They both tensed. Silas turned to face her, his voice lowered. “You should leave. Out the veranda door.”
He indicated the huge glass doors that led outside from his study. Helena nodded once and ran to the doors, slipping out and closing them behind her.
She could see Silas watching her, and made as if to walk away, but she merely stopped as soon as she rounded the corner and was concealed by foliage.
Crouching down, she strained her ears trying to hear what was going on in the room.
“Lord James Porter, Your Grace,” Jeeves’s voice said.
“A pleasure to meet you, Highcliff,” her uncle’s arrogant voice came through loud and clear.
She could just see the look on Silas’s face at such unwarranted familiarity.
“What can I do for you, Lord James?” he asked coldly.
Helena shivered, instinctively taking a small step back. She had heard Silas warn her before, yes. But this… the way he spoke now, his voice icy and cutting, with an undercurrent that hinted at a man capable of doing far worse than just words. It was the kind of voice that could silence a room, and she found herself suddenly aware of just how dangerous he could be.
“I am in search of someone,” her uncle answered. “My niece, Lady Helena Porter. She’s missing, you see. I was hoping, perhaps, that I would find her here.”
“And why have you come here?” Silas’s affected surprise was perfectly done.
Helena was impressed.
“Well, you did visit St. Margaret’s, the abbey where she’s staying at the moment, the same day that she escaped. I thought maybe she might have stowed away in your carriage.”
Silas huffed. “I was driving a phaeton. There was nowhere for anyone to stow away.”
“Then perhaps you gave her a lift?”
“There was nobody in my carriage, except myself, when I left the compound. The man at the gate can surely confirm that. I hopethat satisfies you, my lord. Now, I would invite you to stay for tea, but I am afraid I have a lot of work waiting for me.”
“Apologies, Your Grace. I did not mean to offend. I was merely checking. I’m just concerned; the girl is a danger to herself and others.”
The lying cur, she hissed inwardly.
“Yes, the nuns who came looking for her were quick to tell me so. You can rest assured that nobody in my vicinity has been harmed, so I doubt she’s close by.”
“Yes, well I’m sure you know the anxiety of having someone under your care who simply will not do as you say, and just assumes that everything you do is to their detriment. It can be quite difficult.”
“If you say so. That has not been my experience.”
“You’re a lucky man. It’s not just Lady Helena I’m worried about. You see, her brother, the Earl of Downfield, is quite beside himself. He’s a young boy, only eleven years of age. I fear he may worry himself sick. There has been so much tragedy in the family already. I would hate for there to be more.”
Helena tensed, wanting to run back into the room and beat her uncle until he told her that Charlie was all right.
“It sounds terribly tragic, indeed.” Silas’s voice sounded extremely bored. “I’m sorry I cannot help you. However, if you need some resources to keep searching, I can spare some coins towards your endeavor.”
Helena snorted soundlessly.
Oh, I’m sure Uncle would love to take him up on that.
“That is very generous of you, Your Grace. I shall certainly keep it in mind, but for now I need to find my niece.”
“Then it’s best you continued with your search, my lord.”
“Of course. Thank you for your time, Your Grace.” Uncle James’s words came clipped, each syllable deliberate, stripped of the usual oily lilt that made her skin crawl.
Helena knew that if he had not been speaking with a duke, he would have been a lot ruder. Uncle James liked to ingratiate himself, but he had no patience when his slimy charm did not work. She could hear his angry footsteps and then the slam of the door as he left.
