“Who—do you mean Lady Agnes?”
“Well, of course,” Helena said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Who else would I mean?”
“I thought you understood,” Gabriel said. “Things are finished between Lady Agnes and myself, Helena. You’re right to think hat she wouldn’t have me back. I don’t believe there’s a chance in the world that she would. And I don’t blame her, to be honest with you. Things between the two of us were never that good.”
“That isn’t true at all.” Helena leaned forward in her chair. “I know things were good. Didn’t you just tell me that you were saddened by her departure from our lives because the two of you had had such good times together? You can’t now expect me to believe that it wasn’t enjoyable after all.”
“I don’t say that it wasn’t enjoyable,” he said. “We did have a good time while it lasted. All I’m trying to say is that there was nothing special about it, nothing that can’t be replicated with someone else. And she doesn’t wish to marry, so the best thing to do is to leave her be. Now, if you want to pursue the idea of adding someone to our family, as I see you do, it would be best to focus that desire on someone more practical. It would be a waste of time to try to bring Lady Agnes back to us when she has no wish whatsoever to be here, and I won’t waste that time when I see how important it is to you to have a woman in your life. I will move toward something more sensible.”
Helena shook her head, ire crossing her face. “I know what you’re doing, Uncle Gabriel. You don’t want to risk trying to bring Lady Agnes back, because you’re afraid she won’t come. The truth is that youwouldchoose her if you could, but you’re worried she would tell you no. You don’t want to take the risk. And that would be fine if you were simply shielding yourself from pain, but it’s more than that, because you’re involving me. You’re claiming that you won’t go after the woman I know you really want because you need to hurry into an easy arrangement for my sake.”
She rose to her feet. “You can forget about that,” she said firmly. “I won’t let you use me as an excuse, Uncle Gabriel.”
“Sit down,” he told her, startled at her defiance.
“No,” she shot back. “I don’t want to sit down. I don’t want to sit here and listen to you tell me you refuse to be happy, and that it’s somehow my fault. I don’t need a woman in my life, Uncle Gabriel. I want Lady Agnes. If you want to say that this is about doing what will make me happy, you must repair things with her.”
He stared at his niece, unable to believe what he was hearing. When had she become like this? So forward? So direct?
She was always like this.
But no, she hadn’t been, not really. She had always spoken her mind, but not with such shamelessness. And he knew exactly who she sounded like.
All this time, I worried that Agnes was going to be a bad influence on her. Well, she’s been influenced all right, there’s no denying it…but is that influence bad?
Maybe there’s something to it. I would prefer a niece who knows what she wants and speaks up about it to one who blindly accepts whatever comes her way, after all.
CHAPTER 35
The rest of the day passed without event. Helena had stormed out of Gabriel’s office after their discussion—althoughargumentmight be a better way to put it, Gabriel thought ruefully. He hated arguing with Helena, but on this occasion, he had to admit that maybe she had a point.
Not that he was going to admit that to her. He would never hear the end of it.
There was nothing he could do about it anyway. Even if shedidhave a point, it wasn’t as if he could go and fetch Lady Agnes and bring her back. It really was over between the two of them. He was certain of that.
He was going to have to find a way to explain it to his niece; that was the trouble. It was clear to him now that Helena had formed an attachment to Lady Agnes, one that might cause her significant pain and strife if he didn’t quickly put to rest the ideathat there could be any future for the two of them. He needed Helena to understand that it wasn’t going to happen.
He made up his mind that he would speak to her over supper. He would tell her as much of the truth as he possibly could, make certain she understood that things were over with Lady Agnes. He would apologize if that were necessary.
It will be all right. I’m her uncle. She might have grown fond of Lady Agnes during our time together, but she was perfectly happy with our life before Lady Agnes came into it. She will be again.
His stomach soured at the thought. Hadn’thebeen perfectly happy before Lady Agnes had come into his life? And now it seemed impossible to him that he would ever find happiness again. Everything was caught up in memories of her.
What if Helena had suffered the same fate? What if this was the impact Lady Agnes had on everyone around her, and it was simply impossible for anyone to recover from her beguiling presence?
He shook his head. It couldn’t be. His own infatuation was that of a man for a woman, but Helena wouldn’t be suffering like this. ShelikedLady Agnes, that was all.
He waited for her at the dinner table, but she didn’t appear. His frustration mounted, and finally, he beckoned to a maid. “Lady Helena,” he said. “Where is she? I can’t wait forever to begin mymeal. Please go to her quarters and tell her she’s expected down here at once, with no delay.”
He sat back in his chair as the maid scurried off, pondering what he would say to Helena when she arrived. This must be some sort of tantrum, some childish rebellion. He would have to put a stop to it. It was one thing for her to speak up to him, to say what she truly thought about things, and express her wishes. He liked that. But to sequester herself in her room and refuse communication altogether? No, that was foolish. That was something he could not abide.
The maid returned to the dining room, wringing her hands. “Your Grace,” she stammered. “Lady Helena is not in her room. I’ve asked the staff, and no one has seen her in hours.”
Gabriel sat bolt upright, his chest suddenly hollow. “What do you mean, no one has seen her? Where did she go? She has to be here somewhere.”
The maid bit her lip as if reluctant to answer.
“Speak,” he commanded her.