A Lady's Fate

Chapter Nineteen

"It is dreadful; truly dreadful. Poor Miss Thorpe - what terrible luck she has suffered!"

Helena took another sip of tea through pursed lips. In her opinion, Margaret's plight had nothing to do with luck and everything to do with one hateful Mr Roach - but she had not the energy to contradict Louisa.

"Indeed," she replied mildly instead.

It had now been three days since the evening they had returned from the opera to find baby George unwell; and unfortunately, the infant's situation had in no way improved since the doctor's first visit. Between them, Margaret and Mary had been continuously attending to the little boy, dutifully dampening his forehead with a wet cloth in a futile attempt to bring down his fever. With each passing day, the sombre atmosphere in the house intensified, as the rise and fall of little George's chest grew ever more laboured, its dreadful rattling sound ever more pronounced.

"I cannot imagine how agonising it must be for Miss Thorpe, to watch her son suffer so," murmured Louisa darkly.

Helena shared Louisa's sentiments. She felt desperately sorry for all that Margaret had suffered. Although Mary claimed that Margaret had chosen to enter into physical relations with Mr Roach, there was always the danger that he had pressured her into it - and after her own harrowing experience with the brutes at the inn, Helena would not wish such an ordeal upon her worst enemy.

"I feel it rather improper, almost, to speak of anything but little George," said Louisa, bouncing her own John gently on her knee, "yet there is something I must mention, Helena."

"Oh?" replied Helena, interest piqued.

With Louisa's next words, however, she lost interest entirely.

"It is about Joseph..."

"I cannot think what you could have to tell me regarding Joseph," interrupted Helena curtly. "I believe all which needs to be said has been spoken between us."

Louisa tutted irritably, startling the child on her knee.

"No, Helena!" she snapped. "I will not have it!"

Now it was not only John who was startled; Helena's eyes widened at the sharpness in her friend's tone.

"Louisa!" she gasped. "Whatever is the meaning of this?"

"The time has come," announced Louisa dramatically, "for explanation."

"Explanation regarding what, pray tell?"

Louisa uttered another tut, eyes flashing.

"Regarding your reasoning for eschewing my brother and breaking his heart, when it is very well known to me that you have for many years been ardently in love with him!"

"I..." spluttered Helena incoherently, taken completely aback by Louisa's outburst. "I am not in love with Joseph! I cannot think where you might have gathered such a peculiar notion..."

"Enough with these falsehoods!" exclaimed Louisa fiercely.

"You cannot conceal the truth from me," she added, in a softer tone. "We have known each other far too long for that. I only wish to understand why you insist on inflicting such unnecessary pain on both yourself and Joseph."

"Unnecessary?" spluttered Helena incredulously. "Louisa, if you claim to know I have been in love with Joseph for many years, then surely you must understand why I cannot continue our friendship as it was prior to his Grand Tour!"