“Are you certain we shouldn’t offer assistance?” she asked Sebastian.
“The boy almost has them in hand. We might spook them if we try to help.”
She watched the scene beyond Sebastian’s shoulder, doubting his assertion as the flock appeared to be camped out on the lane. “Do you know much about sheep?”
“Not particularly,” he said with a grin tossed over his shoulder, “but I’ve fair experience with corralling stubborn creatures.”
She flopped back against the seat, pretending insult, but she couldn’t hold back a silly smile. “You, sir, are treading on dangerous ground.” Picking up her copy of Belinda, she opened the cover intending to read until the boy could convince the sheep to let them pass.
Black script jumped out from the stark page. To a beautiful partnership. Fondly, S. She glanced up to find Sebastian watching her with a tiny grimace.
“It’s not very eloquent, I am afraid. I have been told my actions represent me better than my words.” He waggled his eyebrows in jest.
“Yes, I suppose they do.” Although his manner was playful, she became more thoughtful. “Every promise you have made, you have fulfilled. You have kept my confidence. You found my sisters.”
He held his hand out and she placed hers in his. “You kept your word too, Helena. I only accused you of not keeping your side of our agreement because I wanted to purchase time. I wanted to figure out how to keep you with me.”
“Perhaps you will be looking for a way to toss me aside soon,” she said with a teasing smile, although deep inside there was a niggling fear he would do just that at some point.
“No, what I wrote is true. We have a beautiful partnership, and I would like to make it lasting.”
“What do you mean by lasting?”
He held on to her hand, not allowing her to withdraw. “Marry me.”
Suddenly, Helena could relate to the sheep. His proposal was like a six-in-hand coach barreling toward her. Her gaze locked on the door as she fought the temptation to run.
Marriage equaled confinement and loss of control. It meant failing to please, consequences, and isolation. Her heart shuddered, then slammed against her breastbone as if trying to escape her body.
“Shh, it’s all right.” Sebastian gently stroked her hair. “Don’t be afraid, love. It’s all right. I withdraw my request.”
The sound of her rapid breathing filled the carriage. This was ridiculous, behaving like a frightened child. Clamping her lips together, she took a shaky breath as a drop of perspiration trickled down her back.
Sebastian wasn’t Prestwick. He didn’t want to squire her away to a remote castle. Instead, he wanted to keep her among Society where she had formed friendships, and he wanted to make a home for her sisters. Sebastian was everything her husband hadn’t been—loving, thoughtful, engaging, accepting—but marriage was a big leap.
She reached for his hand still stroking her hair and held it tightly. His strong and steady touch quieted the maelstrom inside. “M-may I have time to consider before you withdraw your request?”
His smile lit the carriage, rivaling the sun. “Take as much time as you need. I am not going anyplace.”
And neither was she. She had to trust in Sebastian’s plan to reunite her with her sisters.
With the sheep finally cleared from the lane, the carriage jerked forward and continued toward Springvale Manor, the home of Pearl’s employer. When they had stopped in the village, Sebastian asked for directions to Mr. Mason’s farm. The innkeeper, a rather chatty fellow, described a much larger estate than Helena had been anticipating.
Apparently, Mr. Mason’s farm had been prosperous before his accident, but when it appeared he wouldn’t survive, his hired men found other employment. With no brothers or sons to help, the farm had begun to fall into disrepair. She was uncertain what living conditions she would find Pearl living in, but her sister would have no more worries once she came to stay with Helena.
As the carriage turned onto the drive, three chimney caps peeped over the tree line. Helena scooted to the edge of the bench, anxious for her first glimpse of the house. Several steep-pitched roofs came into view, and as they approached, Helena spotted at least two outbuildings.
“It is larger than I thought,” she said.
“And it’s in better condition than the innkeeper led us to believe.”
The grass around the house was clipped short, and window boxes dripped with flowers. A rounded door swung open and a young woman hurried to stand in the drive. She looked toward the house, dashed back inside, and a moment later returned with a gentleman at her side. His arm was draped around the woman’s shoulders while a crutch supported his other side. Helena’s stomach dove when she noted the bottom half of his leg was missing.
