Page 4 of The Haunted Duke

“So, where is my apology?” he asked, his lecherous smile making her stomach lurch.

She tried to move, but with a quickness, his hand shot out, capturing a stray tendril of her blonde hair, stopping her. The sick feeling in her stomach grew as he rubbed the silky strand between his fingertips.

“I was remarking on how you have grown pretty. You should have at least paused long enough to give me thanks for such high praise.”

Helena’s nose crinkled as her lips drew back to reveal the barest flash of teeth.

“I do not need your praise, my lord,” she replied coldly. “Though I would appreciate knowing the reason why you are pestering my mother at so late an hour.”

Lord Ingram’s answering laugh was soft and condescending.

“You are an uppity little spirit, aren’t you?” he mused, leaning in closer. “I like uppity spirits,” he whispered into her ear. “I very much enjoy breaking them. Perhaps you should consider… taking some burden off your mother’s shoulders.”

“Let go of her!”

Through her growing tension, Helena felt a sliver of relief as she heard her mother’s voice rise from behind the appalling man. Lord Ingram huffed out a soft laugh, but he obeyed, releasing Helena’s lock of hair and taking a step back as Mary-Anne descended the stairs and came toward them.

“Remember the terms of our agreement, my lord,” Mary-Anne stated icily, stepping in between him and Helena.

From behind her mother’s shoulder, Helena watched as Lord Ingram’s left eye twitched as he continued with that sickening smile of his.

“Terms change, Lady Robinson,” he replied with a hint of condescension.

“Not this one,” Mary-Anne snapped back.

“We shall see,” Lord Ingram mused, his eyes darting over Mary-Anne’s shoulder to take one last lecherous look at Helena. “I am a patient man, and if there is anything I know how to do, it is how to tweak a deal to precisely what I want.”

He walked around both of them before Mary-Anne could reply and headed toward the door.

“Have a pleasant evening, ladies,” he called as he let himself out. “I am certain to see you both very soon.”

Helena waited until the front door was tightly shut before she let her head snap to her mother. Mary-Anne’s glassy eyes met hers, and in the next second, she was on her knees, holding her face as she began to sob.

“Mama!” Helena exclaimed, immediately moving to wrap her hands around her mother’s shaking shoulders. “Mama, what is going on? Why was he here?”

Mary-Anne just shook her head as she reached for her daughter’s hands, using them to pull herself back up.

“He is not supposed to touch you,” Mary-Anne said through shaky breaths. “He gave his word that he would not touch you.”

“Mama, tell me exactly what is going on,” she demanded.

“Never the matter,” she huffed, flicking away the last of her tears. Mary-Anne forced a smile that Helena knew was not at all real as she reached up and stroked Helena’s cheeks. “It is not for you to worry about, darling. All is well. I promise. Tell me about your evening. Did you enjoy the opera?”

Helena’s eyes shifted to the door Lord Ingram had just left through, her stomach drawn into tight knots. Her mother was lying. She had seen the way the man looked at her mother. Whatever Lord Ingram was taking in exchange for his so-called financial help, he was taking it in her mother’s bed.

How long had it gone on, her mother suffering it in silence, while Helena was none the wiser?

No more. Helena would not let her mother give her body to that man for another night, not when she had been offered a chance to stop it.

“Actually, Mama,” Helena answered, slowly bringing her mother’s hands away from her cheeks. “I have some wonderful news.”

Her heart began to race as she accepted her decision.

“Oh? What is that, my dear?” Mary-Anne asked.

“Mr. Winterbourne has asked me to marry him,” she announced.

Mary-Anne’s mood shifted in an instant. Her green eyes grew wide as she cupped her hands over her mouth, but through her splayed fingers, Helena could see her mother’s wide smile.