“Truly?” Helena stopped fanning and turned her head toward her aunt. She looked away from the moonlight that streaked the garden and fixed her focus on Kitty’s face, flooded by the candlelight that escaped through the windows of the ballroom. “That man changes ladies as another would change his horse.”
Anger swelled in her gut. She put it down to her general hatred of the Duke of Bridstone. It was hardly surprising to her a man that handsome would have a line of ladies queuing up to know him, but what did startle her was his willingness to destroy so many reputations. Even for a Moore, that was beyond the pale.
“That man has no shame,” Helena muttered.
“I fear it to be true.” Kitty sighed dramatically and leaned on the edge of the balcony, her dark eyes looking through the glass door and back into the ballroom. “What a fine event this is tonight. Everyone from thetonis here. I’m startled the Duke of Bridstone showed his face, but it is certainly more entertaining because he is here.” She giggled and took the fan back from Helena, trying to cool herself down.
“Hmm.” Helena had no words on the matter. She followed her aunt’s gaze through the glass doors and caught sight of the Duke from a distance. He was still talking to his cousin.
Strangely, he does not talk to any ladies.
“I must tear myself away from gossip.” Kitty waved the fan in the air, dismissively.
“A great task indeed,” Helena teased, and Kitty tapped her round the arm in playful reprimand.
“Let us talk about you instead, Helena.”
“Me? Whatever for?”
“You are one and twenty now,” Kitty reminded her. “Do you think your mother and father have not spoken to me extensively about what should be planned for your future?”
“I am glad you are the one holding the fan, for I would have dropped it at this moment.” Helena shook her head firmly. “If we are to talk of marriage again —”
“We are.”
“Then pray, let us stop before we begin,” Helena said in full seriousness. “Each man my father has ever pushed me toward has hardly captivated me.” She turned her back to the ballroom and stared out across the gardens. They were inviting with their pine tree avenues basking in moonlight. Despite her love of a good ball, she could see why so many people wished to escape to the peace of such a garden.
“Sometimes marriage is about making a proper match, Helena, not affection. Have I not told you that before?” Kitty’s words made a sadness bloom in Helena’s stomach. She fidgeted, adjusting her hands repeatedly on the balustrade before her.
“I know,” she whispered. “My father is a duke, after all. He’s told me many times how a duke’s daughter must make a fine match.”
“I’m afraid so.” Kitty matched her quiet tone.
“I cannot think of it now, Aunt. I cannot.” Helena narrowed her eyes on the garden, for something moved within those moonlit avenues. Despite all the lessons she had ever been given in marrying for the sake of the family, she had a secret hope that perhaps one day she would marry a man she truly cared for, rather than one her father merely told her to marry. “Who is that?” She pointed at the figure that moved in the darkness.
Kitty squinted toward the garden.
“I know that figure,” she murmured. Then the face turned, and the features were lit completely by moonlight. “It is Lord Robert.”
Helena stiffened, realizing her aunt was right. For some reason, Lord Robert had escaped to the garden and looked especially furtive as he backed away from the house, creeping deeper into the garden.
“Well, that is a little conspicuous, is it not?” she whispered to her aunt.
“Come, Helena. Let us follow him.”
“Follow him? Aunt! We are hardly constables, are we?” She laughed. “Leave Lord Robert to his furtive endeavors. It does not concern us.”
“Helena, have you lost your loyalty to your family?” Kitty murmured, stepping closer to Helena. “A member of your enemy’s family is sneaking about. I would say this is a chance to catch him when he’s up to no good. Perhaps it will be the opportunity your father and his brother have been hoping for to see this family ousted from thetonfor good.”
“Aunt! Is that really our place?” Helena hissed, but Kitty had already turned away. She scurried toward the group of ladies tittering together, a short distance across the terrace.
“Is anyone up for a walk in the garden?” Kitty asked. “It will help to cool us from this heat.”
The ladies nodded in agreement, their heads bouncing together in time, so they looked rather like chickens in a coop.
“Aunt Kitty!” Helena hissed again, but she was ignored. Pinching the brow of her nose, Helena was dragged by her aunt down the terrace, along with the other ladies. “This is not our place,” she whispered.
“How can you say that?” Kitty asked. “It’s a chance to catch Lord Robert —”