The woman smiled broadly and waved as the carriage rolled up to the house.
“That must be Pearl. She has changed so much.” Pearl’s hair had darkened to a chestnut brown and her manner was more carefree.
“It seems they are expecting us,” Sebastian said.
“I didn’t want to arrive unannounced as I did at Cora’s. I think I shocked the poor girl. I sent a message yesterday.”
Sebastian descended the carriage steps first, then held Helena’s hand to assist her.
“Helena!”
Mr. Mason’s smile was as wide as Pearl’s as he nudged her. “Go on. I will be all right without you.”
Pearl hesitated but a heartbeat before rushing to gather Helena in a hug. “Thank God you are alive. I never believed you were gone. I sensed you were still out there.”
Cora had spoken similar words. Helena returned her sister’s vigorous hug. “Oh, Pearl. How I have missed you.”
Her sister’s blue eyes sparkled as she took Helena’s arm and urged her to follow. “I want to introduce you to someone.”
Sebastian trailed behind, allowing her to have this moment with Pearl. Her sister resumed her place at Mr. Mason’s side. He was a handsome man with longer-than-fashionable blond hair that fell on his forehead. And he was young. Perhaps not much older than Sebastian.
The same set of dimples Helena had inherited from their mother flashed when Pearl smiled at her employer. “May I present my sister, Lady Prestwick?”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mason.”
He shifted his weight to his crutch and reached for Helena’s hand to bring it to his lips. “The pleasure is mine, my lady. Pearl’s family is always welcome at Springvale.” A manservant slipped outside and Mr. Mason nodded at him. “Show Lady Prestwick’s men where to take the trunks.”
“Oh! Lord Thorne and I don’t wish to impose, sir. We plan to take rooms at the inn.”
Pearl laughed. “Don’t be silly, Helena. We have plenty of room for you and Lord Thorne.”
We? Helena exchanged a look with Sebastian as Mr. Mason’s men helped carry their trunks inside.
“Elliott is my betrothed,” Pearl said. “Cora’s husband granted permission for us to marry last week. The banns were cried on Sunday. Please, come inside.”
Without waiting for a reply, she assisted Mr. Mason, her husband-to-be apparently, to swing around and maneuver back inside the sprawling home.
Sebastian offered Helena his arm to escort her. “Are you all right? You’ve grown pale,” he whispered.
She nodded, her throat too tight to speak.
As they entered, Helena viewed the dwelling with a different set of expectations. This was Pearl’s home, the place where she would raise her children and grow old with her husband. Helena noted the loose hinge when the manservant closed the door behind them, the worn carpet, and the sparse furniture in the drawing room, but the home was immaculate.
Sebastian and Mr. Mason exchanged handshakes once their host was seated. “Congratulations on your betrothal, sir.”
Pearl made certain everyone was seated comfortably then excused herself to see about tea. While the gentlemen engaged in talk about Mr. Mason’s land, Helena reconciled herself t
o the idea Pearl wouldn’t be leaving with her as she had expected. She wanted her sister’s happiness above all else, and she would have to be blind not to notice Pearl bubbled over with glee.
When her sister returned, Mr. Mason offered to show Sebastian his stables, which he accepted. Pearl grimaced as her betrothed struggled to stand and hopped until he gained his balance.
He winked at Helena’s sister. “I can manage without your assistance. Enjoy your sister’s company. I’m sure Lord Thorne will lend a hand if I need it.”
Sebastian reassured her that he would be pleased to assist Mr. Mason, and then the two men left Pearl and Helena alone.
Helena accepted a cup of tea from her sister. “I am surprised Cora did not mention your engagement when I saw her yesterday.”
“I am not,” Pearl said as she poured a second cup. “She isn’t pleased by the match.”
“Why not? Mr. Mason seems like a lovely man.” Although appearances could be deceiving. What did Cora know that made her oppose the marriage?
