“I have come to know her better,” Christopher spoke quickly, realizing what he had done. Since he had defended Helena so openly, everyone was staring at him, suspecting there was something more between them. “She does not deserve your censure. That is all.”
“Yes, but Christopher, the words you used —” Frances went on, but Christopher hurried to stop her.
“We do not have time for this. I must send out these messages and get riding at once.” He snatched up the letters and left the room with Robert hurrying after him. Isaac’s words rang out, following him from the room.
“We already have one wedding happening between these families; we need no more connections! Don’t let your heart be skewered by a Carter, my boy. You will live to regret it.”
The moment they were out of the door, Christopher turned and slammed it shut, blocking out the wails of his uncle. He breathed heavily, leaning on the door with Robert taking the cards from his hands to look over the messages their friends had sent. About a minute later, Christopher heard Isaac speak again from inside that room.
“Frances, what were we speaking of just now?”
“Best if you do not remember it, I think.”
“This family is mad after all,” Christopher muttered to his brother and stepped away from the wall, heading back toward the front door. “I had always believed that the Carters have fueled the hatred between our families, but look at what just happened in there!”
“I know.” Robert sighed, hurrying after him. “They fuel it too.”
“They do. Everyone is equally to blame. Come, we must be quick.” Christopher wrote out replies to the notes he’d had, explaining that there was a problem with the last message, and the first invitation to the wedding was the correct one. He explained away Isaac’s message by putting it down to his forgetfulness and regretting that the man had become confused in his old age.
Once the notes were written, messengers were sent out, and Christopher and Robert made their way to their horses, hurrying to the task of checking on other guests that were within riding distance. Before Christopher could step up into the saddle, Robert caught his shoulder.
“What did you mean in there?”
“What?” Christopher said distractedly.
“You defended Lady Helena most vigorously.”
“It means nothing.” Christopher shrugged off his brother and pulled himself up into the saddle. Despite the words, he knew it had meant everything. He cared for Helena deeply, and he was in danger of finding himself in love with her. “We must be quick. Come what may, nothing will go wrong with this wedding tomorrow.”
“I pray you are right,” Robert said as he hurried to his own horse.
CHAPTERTWENTY
“Oh, how beautiful you look,” Kitty gushed, walking around Julia as Helena laid the last few flowers in her sister’s hair.
“Quite beautiful indeed.” Even Anna managed a smile and fussed around Julia as well as she built up a bouquet of flowers in her hand. “So grown up,” she said sweetly and took her daughter’s chin, tilting it upward. “Sometimes, I still think of you as the young baby you once were, tottering on your feet, following after your sister. Look at you now.”
“Is this your way of telling me you’ll miss me?” Julia teased her mother.
“It is, dear.” Anna kissed her daughter’s forehead.
Helena stepped back from her task with the flowers, smiling as she looked between her mother and her aunt. Up until the night before, Anna had been resentful of the match that was to come, mumbling and grumbling under her breath. Since walking into this room, though, things had changed. Something about seeing Julia in her wedding gown had clearly rattled Anna.
As Anna stepped back, collecting more flowers for the bouquet, Helena followed her.
“Have you had a change of heart, Mother?” she whispered.
“Some things are not easy to explain,” Anna said, avoiding her gaze and fussing with collecting more flowers from the sprigs that had been provided. “Let us say this.” She paused, gulping. “It’s quite something when you realize your daughter is leaving your care and going out into the world. Maybe I would have wished for a better husband for her,” she added in a low whisper, “but Julia is so happy.”
“So excited too,” Helena concurred, with a nod.
“Then I am happy for her.” Anna smiled broadly. It altered her features that had been so often set into a sour expression as of late, and Helena put down the flowers and embraced her mother, overawed to see that look. Anna took a beat to raise her arms and return that embrace, but she eventually managed it, holding on tight. “What is this for?”
“Relief, perhaps, and my own happiness,” Helena whispered as she stepped back and looked at her sister across the room. Julia was fussing with the skirt of her gown, and Kitty was running around her, gushing over the beauty of the lace.
It was quite beautiful — the same gown that the Dowager Duchess of Bridstone had encouraged her to wear.
“Do you like it Mother?” Julia called to her. Helena ushered her away, nodding at the flowers to show she would take over the task with the bouquet. “I know it is not quite the fashionable gown you hoped for me, but it is my favorite.”
