A Valentine's Affair

by Eliza Dawkins

  ‘So…Lord Robert, is it? Have we retreated back to the formality of Society?’

  ‘Do not jest with me. I do not have the patience nor the desire.’ She turned her focus back to her book.

  Robert gave a slight shudder as he rubbed his hand up and down his arms. ‘Darling, at least let them start you a fire in this dark, damp place. You’ll catch your death in this cold.’

  ‘If it were only true…’

  Robert could stand her sorrow no longer. He walked quickly over to her and knelt down beside her. ‘Helena, enough of this self-loathing pity revelry you are throwing for yourself. Be rid of all of this doom and gloom and come away to Kensington Hall and be my wife.’

  ‘Honestly, Robert, must we go through this every time we are alone?’ Helena leaned her head back against the chair.

  ‘No, Helena. This is why I have come.’ Robert lowered his head, forming his words as if they were his last.

  ‘Robert?’

  ‘I’m leaving, Helena. I am returning to Kensington Hall.’

  ‘But what for? I thought you loved me, Robert?’

  He lifted his head, eyes filling with tears. ‘My love is not the issue here, my Darling. As I have told you over and over, time and time again, you have my love, you and you alone.’

  ‘Then why are you throwing your hands up at us?’

  ‘Because, Helena, I have a son now. I must return for Nathaniel's sake. He has his whole life ahead of him, and I want him to know he has a father who wants only the best for his life.'

  ‘Why can you not raise him here in London?’ Helena was, against her own conscience, becoming jealous of a child she never met.

  ‘Because London is not his home; it is not our home, Helena. Our home is Kensington Hall.’

  ‘Our home? You mean, yours and Nathaniel’s?’

  ‘I mean, mine, Nathaniel’s and yours, my Darling, as I keep telling you.’ Robert’s face was streaming with tears as he stared deep into Helena’s eyes.

  ‘This is where I belong, Lord Robert. This is where I will live out my spinster life.’ She turned her gaze from his pleading face, feeling the tears drop uncontrollably.

  Robert lifted her hand to his trembling lips and kissed the back of it tenderly. ‘Goodbye, my Love.’ And with his final words, Robert was gone. Forever.

  Moments later, Philip entered the library with the young housemaid, carrying a sheet and a pail of fire starting supplies.

  ‘My lady, Lord Robert sent us in to start you a fire.’ Silence being his only response, Philip motioned for the young girl to begin her task. She used a tinderbox to light the first fire of the day in the cold library. Using a piece of flammable linen, she ignited by striking a piece of flint against the steel, and the sulphur dipped match lit up.

  Helena slipped the red parchment which she carried with her since the day it was received from her pocket and gazed upon the script inside. Day after day, she continued to pour her focus onto the poem her true love sent her.

  How could someone with this much love for another simply leave that person forever? Her passion for St. Valentine's Day was slowly dwindling away.

  ‘Such a fitting day, isn’t it, Philip.’

  ‘My lady?’

  ‘The rain. The grey. The drops on the window. Every bit of it as my own being.’

  ‘My lady…’

  ‘Oh, Philip, do not listen to me; do not even bother with me anymore today. I am worth no time or energy of any of you. Tell Norah I will not need her this evening. Even she need not worry about me.’

  ‘Yes…my lady.’ Philip waved to the young housemaid to quickly finish the fire. Once she scuttled past him with great haste, he bowed his head, leaving Helena to fend for herself as she requested.

