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243
"Maybe," Dickon said, rubbing his throat where her thumb
had pressed. "But I still can't help you. Nell and Mr. Harrison would have my head iff'n they found out."
"They'd be scarcely more happy if I tell them you've been sneaking out. At the least, Nell would insist you promise not to do so again. Whereas, if you agree to take me, you may keep on with your excursions. I shall expire if I cannot escape the house and explore without the baggage of petticoats, maids and footmen!
Didn't I stand up for you and Nell with Lord Darnell?"
"Aye, you did, and right grateful I am." Continuing to rub his throat, Dickon studied her, as if trying to judge how desperate she was—and therefore how likely to tell on him if he refused her request.
"What's to stop you from ratting later, once you've had your fill of exploring?"
"Ah, but I couldn't, for if I revealed your wanderings, you could reveal mine. I wouldn't wish to distress Lady Darnell by having her learn of them any more than you want Nell to know of yours. So your secret would be safe, safer than it is now," she pressed. "Even if I agreed now not to tell Nell, with nothing at stake for me, I might inadvertently let something slip later."
"I expect Lord Darnell would pack you off to a nunnery if he was to learn you'd done something so out landish."
"Exactly. So, Dickon, what shall it be? More adventures? Or a word in Nell's ear and restriction to the house forever?"
Dickon eyed her resentfully. "You don't give me much choice, do you, miss?"
244 THE UNTAMED HEIRESS
"Excellent!" Helena cried. "Can you have the clothes by tomorrow night? Miss Charis and Lady Darnell are to attend another ball, and Darnell of course is escorting his fiancée, so they will all be out until very late."
Though Dickon agreed to her plan with far less enthusiasm than she felt, before she dismissed him he agreed to smuggle the clothing to her, then meet her at midnight inside the chamber overlooking the garden.
From where, Helena thought exultantly, they could easily descend, by way of the sturdy tree branch she'd already discovered, into the garden and out the side gate she'd used for her excursion with Molly. Their chances of discovery under cover of night were slim.
Though there had been wolves and the occasional poacher, Lambarth's woods at night had held few perils. London was much more dangerous, but as she'd assured Dickon, she intended to be very cautious. But to compensate for the risk, she would have the joy of being truly free, almost on her own, and able to explore the vast city beyond the drawing rooms of Mayfair.
Helena had not felt such excitement since, full of anticipation, she had boarded the mail coach for London.
The following day, after spending the evening pacing the library until it was late enough for Nell and the other servants to be abed, Helena returned to her room to don the boy's clothes Dickon had smuggled to her.
So anxious had she been to set out on her adventure, she'd had great difficulty masking her enthusiasm—or her impatience for the ladies to leave. After both Charis 245
and Aunt Lillian remarked at dinner how agitated she seemed, Helena was forced to voice a fervent desire to return to the Greek work she was currently translating that rather exceeded her actual appreciation for the text.
She dressed herself quickly and slipped down the hallway into the guest chamber overlooking the garden. Moments later a soft knock heralded Dickon's arrival. After rebutting with as much patience as she could muster his last attempts to dissuade her from the excursion, she opened the chamber window, clambered onto the nearby branch and bid him follow.
"Cor!" Dickon whispered after they had made it safely to the ground and through the hidden side gate. "You be right good at tree climbing!"
"I never imagined how much easier it would be, unhampered by petticoats." Helena chuckled. "If ladies ever discovered how much more serviceable breeches are, they would never again wear skirts! Now, I should first like to visit a tavern, the sort where common folk go."
"Whyever for, miss? It ain't like you was wanting to drink blue ruin and play cards."
"But I do wish to taste it. Although I expect it would be best for me not to linger long enough for a game of cards. Where do you usually go?"
Dickon sighed. "There's a place not far—Fancy Jim's. 'Tis a hell where some of the gents go to play and drink deep. I expect you'll be safe enough if you stay out in the stable yard with my mates."
"Excellent! Let us go at once."
246 THE UNTAMED HEIRESS
With the clip-clop of passing horses and vehicles, the occasional illumination from streetlamps and carriage lamps, Helena found London at night to be neither as quiet nor as dark as Lambarth's woods. Proceeding on foot allowed her to pause and inspect the house and shopfronts that interested her while Dickon looked on patiently and attempted to answer her avid inquiries.
