Fair Juno (Regencies 4)

‘Never mind. Plenty to keep you busy at home, I dare say.’

Cecily glared at Ferdie; Ferdie stared vacantly back. It was Cecily who gave way. ‘Oh, very well!’ she said, and leaned forward to give her coachman directions.

Helen had not thought her heart could have sunk lower than it already had, but, as Ferdie engaged them both in inconsequential patter, she felt the leaden weight in her chest descend to her slippers. But she refused to let herself worry—not until she had heard what Ferdie had to say.

Cecily dropped them off in Half Moon Street, airily declining an offer of refreshment. ‘I hope I know when I’m not wanted,’ she said, looking pointedly at Ferdie.

Ferdie grinned. ‘Not up to snuff yet, I’m afraid. Being married don’t make you older.’

Cecily put her nose in the air and, miffed, departed.

Inside her drawing-room, Helen found another visitor waiting. Dorothea was pacing before the unlighted fire. She looked up as they entered. ‘Thank goodness!’ she said. ‘I hoped you wouldn’t be long.’

Ferdie entered behind Helen. Dorothea greeted him with relief. ‘You’re just the person we need.’

Ferdie took the unusual welcome in his stride. ‘Got rid of your sister, though. Didn’t think she’d take it too well. Never know what she might dash off and do.’

‘Very true,’ Dorothea agreed feelingly.

‘Do you mind,’ said Helen, sinking into an armchair, ‘telling me what all this is about?’ She had a nasty suspicion but she wanted to hear it stated plainly.

The simple question succeeded in striking both her visitors dumb. They looked at her, then, rather uncomfortably, at each other.

Helen sighed. ‘Is it about me and Martin Willesden?’

Dorothea sank on to the chaise. ‘Yes.’ She waited while Ferdie drew up another chair and sat down. ‘There are rumours going the rounds. Perhaps one might expect it, after the Barham ball. But what I’ve heard this morning seems rather more than can be excused.’ She raised her large green eyes to Helen’s in a gently questioning glance.

Helen held Dorothea’s gaze for a moment, then sighed and looked to Ferdie. ‘You’ve heard them, too?’

Ferdie, unaccustomedly serious, nodded. ‘At White’s.’

Helen closed her eyes. White’s. That meant it was all about town.

‘The tales suggest,’ Dorothea began, ‘that you…have been… Martin Willesden’s mistress.’ She waited, but Helen did not open her eyes. ‘Is it true?’ she asked gently.

‘Would it matter?’ Helen returned, her weariness very evident in her tone. She opened her eyes, raising her brows in disdain.

It was Ferdie who answered. ‘’Fraid not.’ He paused, then continued, ‘The thing we need to do now is decide how to quash ’em.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Dorothea. ‘And I’m very much afraid, Helen, that you’ll have to face it out. Marc’s furious. After all, you first met Martin in our house. It was all I could do to persuade him to do nothing until I’d talked to you.’

Helen’s eyes widened. Hazelmere after Martin? In truth, she could not predict who would be the victor in such a contest—they were both extraordinarily powerful men in every way. But Hazelmere had solid social acceptability on his side—and Dorothea. Abruptly, Helen sat up, reaching across to lay a supplicating hand on Dorothea’s sleeve. ‘You must promise me you’ll make Marc promise not to do anything—anything at all—until he hears from me.’ Helen stared at Dorothea earnestly. ‘Promise?’

A worried frown in her eyes, Dorothea grimaced. ‘I promise to try. But you know as well as I that on some issues Marc won’t be led.’

That was indisputably true. Helen nodded her acceptance of Dorothea’s limited offer. She sank back into her chair. ‘I need to think.’

‘Best thing to do is to carry on as usual,’ said Ferdie. ‘Merton’ll have to play his part. If neither of you gets the wind up, it’ll all blow over.’

Dully, Helen nodded. ‘Yes. I suppose that’s true.’ With a visible effort, she put aside her depression to smile at her guests. ‘With friends like you, I’m sure we’ll get by.’

Dorothea rose, shaking out her skirts. ‘I’ll leave you to your thoughts. If you need any additional support, you know you can call on us for whatever you need. Meanwhile, we’ll do what we can to dampen the interest.’

Helen nodded her thanks.

Ferdie rose, too. ‘I’ll come with you,’ he said to Dorothea. ‘Might help if I saw Hazelmere.’

Both Dorothea and Helen welcomed this magnanimous offer.