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Seated, he pondered what argument Helena was coming with and howhe would rebuff her. He was not only to tell Louisa that he lovedher, but he was also going to ask her to marry him that night. When Helena wasthere, he would tell her the truth, that there was no chance of them being together,and give her back her sly gift.
I do not need any explanations from her why she stabbed me in the back.
A knock broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to Mrs. Wickham, withher dark dress and solemn face. “Miss Follet is here, Your Grace. I have shown her and her chaperone to the east drawing-room, and we have prepared the refreshmentsfor you when you are ready.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Wickham,” Isaac stood and tugged his waistcoat down. He took the box and left for the east drawing-room and saw Helena there, framed by the large bow window and the sunlight flittering through the panes.
As immaculate as ever, her hair was done down around her, fanning like angel wings with the minute moments, and her dress royal blue hugged her body perfectly.
Once upona time, back in his worst, darkest, heartbroken moments, he would have given all he had just see to her look the way she was looking at him now. Back then, he would have thought it was a look of love, care, and compassion. Now, all he could think of was, what game was she playing?
“Miss Follet and Miss Barton, welcome to my home,” Isaac rested the box on the table and stood away from them. “May I ask, what is the reason for this visit?”
She gave him an exasperated look.“For heaven's sake, Isaac, I know we live separate lives, but we once knew each other; I don't bite, you know.”
Not in front of my face.
He cleared his throat.“Noted. What may I do for you, Miss Follet?”
She moved from the window and came to sit; after fixing her skirts, she said. “I have heard all around town that you are opening more to society and popping up here and there. They say that you are happy and very agreeable—well, as much is expected of you. Is there a specific reason for this sudden change?”
Rubbing a hand acrosshis face, Isaac already felt exasperated. Still, he was going to play her game of small talk until she confessedwhy she had come. “Not that I can tell.”
“Come on, Isaac.” Helena narrowed her eyes even while her voicestayed light. “We all know that there is one main reason men change, a woman. Are you courting anyone?”
You do not need to know.“No.”
“Tis a shame,” Helena said, without a hint of remorse. “You should find a good lady to love, now that you are getting over your slump.”
His brows shot up. “My…slump.”
“Yes.” She waved, dismissively. “You know what I mean, when you took yourself from our friends and me to sequester yourself at home.For that illness.”
“My illness,” Isaac uttered blankly.
“Be that it is may, I am glad you are back to the forefront of society and can do what needs to be done,” she said lightly. “I want you back in my life, and I hope that you have had a change of heart and are ready to forgive me.I takeit that you have considered my proposal. I hate to be at sixes and sevens with you, Isaac.”
Cold anger for her assumption and grave disappointment that she had not changed a bitrested on his heart. “Miss Follet, I think you have had your lines crossed somewhere.”
“No, I do not think so.” Helena stood elegantly. She came to rest her hands on his arms and looked into his eyes. “I have never stopped loving you, Isaac. I remember all the good times we had, the long discussions into the night, the tender moments we shared. Do you not recall those?”
“Yes, I recall all of them,” Isaac replied coldly. “But I recall one intimate moment whichtrumped them all, and it was not on my part.”
She flinched a little as if she had been slapped across the face. Still, Helena did not part from him. Isaac was not going to be ungentlemanly and brush her hands away from his person.
“I—I am still heads-over-heels in love with you, Isaac, and I know that under all that indifference, you feel something for me too. We were once young and foolish, Isaac, who came with devil-may-care rashness and blight care for life. You have come through this slump after all, and I have matured.Can we not put the past behind us and move on to better arcs in our lives?”
Now, Isaac had hadenough; he stepped away from her, pointedly putting three or four feet between them. When he spoke, his tone was icy and sharp.
“Miss Follet, I must inform you that since you have decided to conveniently skip over the truth of what happened tomake meleave your life and society at large, I will make it abundantly clear. My slump or my illness was not physical; it was mental. You shattered my heart when you were unfaithful to me, and then the deaths of my family drove me into despair. It took me years to rebound from what you did to me.”
Helena’s face soured. “Isaac, can you not let that one indiscretion go?”
“It was not one,” Isaac replied. “And we both know it. Miss Follet, you have a habit of using your assets to twist and turn men’s heads. I do not blame you for how you are, but you picked and picked away until now you have found nothing. I hear that no one will be there for you. Tell me the truth, Miss Follet, why are you here? I do not have time for you to beat around the bush.”
Her lips clamped tight, prodding Isaac to ask, “Is your father in dire straits?”
“No.”