Pearl laughed and rolled her eyes. “Oh, you know Cora.”
Only Helena didn’t. Not really. She didn’t know any of her sisters any longer, and the chance to get to know them was slipping through her fingers. Lavinia had experienced more in her life than Helena could in three lifetimes, not that she would want her sister’s experiences. Cora was already married with three children. And now Pearl was to be a wife. Helena’s desire to stay in England grew stronger.
Pearl set her cup aside. “Our sister wants the best match. She has always thought of herself as prettier. Even though she hasn’t met Elliott, she is convinced he is a wealthy man, wealthier than Mr. White. And more handsome.” Pearl’s eyes sparkled happily. “She is correct about the latter.”
Helena chuckled. “Having seen them both, I agree.”
“I bet she turned green with envy when she met Lord Thorne.”
“I didn’t introduce them. We aren’t—”
“You aren’t…?” Pearl’s delicate brows slowly inched up her forehead.
Her heart sped up as she recalled Sebastian’s proposal in the carriage. “We are not attached. At least not yet.”
Pearl squealed and launched from her chair to throw her arms around Helena. Helena juggled her cup and managed to set it on the side table with minimal spilling. “I knew you were coming with good news. As soon as I read the gentleman was escorting you.”
Helena wrapped her arms around her sister and laughed. “You always were a romantic, sweet pea. There is nothing to announce now, but you will be the first to know.”
When Pearl returned to her seat, Helena asked about her wedding plans and the farm. “Elliott and I have managed to keep the farm afloat, but it will be easier once he gets a new leg.”
“Wasn’t his accident months ago? Why hasn’t he been fitted already?”
“Well, he had to heal first.” She lifted the tea and stared into the cup as she took a sip. She continued her examination of the contents as she said, “Once the bred-heifer has her calf, we can start selling the milk. I calculate by Christmas we will have over half of what we need for a prosthetic limb.”
Helena smiled sadly at her sister. The poor dear hadn’t even thought to ask Helena for the money. She didn’t know if Mr. Mason would accept charity anyway, but surely he wouldn’t deny Pearl a dowry. Perhaps Sebastian could approach him on her behalf later this evening. Helena would see her sister settled, and settled well as long as she had the means to provide for Pearl.
“I have a feeling there is a very romantic tale behind your betrothal. I would love to hear about it.”
The happy twinkle in Pearl’s eyes had returned when she looked up. “Heavens, yes. Elliott is the most romantic gentleman I ever met.”
Helena smiled indulgently. Pearl hadn’t known any other gentlemen in her life, and Helena was grateful the only one her sister had ever encountered was a good man. She sat back as Pearl began the story of their courtship.
Twenty-five
Sebastian retired to his allotted chamber when Helena, her sister, and Mr. Mason went up to bed, but even after he stripped down to just his shirt and trousers and kicked off his boots, he wasn’t ready to sleep. Instead, he began pacing the small space, his mind refusing to rest.
When he and Helena returned to Town, his first task would involve a trip to the shipping docks. Gracie’s name must be on a ship’s manifest—a ship arriving from Ireland—to make their story believable. There was only one man of Sebastian’s acquaintance who could accomplish such a feat. Unfortunately, that man was related to Benjamin Hillary. And Sebastian hadn’t ingratiated himself to the Hillary family by challenging the second eldest son to a slapping duel.
Blasted humiliating little sisters. He stopped at the window and rubbed away the tightness accumulating at his temples.
Captain Daniel Hillary was more likely to toss him from Hillary Shipping than listen to a word Sebastian had to say. How was he going to convince the man to falsify one of his ship’s manifests? He didn’t need money. Daniel Hillary was one of the wealthiest men in England. And he cared nothing for his social standing, although his marriage to a lovely American girl had improved his manners a great deal.