  I am worth nothing. I shall end my life in this cold, lonely house as an old maid. Another sneer for Charles – I am nothing but an antique, a fossil, an elderly maid who embarrassed my standing of our ducal estate by imagining a young man could care for me. This shall be, forever, my life.

  ~~~

  ‘You must come quickly, this instant. Honora is preparing your bags as we speak.’ Mellicent flew into the library where Helena remained for two days.

  ‘But what is so pressing for my leave?' She was quite annoyed with her friend's ‘pushing-in.’

  ‘Robert was seriously hurt on his way home from London. The Marquess of Manchester is demanding your presence at once.’ Mellicent’s words were quite convincing.

  ‘No! Not Robert too! First Papaw and Mamaw and now Robert? What about Nathaniel? Is the child harmed as well?’ Helena jumped to her feet immediately, mind racing with the worst of circumstances.

  ‘I do not know, Helena. Therefore, we must leave at once.’

  ‘The carriage is ready, my lady.’ Philip stepped into the library, relieved to see someone had been finally able to move Lady Helena’s moroseness out of her chair.

  ‘Come, now, Mellie. We must leave.’ Helena raced to the door, leaving her book and lonely thoughts behind.

  Mellicent simply smiled. What a fabulous Valentine’s Day this is turning out to be!

  ~~~

  As the carriage sped through the gates of Kensington Hall, Helena’s heart began to keep pace with the thundering of the horses’ hooves.

  Oh Lord, please let my love be all right. I cannot bear to live without him! He must be well. He is too young to endure the fate of my parents.

  As she prayed silently, Helena stared out the carriage window, desperate for some sort of sign that all was well.

  ‘Look! Someone’s coming out!’ Helena nearly jumped out of the carriage as it came to a halt. Mellicent reached over and grabbed her arm to keep her from falling out. She giggled under her breath as she witnessed her meddling come to fruition.

  Helena ran to the young footman who met them in great haste. ‘Where is he? Where is Lord Robert?’ She peered over his shoulder, anxiously investigating the exposed foyer. Suddenly, her eyes locked onto an extremely familiar silhouette. ‘Robert!’ Helena flew past the footman and the butler, throwing her arms around her true love’s neck. ‘Oh! My Darling! Are you all right? I feared you were dead!’ She didn’t pull her head from his heaving chest.

  ‘Helena? What on earth is the matter? Darling, why are you shaking?’ Robert held on to the woman of his dreams as she shuddered uncontrollably.

  ‘Wait, why are you standing up?’ Helena pulled herself back. ‘Should you not be in bed resting from your accident?’

  ‘What accident, Helena? I haven’t been in any accident.’

  ‘But…’ She gazed into his eyes seconds before they looked over her shoulder. Quickly, she turned around to see who caught his attention.

  ‘Mellie? I don’t understand. You said he…’

  ‘I said Robert was seriously hurt on his way home from London. You only assumed it was an accident.’ Mellicent smiled her famous sly grin. Seconds later, Mellicent’s eyes shifted to the ground behind where the couple stood. She sucked in a small gasp, causing Helena to turn around. Immediately, she fell to her knees.

  Toddling towards her was the spitting image of her true love upon the face of a giggling two-year-old boy.

  ‘Hiee Pop Pop.’ Tears instantly fell from Helena’s eyes as she looked up at Robert whose eyes were doing the same. ‘Hiee.’ Nathaniel waddled up to her, waving and smiling widely.

  ‘Hello…Sweetheart…’ Helena could not help the choking of her words.

  ‘Hiee. Hiee.’ As he spoke, Nathaniel reached up and played with the adornments on Helena’s blouse. His smell and ultimate presence broke the wild horse of Helena’s being.

  ‘He’s absolutely beautiful, Robert.’ She followed his gaze as he knelt down beside her.

  ‘He needs a Mamaw, Helena.’ She blinked her tear-filled eyes as she turned her face back to the child who was practically in her lap.

