A Lady's Fate

Chapter Ten

Looking back, Helena would wonder how on earth she managed to preserve her sanity during the month of January. Aware as she now was of Mary's true identity, Helena marvelled at how the maid had succeeded in keeping her secret all this time.

As promised, Helena had not told a soul about the dire situation with Margaret and the heir to Lanmeth House. It was difficult to keep Mary's identity hidden, though – especially the more she witnessed Mary's interaction with Sir Edmund. He usually left Alverton Hall early in the new year, but this year he had decided to remain for the entirety of January, and Helena was astute enough to realise it was due to the growing affection Sir Edmund clearly felt for Mary.

Helena was therefore not surprised, upon entering the breakfast room on the first Monday in February, to find Sir Edmund and Mary deep in conversation, intently holding eye contact as they sat far closer together than mere acquaintances should. Mary's skin had a pinkish tinge, her eyes bright as she smiled bashfully at something Sir Edmund had said, and she had never looked so beautiful.

The pair broke apart as soon as they noticed Helena's presence – as if I don't know quite well what is going on here, thought Helena wryly. Taking her usual seat next to her father's empty one – Lord Alverton had been taking breakfast in his chambers since Christmas – Helena frowned in displeasure.

"Good morning, Lady Helena," Sir Edmund greeted her cheerfully.

"Good morning," came her stiff reply.

She didn't mean to be so prim – in her opinion, Sir Edmund and Mary were very well suited in terms of disposition.

In terms of position in society, however, they could not be further apart.

It would be easy to blame Mary for encouraging Sir Edmund's attentions towards her. Sir Edmund, after all, thought her to be a gentleman's daughter named Miss Thorpe – he had no idea that a match between them could in reality never take place. Sir Edmund was kind-hearted, yes - but once Mary was revealed to be a maid, it would be impossible for him to take her as his bride.

Just then, a maid entered the breakfast room, letter in hand.

"Post for Miss Thorpe, milady."

Helena and Mary exchanged a wide-eyed look over the breakfast table. Since their conversation on Boxing Day, they had not discussed Margaret, but Helena assumed Mary had written to London as she'd suggested – surely this letter, then, contained Margaret's response.

"Please allow me to be excused," said Mary, rising from the table with the letter clutched in her hands like a prized talisman.

Just as Helena was wondering if she could formulate some sort of excuse to follow Mary, the maid turned to address her.

"There is a visitor in drawing room for you, milady," she announced. "It is Lord Carningsby."

Helena's heart dropped to her stomach.

"Tell him – please inform him that I will be with him in five minutes," stuttered Helena.

With a curtsey of acknowledgement, the maid took her leave.

"Oh, Lord," breathed Helena as soon as the maid was out of sight.

"What is it?" asked Sir Edmund, concerned.

Helena swallowed, unsure how to explain. I am about to receive a proposal which I shall have to refuse as I have promised to protect the woman you are attracted to, who is in fact a lady's maid fleeing a wicked man who ruined her mistress - there was no easy way of relaying that.