Jeffrey stepped out of her house. Helena watched Lady Lavinia’s carriage move out of the compound before turning to meet Lord Jeffrey.

  “I didn’t know you would speak for so long,” Helena said.

  “I didn’t plan it like that, my dear. I am sorry for being such a bad guest,” he said.

  Helena laughed.

  “You aren’t in the least a bad guest.”

  Lord Jeffrey held her hand and walked her to the side of the house. Helena led him to a bench that lay in front of a small statue beside the house.

  “So did you meet my mother?” Helena asked.

  “Yes, I did. She’s a very jovial woman. The Baron is more subdued,” Lord Jeffrey said.

  Helena nodded her head. It wasn’t necessarily true. Her father was more cheerful than her mother. His current worries had subdued him.

  “Did you receive an invitation to attend Miss Morgana’s ball?” Lord Jeffrey asked.

  Helena remembered her discussion with Lady Lavinia at Albemarle. She hadn’t received any invitation.

  “No, I haven’t.”

  Lord Jeffrey dipped his hand into his coat and brought out a white envelope. He offered it to Helena.

  “She asked that we bring partners. That is strange, though, but everything about Miss Morgana is different,” Lord Jeffrey said.

  Helena collected the invite but didn’t respond to what he said. He spoke like he knew Miss Morgana personally, and rather well. She looked into his dark orbs, and he shifted his gaze away from her.

  “When is it holding?” she asked him.

  “It’s in the invite, in two weeks I suppose. I will come and pick you up. I’ll be here before ten,” Lord Jeffrey said.

  Helena didn’t reply. Lord Jeffrey held her hand. His grip wasn’t hard, not what she expected for someone who looked so strong and menacing. His fingers were soft. Helena waited for the rush, the tripping over her heart would surely suffer, the tingling at the point where their skin touched. Nothing happened. She looked into Lord Jeffrey’s eyes and couldn’t read him even though she felt like he was reading her like an open book. He drew closer. Helena felt his breath on her, hot and brushing. His lips were sharply outlined with vivid edges, not like Dr Frederick’s which melted into his skin. His mouth opened a bit. Helena’s breath caught.

  “Miss Helena.”

  Helena jerked backwards. Lord Jeffrey was more relaxed in his reaction and looked back with an intense frown. That was Miss Justina’s voice. Miss Justina came around the turn after a few seconds and curtseyed when she saw Lord Jeffrey.

  “The Baron asked that I call Miss Helena,” she said.

  There was a groan from Lord Jeffrey. He looked very displeased at seeing Miss Justina. Helena remembered her planned discussion with Lord Jeffrey. She stood up.

  “Please excuse me, Lord Jeffrey,” she said.

  “I’ll be taking my leave too. I have some matters to attend to,” Lord Jeffrey said, as he stood.

  Helena looked at Lord Jeffrey, but he wasn’t looking back at her. She couldn’t see his eyes.

  “I hope you have not been put off by the break in our conversation,” she said.

  “No, not at all.”

  He looked down to her, and his eyes said, “Yes, completely.”

  “I won’t take long,” Helena promised.

  “Not to worry, Miss Helena. Night draws near,” he said, looking at the sky.

  Helena pursed her lips. He was angry, but he looked angrier at Miss Justina than at the break in conversation. Lord Jeffrey walked behind her and got into his carriage which was still in front of the stairs. Helena stood beside its window.

  “When next will we see?” Helena asked.

  “I will be here at least once before the ball,” Lord Jeffrey said.

  Helena nodded.

  “I’ll be expecting you,” she said.

  “Let’s go,” Lord Jeffrey said.

  The driver flogged his whip into the back of the horses, and the horses began to trot. Helena stood and watched the carriage’s receding figure till it left her compound before turning to the stairwell.

  “I hope I didn’t cause any issues. He wasn’t pleased to see me,” Miss Justina said.

  “Do not bother about that,” Helena told her.

  She opened the entrance door and went in, then walked straight to her father’s chambers. She knocked.

  “Come in, Helena,” the Baron said from inside.

  Helena pushed the door open and went in.

  “Justina said you need me,” Helena said.

  “Yes, I wanted to ask about this young man, Lord Jeffrey,” her father replied.

  The door behind her opened, drawing Helena’s attention. The Baroness came in.

  “Mother,” Helena said.

  “Helena,” her mother replied.

  “I presume he has left,” the Baron said.

  Helena nodded.

  “Good, now have a seat,” the Baroness interjected.

  Helena sat on the cushion chair opposite her father, placing her hands on her laps.

  “He brought the best gift I have received
in a while,” the Baron said.

  “White silk,” her mother said.

  Helena nodded.

  “A man makes no such gestures without an agenda he wishes to foster. And I think his is all very clear,” the Baron said.

  He paused as if expecting a reply from Helena. None was forthcoming, so he continued, “What is your take on him?”

  Helena sighed for fear of smiling and giving away her pleasure with how well her plan was progressing. Lord Jeffrey’s long talk with her father must be behind this.

  “He is a nice man, although I do not know him very well yet. He is cultured and informed, well schooled and mannered,” Helena replied.

  “Is that all you think of him?” the Baron asked.`` `

  “Is there a need to think more of him?” Helena asked.

  The Baron shook his head.

  “He and I got into a long discussion about a lot of things. He is a very sensible young man,” the Baron said.

  Helena nodded again. She trusted her father not to divulge what they discussed.

  “Do you think him good enough for marriage?” her father asked.

  Helena smiled. She had expected the question from the off. She felt nothing for Lord Jeffrey, but he was the answer to their problems.

  “He’s a good, eligible bachelor,” Helena replied, refusing to give a definitive answer.

  “Fine,” her father replied.

  “All is good then. You can go.”

