Helene by Leonora Blythe

Author:Leonora Blythe [Blythe, Leonora]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Published: 2014-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

10

AT the same time as this discussion was taking place, Lady Sweeny was concluding her conversation with Helene on the probable whereabouts of her errant daughter.

When Helene had received the summons from Lady Sweeny she had been alarmed lest her plans for the elopement had become known. She had hurried round to the imposing London residence that the Sweenys occupied, with a feeling of dismay. Now, her distress had given way to active alarm, although she was careful to disguise this, for it would never do for her to voice her worst fears about Juliet’s disappearance. Far better, she thought, to allow Lady Sweeny to think that Juliet had run away, until she had had time to consult with her father. That, unfortunately, would have to wait until the morning, for he was out of town for the day.

“It is funny, is it not,” Lady Sweeny said, “that Juliet would say she was meeting you as usual?”

“Not really, Lady Sweeny,” Helene replied earnestly, “for I usually do meet her. Only, today Papa had to leave on some urgent business and I stayed at home to be with mama. So if Juliet had planned to run away, it would have been after that. Did…did she have much money with her? I was thinking that if she had some relation to go to, she would need it for the stagecoach fare.”

Lady Sweeny threw up her eyes in horror at the suggestion. “Juliet wouldn’t even know where to board a stagecoach,” she said scathingly, “let alone how to purchase a ticket. And as for relatives, why, I cannot think of a single person…unless…” Her eyes narrowed as a thought struck her. “The very thing,” she muttered to herself. “She must have gone to that stupid governess I fired last year.” Turning to Helene she said, “I do believe I know where she is. How very silly of me not to have thought of it sooner.”

Helene waited for more, but it was obvious that Lady Sweeny was not going to divulge anything. She stood up, indicating that the interview was at an end.

“Thank you, Helene, dear child, for coming to see me so promptly, and for your help. Of course, I don’t need to mention that your absolute silence on this matter is necessary. If word leaked out about the silly girl’s stupidity, well, her reputation…” She left no doubt in Helene’s mind the harm it would do.

As Helene stood up and pulled on her gloves she assured Lady Sweeny that she would do all she could to support the story that Juliet’s absence was caused by sickness. “And should I hear of anything, Lady Sweeny, you may be certain that I will let you know immediately.”

Later, as she completed her toilette for the rout she planned to attend at Vauxhall, she formulated a scheme that would enable her to confirm her suspicions that the earl was responsible for Juliet’s disappearance. She simply could not wait for her father to return, especially since her mother had just informed her that he had been delayed for at least another day.

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