Enjoying herself immensely, Helena was happy to remain in the stable yard of Fancy Jim's, where Dickon introduced her as the "new boy" at his master's house. Listening silently to t he lads'
banter, some of it delivered in a cant she could barely comprehend, she waited while Dickon went inside to procure them some drink.
She quickly found blue ruin not at all to her taste. Much to Dickon's consternation—and the amusement of his friends—she spat out the mouthful she'd taken, pronouncing it "nasty stuff,"
and dumped the rest onto the cobblestones before Dickon could stop her.
Once her guide finished quaffing his own mug, they set off again, Helena proposing they continue to St. James Street. As it was the site of several famous gentlemen's clubs, she explained, Aunt Lillian told her ladies were not permitted to stroll there. "I should like to observe the clubs from the outside, perhaps discover what about them engenders in gentlemen such a
fascination and loyalty."
"No secret to it," Dickon replied. "They got good victuals, high-stakes cards, fine port—and no females to make a fuss about
'em. Now, miss, it ain't a good idea to go there. Seein' as how some of the toffs 've seen me at the house, I might be recognized."
247
"We won't stay long and you can stand in the shadows,"
Helena countered, already setting out in that direction.
Running after her, Dickon muttered a curse on all women and their unreasonable ways.
Surprised to find how close together the two most famous establishments were located, Helena lingered first outside Brook's, where the chat among the arriving and departing gentleman seemed to concern mostly corn bills, enclosures and the excesses of the Prince Regent. She then crossed the street and sauntered toward White's. From the bits she overhead here, it appeared this clientele concerned itself more with gaming and gossip.
She was about to slip away when two men rode up and she heard Lord Blanchard's voice, followed by his companion's reply extolling the loveliness of Miss Darnell.
Despite Dickon's frantic hand gestures signaling her to retreat, Helena couldn't keep herself from approaching. When Blanchard's friend swung down from the stirrups while Blanchard remained mounted, Helena scurried over. Pitching her voice to mimic the tones of a street urchin, she called, '"Old yer 'orse fer a penny, gov'ner!"
Scarcely gazing at her, the man tossed her a coin, handed her the reins and turned back to Lord Blanchard, who never even glanced in her direction.
"Don't look daggers at me, Nathan," the gentleman said. "If you've no real interest there, you can hardly object if other respectable gentlemen pursue her."
248 THE UNTAMED HEIRESS
Blanchard sighed. "I know. I only wish I could pursue my interest, but you know how I am situated. My family, my career, all require me to marry a woman of wealth. Even though I would rather wed an angel."
The other gentleman laughed. "She is one, isn't she? Since someone else must win her, it might as well be a fine fellow like me! Come join me and drink to my efforts."
Blanchard smiled grimly. "Thank you, but no. I may wish you well, but I'm not saint enough to drink to the prospect of her wedding another."
"You could drink to the prospect of finding your heiress.
Perhaps Miss Darnell's friend, Miss Lambarth?"
"Ah, Miss Lambarth." Blanchard laughed. "The beautiful and unique! I give thanks for her daily, since her presence at Darnell House allows me to call there as often as I wish."
The other gentleman shook his head. "She's more than I'd want to handle, lovely and rich though she be. No, give me a sweet, quiet, biddable wife."
"I pray you may find one —as long as she's not Miss Darnell."
Tipping his hat to his friend, Blanchard wheeled his horse and trotted off.
Handing Blanchard's friend back his reins—and ac cepting another coin—Helena paced slowly toward where Dickon waited, her mind churning. So Lord Blanchard was in love with Charis!
Could her friend secretly love Blanchard, as well—but knowing his circumstances, have despaired of his making her an offer?
If so, Helena thought, excitement putting a skip in - her step, she might just have a solution.
CHAPTER 19
Not wishing to prolong the rather strained evening he'd spent with his fiancée, Adam declined Priscilla's invitation to come in and left her at her door. Deciding that a long walk in the cold ak might help clear his mind, he sent his carriage home and set out for White's.
