Page 29 of The Duchess Debt

“Caleb and Thurston were at school together when they were boys.”

“At Eton?”

Maggie nodded, then lowered her head closer to Helena’s to confide, “Thurston hiring Caleb for his improvement projects has been a godsend. The two are as close as brothers, and they can both depend upon the other to watch their backs. And I’m loving being near Canterbury again. I grew up there and still have close family in the area. This is the perfect place for us to settle down for a good long while.” She squeezed Helena’s arm. “I hope you love it here as much as we do.”

“I’m sure I will.”

But her voice must have lacked conviction because doubt darkened Maggie’s face. “The villagers will all grow to love and trust you as much as they do Gabe if you give them a chance. Don’t keep yourself away from them.”

Keep herself away? Even now, curious gazes were aimed her way, and Verity was once again surrounded by villagers who were most likely barraging her with curious questions about hernew niece. “I don’t think that will be a concern.” She frowned. “But they all seemed so surprised to hear that Thurston is remarrying. Surely, they understand that as a duke he needs a wife.”

“They’re surprised, all right, but not about that.” Maggie pushed away her bonnet ribbons that the soft breeze stirred against her cheek. “They’re simply surprised to see you here at the picnic.”

Helena blinked. “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“Because the last duchess didn’t care at all about the estate. She never came into the village unless Thurston made her, and she never rode out with him to check on the tenants.” Maggie steered her directly toward Gabe now but slowed their pace so they could continue their conversation without the men overhearing. “She never even came to her own engagement picnic, for heaven’s sake.”

Helena nearly tripped. “Pardon?”

“When Thurston brought her home to Grangely Park, he hosted a picnic like this for her, too.”

A stab of unexpected jealousy pierced her, right before her heart plummeted. So today wasn’t a special day just for her, after all. It was simply repetition.

“But Her Grace didn’t attend. She begged off with a headache and remained at the manor house. Thurston came alone and made her apologies.”

Helena’s eyes stung as the brutal truth settled over her. Today’s picnic was sprung on her without warning so she wouldn’t have the chance to avoid it the way Clarissa had.Whenwould Gabe realize that she wasn’t Clarissa?

Well, if he wouldn’t understand that on his own, then she would have no choice but to make him. She would prove to him—and to the entire village—that she was nothing like the previous duchess. Even if it killed her.

She and Maggie stopped in front of Gabe and Caleb, who both nodded politely at their approach.

Helena beamed a broad smile and held out her hand in greeting. “You must be Mr. Parker. I’m Miss Sinfell, Thurston’s fiancée.” She was wrecking all kinds of social niceties by forcing an introduction upon the man, but she simply didn’t care. After all, she had an important point to prove. “I hear you’re a brilliant engineer.”

Taking her hand and bowing over it in greeting, Caleb smiled with a touch of embarrassment. “My wife must be telling stories again.” But the look he gave Maggie was full of love, not admonishment. “I’m afraid I’m not at all brilliant, but I’ve put in my fair share of study and practice, to be sure.”

“Good. Because I would love to have your help with my project.”

“What project would that be, Miss Sinfell?” Caleb slanted a puzzled glance at Gabe for clarification, but Gabe continued to watch Helena with an inscrutable expression.

“A new school for the village.”

From the corner of her eye, Helena saw Gabe stiffen, but she didn’t dare look directly at him. Not yet. A school would be the perfect way for her to win the hearts of the villagers and tenants the way Clarissa had never bothered to do, as well as a project she and Gabe could complete together. Perhaps even one in which they could involve Alice. It would prove, once and for all, that she was capable of being a duchess.

Her smile never wavered, not even as she stretched the truth to Caleb by saying, “Thurston and I discussed it when we looked at your plans for the village improvements, and he said that building a new school would simply be a matter of gaining your approval to fit it into the project timeline. So what do you think, Mr. Parker?” She placed her hand on his upper arm, a bit too beseechingly, although she simply didn’t care that it was.The end would justify the means. “Are you willing to take on a project as small and simple as a school?”

“Small and simple? Well, I….” He stared at Gabe, hoping the duke would interject himself into the conversation and save him. Yet his old friend remained as silent as before. “I would have to look at the costs and available plots first.”

“Budget isn’t a concern,” she assured him. Finally, she dared to look at Gabe and asked, “Is it, Thurston?”

Gabe smiled tightly. “Not at all.”

“Wonderful! Then construction can begin right away. Mr. Parker will surely provide solid plans for the builders to follow, and the workers building the school in the village surely won’t be in the way of the bridge construction all the way down at the river.”

The look Caleb gave Gabe now was one of sheer confusion. “A new building might not be the best solution,” he ventured carefully, clearly not wanting to upset either Helena or Gabe. “Perhaps one of the empty buildings on High Street could be converted instead. It would take far less time and manpower to have the school open as soon as possible.”

“What a good idea.” She stepped to Gabe’s side and linked her arm with his. “You were right. Consulting with Mr. Parker was the exact right way to start this project.” She reached to take both of Maggie’s hands in hers. The woman seemed as bewildered about the sudden plans as her husband. “Mrs. Parker, you must agree to help me. I’ll need your knowledge of the local area.” She paused, then admitted with full honesty, “And all your advice on how to win over the villagers.”

Maggie’s confusion melted into understanding. “Of course.” She nodded with a conspiratorial smile. “I’d be honored to help. So would Caleb.”