  Helena got up and walked out of the waiting room. Her scheme was moving even faster than she expected.

  Chapter 15

  Hunger Unabated

  Friday morning came, and Helena could only think of one thing.

  Dr Frederick.

  He was to come that week and had not appeared for the first four days. Each time the gate opened, Helena looked outside her window. Every time, it wasn’t Dr Frederick. Her parents had gone out at dawn, on an assignment they hadn’t told Helena about.

  Helena woke up feeling a bit uneasy. Her stomach was unsettled; she had cramps. Helena shrugged it off and had a bath then put on a flowing grey dress. She had breakfast along with her sisters after which Helena retired to the library to read. Miss Jacqueline was there with her, but Miss Melanie was, as always, not in the house. Helena didn’t realise she had fallen asleep until Miss Justina shook her awake.

  Helena opened her eyes, rubbing with the back of both hands to remove the sleepiness. Her sister was gone, and the room was brighter.

  “Is it afternoon already?” Helena asked.

  “Yes,” Miss Justina answered.

  Helena nodded her head.

  “Dr Frederick is here,” Miss Justina said.

  Surprise jerked her head up, causing her to look straight into Miss Justina’s eyes.

  “Where is he?”

  “He is in the garden,” Miss Justina responded.

  Helena stood up and hurried out of the library.

  “Inform him that I am coming,” she told Miss Justina who was behind her.

  Helena walked into her room and went to her bathroom. She washed her face thoroughly and mopped it with a dry towel. Her face was white, looking relaxed in the mirror. She placed her hands on her stomach, remembering the cramps that had unsettled it in the morning.

  The cramps are gone.

  Helena walked outside. As she opened the entrance door, wind blew into her, throwing her hair back. Her skirt almost rose higher than propriety allowed till she held it down.

  Thank goodness, no one is watching.

  Helena walked to the garden. She saw his black box first before she saw him. His face held a warm smile.

  “Dr Frederick,” she said.

  “Miss Helena, you look great today.”

  “Is this place of comfort enough?” Helena asked after the requisite nod of her head.

  The question caught him off-guard. Dr Frederick was still fumbling for an answer when Helena gestured to him. She walked in front, hearing the crunch of his foot on the dry garden lawn. She led him to the bigger bench at the back and past that. The last decorative edifice was a circular hedge with a bench in its middle. Her father used to love staying there, but he fell out of infatuation with it, preferring the coziness of his chambers. The stewards didn’t attend much to the hedge, only keeping it in shape. It had grown very tall now and from inside was like an impenetrable fortress. Helena stayed there a lot now if she was in a foul mood and didn’t want any disturbances; only Miss Justina knew she stayed there. Helena walked in and sat on the bench. Dr Frederick stood in front.

  “How is the foot?” Dr Frederick asked.

  “Ah, it’s fine, much better than before.”

  There was nothing wrong with the foot, but Dr Frederick was not to know that. He bent down and placed his hand on the ankle. Helena jerked from his touch. Dr Frederick looked at her and shook his head.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it would hurt so much,” Dr Frederick said.

  It didn’t hurt. Helena was startled by the sudden feel of his calloused palm.

  “It doesn’t hurt that much, Doctor,” Helena replied.

  Dr Frederick placed his hand on her ankle once again, gently this time. Helena said nothing. She swallowed and looked at the centre of Dr Frederick’s hat.

  It is better to focus on nothing than the torture of his hands on me.

  His second hand joined the first, and soon there was a current flowing around her body as Dr Frederick massaged her foot from the ankle to her knee. After a tense period of silence and complete avoidance of eye contact, Dr Frederick removed his hands from her leg.

  “Your leg is fine, Miss Helena.”

  “I think so. I do pray it continues to be so,” she said.

  Dr Frederick stood up and with his height, the sitting Helena came face to face with a small bulge in the centre of his breeches. Helena said nothing of her observation. She was more worried about the dryness in her throat and the improper images her head conjured. Dr Frederick looked in doubt of what next to say, or do.

  “You can sit, Doctor,” Helena told him.

  “Thank you,” Dr Frederick said as he sat down beside her.

  Helena felt a blockage in the soft breeze she had been enjoying and new human warmth that attempted to block her senses. Helena held her breath, fearful that her skin would touch his, and she would lose control.

  “How did your week go?” Dr Frederick asked in a hardened voice. He looked in shock of himself like he forced the words out.

  “My week went fine. The vicissitudes of every day are sufficient enough to keep every man, and woman, busy,” Helena answered.

  “And your parents?”

  “They are fine. Father has seen better days.”

  Helena covered her mouth. She was shocked her mouth proved to be so loose.

  Oh if one could draw words back into the mouth with the breath as a rope, tethered to each one so it was like they weren’t said.

  “Is something wrong? Is he ill?” Dr Frederick asked.

  “No, he’s fine. That was a mistaken slip. I meant to say something else,” Helena said.

  Dr Frederick didn’t look like he believed a bit of what she just said. He was a whisker away from having a sneer on his face. He held Helena’s hands with both of his and looked into her eyes.

  “Tell me, Helena, is something wrong with him? I could treat him without pay.”

  Helena enjoyed the lock of his fingers with hers, the earnest way he looked and the simplicity of his eyes. She wished to throw her hands around him and tell him all so he could cradle her and tell her it would be fine.

  “I was talking about our driver when I said that. He was injured recently, but he’s fine now. My father is well,” Helena lied.

  Dr Frederick nodded. He asked no further question about her father although there was a strong suspicion in Helena that he wasn’t totally satisfied.

  “I received a surprising invitation recently, to Miss Morgana’s ball. I do not know if you know of her,” Dr
Frederick said.

  Helena was surprised.

  Dr Frederick got invited. What affairs could bind an honourable man so to a woman of loose skirts.