Sebastian resumed pacing, the floorboards creaking with every footfall. If he kept this up, he would wake everyone. Perhaps Mr. Mason wouldn’t mind Sebastian walking the floor in his drawing room. He was always able to think better when he was moving. Grabbing the candle still burning in the holder, he slipped into the hallway and noticed a light beneath Helena’s door across the hallway. It seemed someone else was not accustomed to country hours either.
He listened at her door briefly to ensure her sister hadn’t snuck into her chamber for a late-night chat, and when he heard nothing beyond the settling of the house, he slowly entered the room. Helena was propped on pillows, prim and proper in a high-neck night rail, with her book open on her lap.
And she was sound asleep.
The foolish woman deserved a good scolding for falling asleep with the candle burning, but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her. The past few days must have taken a toll. She’d found her sisters, but nothing was working out as she had planned. Lavinia, Cora, and Pearl had lives in England and wouldn’t be returning to Aldmist Fell with her. And now he was pressuring her to stay with him.
He sidled up to the bed, set his candle on the side table, and eased the book from her hands. A soft shuddering sigh passed her lips and a bittersweet twang vibrated through him. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her, except let her go.
Selfish jackass.
He lowered to the side of the bed, marveling at how uniquely exquisite she was, from her sweet round face to the slight unevenness of her curved brows to the lushness of her bottom lip. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, the candlelight giving it a subtle glow, like amber.
He had never watched a woman in slumber, never desired it, but he couldn’t tear himself away. Unable to resist, he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she always did.
Her lashes flickered and two blue-green eyes still hazy with sleep landed on him. “Sebastian?”
“Uh…” He rubbed the back of his neck as heat scorched his face. He’d been caught gazing at her like a lovesick whelp. “You fell asleep reading. I was just leaving.”
Her fingers circled his wrist as he shifted away. “Don’t. Stay with me.”
When a lady asked a gentleman to stay, one did as the lady wanted. He allowed a sensual smile to spread across his lips. Her eyes flared and she dropped his hand as if it were a snake.
He patted the bed, his grin teasing. “It’s not a table, love.”
“You said a table was acceptable.” Her hand went for the lock of hair again, and his heart melted. Somewhere along the way her nervous habit had become endearing.
“Hmm…” He made a show of looking around the room. “It seems we are short one table, so what do you recommend?”
She closed the book and rested he
r hands on the cover. Her swallow was audible. “I—I didn’t have a chance to ask about your conversation with Mr. Mason,” she said in a thready voice. She cleared her throat. “How did he take the news about Pearl’s dowry?”
He sighed. “You want to talk about your sister’s dowry? Now? Helena, please don’t shy away from this again.” He wagged his finger back and forth between them to indicate the two of them as a couple. “Let me enjoy you and you me. That is how it should be between lovers. Enjoyable. Pleasurable.”
“Playful,” she murmured, perhaps speaking to herself more than him.
He smiled. “Yes, playful.” His hand slid to her waist and grabbed a fistful of her night rail.
She set the book aside with an almost imperceptible nod and covered his hand to still it. Taking a deep breath, she wiggled to an upright position in bed, the sway of her unbound breasts causing his cock to jerk.
She matched his smile. “So what did Mr. Mason say about the dowry?”
Sebastian grimaced and released her night rail. “He accepted.” There was an unintended growl to his voice.
She wet her lips and a tightness spread from his lower belly. He couldn’t force his eyes away from her mouth. He wanted to taste her again.
“Is that all?” she asked. “Didn’t he say anything else?”
He blinked, trying to concentrate on what she’d asked, but thoughts tumbled in his head, and none of them pertained to this particular conversation. He released a long exhale. “I cannot recall everything. There was a little of this and that, and a few other words.”
She pursed her lips in displeasure. “Really, Sebastian. I hope you are never called into service as a spy. I’m afraid a report like that would be considered woefully lacking.”
He surged to his feet, frustrated and impatient with her.
She raised an eyebrow. A coy smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “And your ability to hide things is a bit of a problem.” She nodded toward his trousers where his cock strained against the thin fabric as a furious blush invaded her ivory skin. “A-are you smuggling the crown jewels in there?”
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