Page 28 of The Duchess Debt

Yes, I’m simply thrilled to be Lady Alice’s stepmother and Lady Verity’s niece…

No, I’ve never seen a prettier village in all of England…

Just when she thought her face might pull a muscle from so much smiling, Reverend Barlow politely shooed them all out of the church and onto the steps, so he could close the doors behind them and get on with his Sunday duties. Verity called Helena’s attention to the picnic waiting for them on the green and led her forward as if she were some kind of Pied Piper that would bring the villagers along behind in her thrall. Exactly that happened, too.

Helena wasn’t certain how good a relationship she would be able to create with the villagers, but she hadn’t lied. She planned on staying full time at Grangely Park and making her new home here, including starting a family as soon as possible. And she certainly hadn’t lied about the village. With the sunlight streaming warmly upon the buildings and warming their honeycomb-colored stone, with spring flowers already blooming in window boxes all the way down High Street to the stone bridge arching over the shimmering river, Chatham truly was the prettiest village she’d ever seen. The picnic that spread across the patch of green at its heart only made it more picture-perfect.

But the event was a surprise, even to her, and Helena couldn’t help but stare in wonder.

While they had been inside the church, the Grangely Park servants had been hard at work. Long tables framed the green, their white tablecloths blowing gently in the soft spring breeze, and all kinds of refreshments covered their tops. Piles of yeast rolls stood next to platters of roast beef and ham and dishes ofroasted vegetables. Towers of brightly colored fruit punctuated the ends of the long tables. Children running through the green snatched up meat pasties in each hand before hurrying on in their game of chase. Servants ladled glasses of punch from large bowls and splashed ale into mugs from barrels positioned in each of the four corners of the green. Cook stood in her glory overseeing the food and giving orders to the footmen as they helped serve up the plates of heaping food to the villagers, and Larkin’s chest puffed out as he directed it all, including the maids, who had organized games for the smaller children. Blankets had been spread across the grass in invitation for the villagers to linger and enjoy the afternoon, and two musicians played the guitar and lute beneath the wide chestnut tree at the center of the green.

Helena squeezed Verity’s hand in awed appreciation. “How did you think to do all this?”

“I didn’t. I simply made it happen,” Verity admitted. “The idea was Gabriel’s. He said you were fond of picnics.” Verity frowned slightly as she stared across the green, as if trying to see it through Helena’s eyes. “Veryfond of them.”

Helena bit down a bubbling laugh, but she couldn’t keep from beaming a smile. “Indeed.”

She swept her gaze over the crowd, searching for Gabe. He stood at the side of the green in a group of half a dozen men. They all held tankards of ale in their hands, including Gabe, and all were laughing and undoubtedly up to their ears in male gossip. As if feeling the weight of her eyes on him, he looked up, and their gazes locked.

You did this?she mouthed, exaggerating the syllables so he could read her lips.

His mouth quirked into a half-grin, and he raised his tankard to her in a long-distance toast.For you.

A warmth tickled at her toes, then swept up through her until it landed in her cheeks, which flushed again.

Gabe’s attention was forced back to the men with him, one of whom had asked some question that couldn’t be ignored. From the way Gabe gestured toward the river, the conversation had moved from gossip to the new bridge. And Helena’s attention was snagged by Verity, who led her onto the green and then released her arm to hurry away to consult with Larkin about the picnic.

Immediately, Helena was swarmed again by villagers who all wanted to meet her. A flood of questions poured from them that she didn’t know how to answer but somehow muddled through. Truly, it was wonderful how curious they were about her, how freely they offered their heartfelt congratulations on her engagement and best wishes on her new life at Grangely. They stirred her heart. Yet without Gabe and Verity at her side, she felt a bit overwhelmed and needed—

“Miss Sinfell.” A pretty young woman with dark curls peeking out beneath a straw bonnet appeared at her side. “May I have your assistance by the punch?”

Without waiting for her to answer, the woman linked her arm with Helena’s.

Helena recognized a rescue when she saw one and gladly let the woman escort her away.“Thank you,” she said with a grateful sigh.

“My pleasure.” The woman squeezed her arm as she introduced herself. “I’m Margaret Parker, Caleb Parker’s wife.”

The woman punctuated that with a wave across the green for the man standing beside Gabe, who returned her gesture with a lazy smile. Parker… Recognition snapped into Helena’s mind.Of course.The engineer Gabe had hired to lead the improvements for the village.

“Everyone calls me Maggie,” the woman added, “and I hope you will, too.”

“Only if you call me Helena,” she insisted. She was grateful for the woman’s warm company, having missed her sisters more during the past week than she would dare admit.

Maggie acknowledged that with a smile. “I’ve been meaning to go to Grangely Park with Caleb to pay you a call to introduce myself, but this is just as lovely an opportunity, don’t you think?” The energetic woman thoughtfully steered them away from the large groups gathering near the tables, and her broad smile never faltered. “I have a feeling that we’ll become fast friends, based on all I’ve heard about you.”

“His Grace told you about me?” Helena ventured carefully, darting a glance in Gabe’s direction. How much did Maggie and Caleb know about their arrangement…and their past?

“Oh no! Thurston has said hardly nothing at all about you. But then, he wouldn’t. You know how men are about such things. They’d rather discuss horses and hunting than their womenfolk, especially to other women.” She waved at an acquaintance. “It was Lady Verity. She hasn’t stopped talking about you since you arrived. And Alice. The little thing is simply beyond herself with excitement over having a new mother. You’ve found your way into both their hearts.”

A bittersweet ache tightened Helena’s chest. She might have found a way into the two ladies’ hearts, but Gabe’s heart seemed to be as frozen as ever.

She gazed at the grand picnic and bit her bottom lip. Perhaps his heartwasstarting to melt—if only a little—if he had thought of doing something this special for her. Perhaps all that time he’d been spending with her and Alice truly was making a difference.

So far, he’d held up his end of her engagement rules. They had dined together every night, then tucked Alice into bed,much to the little girl’s delight and to the nanny’s annoyance. He certainly wasn’t at ease around the little girl yet, and every time he looked at Alice, Helena knew he was remembering his brother’s irresponsibility and Clarissa’s betrayal of their wedding vows. But Helena had also noticed a change in him, albeit a small one. He was far more patient with the little girl now, and even his physical posture had changed whenever he was with her, no longer stiff and unyielding but letting his broad shoulders relax.

He was far from loving her as his own just yet, but Helena took hope in these small changes. She only prayed she wouldn’t run out of time before her wedding day arrived.

“You and your husband have known Thurston for a long time, then?” Helena asked.