  ‘And I will be his Mamaw.’ Helena closed her eyes as Robert placed an endearing kiss upon her forehead, pulling her into his arms.
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br />   Mellicent stood back smiling at the vision of her success once again.

  ~~~

  ‘My dear Duke, I want you to take a moment and reflect on the days when your father was alive. Though you were a young boy, you were witness to his leadership and guidance, were you not?’

  The young Duke fidgeted in his seat as he listened to Reverend Sedgewick’s lecture on his ruling. Wanting to avoid eye contact, his young grace raised his nose to the ceiling and gave a quick nod in response.

  ‘Of course, you were your grace. I, too, was in his presence during many of his meetings with those under his ruling. The one characteristic of your father which stood out the most to me was his mercy. The way he would yield even when those around him deserved punishment, proved to all who knew him how great of a duke your father truly was.’ Reverend Sedgewick sat in thought, hoping for his words to sink into the child sitting across from him.

  ‘But she was wrong! She is wrong! Gallivanting as if she has the right to be with a man half her age and now becoming a mother to a child not her own; a child born to a woman who ran away from her own husband! The scandal of Lord Robert has pushed its way into the very house of Sunderland!’ The Duke was practically jumping out of his seat as his anger built up inside.

  ‘Beg your pardon, your grace, but Lord Robert is only six years her younger. Mathematically, six years is by no means half of twenty-nine.’ Reverend Sedgewick remained in his calm manner as he witnessed the face of the young Duke turn the very shade of the colour of the day, Valentine’s Day red.

  ‘I will not stand for it!’

  ‘Mercy, your grace.’

  ‘Custom, Reverend Sedgewick.’

  And with the young Duke’s final words, Reverend Sedgewick nodded his head as he stood.

  ‘I take my leave, your grace. The Lord’s grace and blessings be upon your house this day.’

  ~~~

  ‘Mellie, thank you so much for being here. Having you with us on this day makes everything seem complete. If it weren't for you, I would still be bottled up inside Benston House, wasting away in my self-pity.' Helena smiled gratefully as Mellicent adjusted the tiara atop Helena's veil.

  ‘Dearest, I thank you for giving me another adventurous story to add to my memoirs. You and Robert will live on in history under the chapter entitled St. Valentine’s Conquest.’

  ‘St. Valentine? Why him?’

  ‘Oh, please do not tell me that Lady Helena Delaport is completely oblivious to the legends of St. Valentine’s Day.’

  ‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Helena lifted her nose to the air in denial.

  ‘If I must, I must… who was the first gentleman outside of Benston House did you as an unmarried lady behold on Valentine’s Day?’

  Helena lowered her face, eyes narrowing at her dear friend’s meddling. ‘You cheeky little cupid. Of all the ways to bring Robert and me together…’

  ‘That is St. Valentine’s Conquest; giving you your valentine without you ever realizing it.’ The two friends shared a brief smile before the door to the sitting room opened.

  ‘Norah?’

  ‘My lady, the Marchioness of Manchester has arrived.’

  ‘Lizzy? Here?’ Helena glanced at Mellicent. ‘I don’t believe it! Send her in at once!’

  ‘I’m already here, Helena.’ Immediately, the two sisters embraced as Helena ran to the arms of her sister.

  ‘How did you manage? How are you here without Charles’ knowing?’

  ‘I am not, dear sister. Well, what I mean is, Charles is here. He came with Abe and me.’

  ‘Charles is here? But why?’

  ‘Because I want to give my sister the blessing of the estate of Sunderland.’ Charles stepped into Helena’s room. The young Duke appeared to be much older in stature than when Helena had left on that dreadful day.

  ‘Charles…' Helena's voice caught in her throat. ‘…your grace.' She lowered her head in respect. But to her surprise, Charles wrapped his arms around her waist. At that moment, both were taken back to when life was comfortable, and they were simply brother and sister.

  ‘Forgive the intrusion, your grace. But, if we are to start on time, my lady, we need to begin descending the stairs.’ Honora stood humbly at the door.

  ‘Yes, of course, Norah. Thank you. We mustn’t keep Robert waiting.’

  The wedding was small, yet beautiful. To Helena, it was utterly perfect. Robert and Nathaniel stood waiting for her at the large fireplace in the great room of Kensington Hall. Reverend Graham joined the two in marriage and blessed the relationship of new mother to new son.

  When Helena went to her room that night, she smiled at the happy image which met her from her mirror. ‘He truly is my valentine after all, and how proud I am of him! God bless the young lord grown into a man for me to love.’

  And with that, Helena and Robert and Nathaniel embraced their happily ever after, forever.

