“It’s Helena,” she said with an internal grimace.
There was a period of silence, and she wondered if he planned to simply ignore her.
“Come in,” he said at last.
She tentatively opened the door, sticking her head inside. “I apologize for the interruption. But it is a matter of urgency that I speak to you.”
“Urgency? Close the door behind you.”
“Thank you,” she said with relief as she slipped into the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
She walked straight up to his desk, facing him directly as he stood on the other side.
“I have come to ask about my brother. Particularly what you mean to do about him. I feel strongly that he is in danger.”
“You have told me this already. What other assurances do you want from me?”
“I want to be able to go and see for myself. Perhaps I could rescue him from that house. If my uncle realizes I’ve left the convent, he will use him to bring me back. I am shocked that he hasn’t already. The more we wait, the more time we give him to fashion something diabolical.”
“Your uncle is not the devil, Lady Helena,” he said dryly. “He’s just a man. One whom we will catch, and then your brother will be safe.”
Helena let out a frustrated breath. “You cannot underestimate him. You have to let me go and?—”
She stopped suddenly as he walked around the table. He came to a halt at her side as he looked her deep in the eye.
“You are not hearing me, Lady Helena. Your brother will be fine.”
“You’re not listening. My brother is in danger right now.”
“I am listening, and I am telling you that I have done something about it. Now, let me work.”
“How would you react if it were your sister instead?”
The Duke instantly stiffened. “The very same way I’m reacting now, which is to take measures to protect her and find the culprit.”
“The culprit is right there!” Helena flung her right hand out, towards the window, “living in the same house as my brother. And you are doing nothing but waiting for my uncle to make a move, and it’ll be too late!”
Silas’s face hardened. “I have marshaled every resource I have.” His eyes raked her frame from feet to head. “What is it you think you can do that I haven’t already?”
She took a step closer towards him, folding her arms under her bosom, her head going back so that she could meet his eyes. “I can get my brother out.”
“Oh really?” He bent lower so that they were face to face. “And how do you propose to do that? Do you think your uncle leaves your brother unguarded?”
Helena blinked up at him. They were so close that she could feel his breath ghosting her face when he spoke. She knew he was trying to intimidate her, and she couldn’t lie; shewasintimidated. But she was also roused by him.
His shoulders were literally cutting off any light that came from the windows. His eyes were piercing hers. She could see the anger and irritation in them. She knew he could pick her up and fling her away if he wanted. But as cowed as she was by his domineering presence, his immediacy, she was not afraid ofhim.
Not the way she was of Uncle James. Somehow she knew that the duke wouldn’t hurt her.
“I have thought about this. Every night I lie awake thinking, wondering what has become of my brother, if he ate, if he has a comfortable bed to sleep in, but above all, if he is safe. Every night since I left home,” she said quietly.
He gave a sigh, shaking his head. “Helena—” he began to say, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
They both turned.
“Who is it?” Silas asked irritably.
“My Lord, you have a visitor. A certain Lord James Porter would like to speak with you,” Jeeves said from the other side of the door.
