Page 71 of The Haunted Duke

Chapter 25

“The gossipers are running amok, you know, now that word has spread that you married the Beast of Redgrave instead of Jeremy!” Letty reported as she dunked her biscuit into her tea.

“I do not care about such rumors,” Helena retorted. “And he is not a beast.”

“Of course not, my dear. I am so very happy for you.”

Helena rolled her eyes. She had not heard from Letty since the wedding. Her ‘friend’ had not even congratulated her that day at the reception. Yet just after breakfast that morning, she had arrived for a surprise visit.

“And what do they say of Jeremy?” Helena asked, unable to resist the question despite herself. She had written to him twice since the wedding and received nothing in return, and try as she might to be happy for him, the silence gnawed at her.

Letty’s eyes lit with delight. “Oh, no one quite knows what to make of it! Some say he has fled to the continent in shame. Others whisper that he has lost his mind entirely. I heard from Lady Ashby that he was seen boarding a ship bound for Italy, of all places, with nothing but a single trunk and his valet.”

“His valet?” Helena repeated carefully, keeping her expression neutral.

“Yes, is that not curious? A man does not typically flee the country with only his valet for company.” Letty’s brows rose meaningfully, though whether she suspected the truth or was merely fishing for scandal of any kind, Helena could not say. “Do you know anything about it? Surely he confided in you, given how close the two of you were.”

“I know only that he is happy,” Helena said, which was true enough, and offered nothing more. “Wherever he has gone, I trust he had good reason for it. Our engagement was nothing more than an arrangement, after all.”

“Well, I still say it is a dreadful waste,” Letty huffed, giving her skirts an irritated little smooth. “He ought to have come to me with such an arrangement instead. I would have gone through with it properly, rather than making a spectacle the way you did.” She paused just long enough to let the barb land before adding, almost as an afterthought, “Not that I am not happy for you, of course. It all worked out splendidly for you in the end, did it not?”

Helena kept her expression pleasant with some effort. “It did, rather.”

“I only meant that Jeremy and I have always understood one another so well,” Letty pressed on. “I would have made him an excellent wife. It seems such a pity that it went to waste on someone who did not even want him.”

“I did not want him in that way,” Helena said evenly. “Neither did he want that from me. I should think you know that better than most, Letty, given how often you have complained of his lack of interest in courting you.”

Letty’s mouth pinched at that, and she seemed to remember herself, setting down her teacup with renewed purpose as her gaze drifted instead toward the parlor’s gilded trim.

“So how are things between you and your husband?”

Helena smiled as she recalled the previous afternoon with her family. She had been awash with embarrassment when Alex had thrown mud at Evander, but her heart had swelled with love and joy as she watched the giddy playfulness that had unfolded quickly after the initial assault.

“You should have seen him with Alex yesterday. It was a most endearing sight. He played with Alex as if he were his own son. Beasts do not hold such fondness.”

Letty let out a hmmph as her eyes—once again—roved over the expensive décor of the parlor. Despite her obvious distaste for the Duke of Redgrave, she seemed to have no trouble coveting his property.

“Are all the rooms as pretty as this one?” Letty asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Helena stiffened at the strange question. She had already started to doubt her friendship with Letty. With Jeremy gone, her ‘charming’ banter now seemed more petty than ever, and Helena wondered how she could go about untangling herself from such a person.

“I believe so,” Helena replied, her tone careful.

“Would you show me?” Letty asked, turning her gaze from the blush pink and gold, expensive vase holding roses to Helena with an inquisitive brow. “I believe your best friend deserves a tour of such a grand house!”

Helena almost asked why she would want such a thing, then she realized that in her moment of surprise over Letty’s impromptu visit, she had forgotten that an offer of a tour was a standard practice.

“Forgive me for not offering sooner,” Helena replied, rising from her chair. “Come. I should be happy to show you my new home.”

As Helena guided Letty through the vast house, the young woman ogled openly the expensive furniture, the beautiful paintings, and the vast amounts of finery that decorated each room. Yet even though she offered somewhat begrudging compliments to each room, Helena could not help but notice that her friend appeared underwhelmed as they walked back into the women’s parlor.

“Was that it?” Letty asked.

“Is that not enough?” Helena asked with a dry laugh. “We have twenty-seven rooms!”

“Yet you only showed me twenty-six,” Letty retorted.

Helena raised her brows, surprised that Letty had gone to the trouble of keeping count.