she reached a marriageable or employable age."
The viscount sighed. "I suppose, in the circumstances, that was the best you could hope for."
Helene tried to smile. "Even though I do not know who her father was, Marguerite is still my child. I was not allowed to see her after she was taken from me. I write to the nunnery once a month to inquire as to her health, and they are kind enough to write back with the barest of information. As far as I know, she is thriving."
She risked a direct glance at the viscount. "I had hoped to have her with me in England, but now I am not so sure."
He frowned and put his cup and empty plate back on the tray. "Why ever not? I'm sure we can arrange something." He gestured at her untouched plate. "Now, please eat. You are far too pale."
Helene looked down at the delicacies heaped on her plate and tried to swallow.
"My apologies, monsieur, but I feel a little nauseated." She clamped a hand over her mouth as her vision dimmed and a roaring sound thundered through her head. The last thing she remembered was the viscount's concerned face as she slid bonelessly to the floor.
Helene came to in a pretty feminine parlor decorated in soft yellows and greens. Over her head, a woman gave orders to an indistinct number of people who seemed to mill around the room. She thought she heard the viscount's deep voice and strained to see his face. A soft hand on her brow stopped her from moving too far. Her feet were raised on a cushion at the other end of the cozy chaise lounge, and a lavender-scented shawl was tucked around her.
"Are you feeling better now, madame?"
Helene opened her eyes fully and gazed into the face of an exceptionally beautiful woman she assumed must be the viscount's wife. She struggled to sit up.
"I feel much better now. I apologize for behaving so inappropriately."
The viscountess smiled. "I hardly think you passed out deliberately, madame. I'm only glad my husband had the presence of mind to bring you to me."
Helene glanced around and saw the viscount in the doorway. He bowed and ventured closer.
"I apologize for not realizing how exhausted you were. Forcing you to retell such a harrowing story so soon after your arrival was not well done of me."
"I am absolutely fine, sir, and perhaps I should be leaving before I cause you any further embarrassment." She couldn't believe the viscount had taken her to his wife. She was hardly the sort of company a noble lady of the ton would expect to entertain in her private parlor.
The viscountess frowned and stood up, smoothing the creases from her silk dress. "Surely Madame Delornay is staying with us, my dear? It's the least we can do for her, seeing as how she saved your life."
"Of course she is. I could not permit anything else." He bowed again to Helene. "Please, madame, be our honored guest, at least for the night. I intend to gather a few of your friends here tomorrow to discuss your plans for the future."
Helene was too tired to argue. In her haste to get to the viscount, she had made no arrangements to stay in London and carried all her possessions in her large carpetbag.
Uncertainly, she turned back to the viscountess and found her smiling and nodding.
"I would be delighted if you would stay. My sons are away at school at the moment, so I would appreciate some company."
Helene found herself smiling weakly in return.
"Thank you. That would be wonderful."
Chapter Five
When Helene awoke the next morning, it was with a sense of unreality. She slipped out of the massive bed and went to the window to peer through the curtains. The bright and sunny bedroom she'd been placed in was on the same floor as the viscountess's suite and faced the private garden and the mews at the back of the house.
The tranquility of the setting reminded her of the house where she had grown up in the countryside near Versailles. She'd almost forgotten how it felt to live in luxury, to wake without fear, with the sense that nothing could go wrong in her
The viscount sighed. "I suppose, in the circumstances, that was the best you could hope for."
Helene tried to smile. "Even though I do not know who her father was, Marguerite is still my child. I was not allowed to see her after she was taken from me. I write to the nunnery once a month to inquire as to her health, and they are kind enough to write back with the barest of information. As far as I know, she is thriving."
She risked a direct glance at the viscount. "I had hoped to have her with me in England, but now I am not so sure."
He frowned and put his cup and empty plate back on the tray. "Why ever not? I'm sure we can arrange something." He gestured at her untouched plate. "Now, please eat. You are far too pale."
Helene looked down at the delicacies heaped on her plate and tried to swallow.
"My apologies, monsieur, but I feel a little nauseated." She clamped a hand over her mouth as her vision dimmed and a roaring sound thundered through her head. The last thing she remembered was the viscount's concerned face as she slid bonelessly to the floor.
Helene came to in a pretty feminine parlor decorated in soft yellows and greens. Over her head, a woman gave orders to an indistinct number of people who seemed to mill around the room. She thought she heard the viscount's deep voice and strained to see his face. A soft hand on her brow stopped her from moving too far. Her feet were raised on a cushion at the other end of the cozy chaise lounge, and a lavender-scented shawl was tucked around her.
"Are you feeling better now, madame?"
Helene opened her eyes fully and gazed into the face of an exceptionally beautiful woman she assumed must be the viscount's wife. She struggled to sit up.
"I feel much better now. I apologize for behaving so inappropriately."
The viscountess smiled. "I hardly think you passed out deliberately, madame. I'm only glad my husband had the presence of mind to bring you to me."
Helene glanced around and saw the viscount in the doorway. He bowed and ventured closer.
"I apologize for not realizing how exhausted you were. Forcing you to retell such a harrowing story so soon after your arrival was not well done of me."
"I am absolutely fine, sir, and perhaps I should be leaving before I cause you any further embarrassment." She couldn't believe the viscount had taken her to his wife. She was hardly the sort of company a noble lady of the ton would expect to entertain in her private parlor.
The viscountess frowned and stood up, smoothing the creases from her silk dress. "Surely Madame Delornay is staying with us, my dear? It's the least we can do for her, seeing as how she saved your life."
"Of course she is. I could not permit anything else." He bowed again to Helene. "Please, madame, be our honored guest, at least for the night. I intend to gather a few of your friends here tomorrow to discuss your plans for the future."
Helene was too tired to argue. In her haste to get to the viscount, she had made no arrangements to stay in London and carried all her possessions in her large carpetbag.
Uncertainly, she turned back to the viscountess and found her smiling and nodding.
"I would be delighted if you would stay. My sons are away at school at the moment, so I would appreciate some company."
Helene found herself smiling weakly in return.
"Thank you. That would be wonderful."
Chapter Five
When Helene awoke the next morning, it was with a sense of unreality. She slipped out of the massive bed and went to the window to peer through the curtains. The bright and sunny bedroom she'd been placed in was on the same floor as the viscountess's suite and faced the private garden and the mews at the back of the house.
The tranquility of the setting reminded her of the house where she had grown up in the countryside near Versailles. She'd almost forgotten how it felt to live in luxury, to wake without fear, with the sense that nothing could go wrong in her
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