  Epilogue

  Mellicent could not shake the feeling which came upon her the moment her dear friend married the love of her life. As she watched Helena vow her ever-after to Robert, a sudden rush of emptiness overcame her happiness.

  This could be your life. If you would simply open up your heart and let it.

  These were the words which unrelentingly overtook Mellicent’s thoughts. In her travels back to her family home of the Barony of Longridge in Chipping, England, Mellicent made a vow of her own.

  ‘No more! No more prying. No more matchmaking. No more! The only letters for Aunt Ellie will be of fashion, home advice, and recipes.’ The meddling Mellie was over.

  Reaching her destination, Mellicent dropped into the Chipping post office for her regular stack of correspondence. Shuffling through the posts, Mellicent's eyes were quickly captured by the large print of the word ‘URGENT.'

  ‘Oh, my! What have we here?’

  Once again, another tearful plea of ‘love-gone-wrong’ met her light green, almond-shaped eyes.

  ‘Who am I fooling? I simply must!’

  And with confidence born again, Mellicent set aside her doubts and dove in once more to aiding another so in need of her meddling…eh hem…assistance.

  A Valentine’s Affair

  Copyright © 2018 by Eliza Dawkins

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic, mechanical or photographic means—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without prior written permission of the author. The Author reserves the right to make any changes necessary to maintain the integrity of the information held within.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or borrow it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  About the Author ~ Eliza Dawkins

  Eliza Dawkin’s love of reading and writing began as a young girl with her love of words. Picking up a book, and sitting on the living room couch, she asked her mother "What is a Holly Bibble?” (Holy Bible) and ever since, her love of reading and the written word has been part of her life.

  Growing up in Kansas, she had wonderful high school teachers who helped her embrace the love of language, and the art of creative storytelling. Her heart warmly thanks Marjorie Bakalar (with her trendy letter g’s and j’s) and Horace Eubanks, who will also have a bow tie ‘round his neck and a gemstone in his ring, encouraging from the back of the classroom.

  Eliza’s Books include:

  ~ The Earl’s Governess

  ~ The Earl’s Christmas Foundling Girl<
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  ~ The Earl’s Restless Love

  ~ The Earl’s Unhappy Wife

  ~ The Duke’s Scandalous Love

  ~ A Valentine’s Affair

  All books are part of Eliza’s Regency Romance book series. She is currently working on her next book release in the series.

  Eliza shares her home in Missouri with her husband, and she has five children, two grandbabies on the way, and two dogs, Sammy and Biscuit. Her son Ryan is their sweet angel with a heart of gold, watching over Eliza and her family from Heaven above. All her family enjoys a love of reading. From her family to yours, enjoy.

  Visit Eliza’s website at: elizadawkins.com

  She adores hearing from her readers – contact her anytime!

  The Romance Continues…

  To keep in contact with Eliza, visit her website elizadawkins.com

  Email her at: eliza@elizadawkins.com

  Or keep in touch on Facebook at: Eliza Dawkins

  If you liked Helena’s love story, please add a review on amazon.com

  Excerpt ~ The Earl’s Governess

  ~~~

  CHAPTER ONE

  For the rest of her life, she would detest the colour blue. In every essence, Mattie would execrate the sound of it, the sight of it, and even the taste of it. All because she had fallen half in love with a married man.

  Tom hadn’t always been married. Or at least not that he had ever told anyone in Thatcham. Mattie had stumbled upon this scandalous material by happenstance. She learned promptly that one mustn’t air dirty laundry where convoluted eyes can see.

  Whilst taking a round late after work this evening, Mattie passed Cutter’s Bakery on the corner of Pier Street. The sign outside the shop caused her a misstep as she slowed to read:

  NOTHING STALE, EVERYTHING WHOLESOME

  Prices Reasonable

  FIRST CLASS PASTRY

  The smells wafted across the tip of Mattie’s nose, and she saw the most beautiful flaky cocoanut tart in the bakery window. Mattie was purse-pinched, but she had been saving for a special something. She felt in her apron pocket for her coins and knew she would be spending them on a delicious treat for Tom.