The sound of footsteps caught her attention and effectively interrupted her pleasant visions. Annoyed, she opened her eyes just as the source of the sound was revealed in the form of a man walking from behind a path obscured by the garden shrubs.
So surprised was Helena that she was unable to rise from where she sat and before even knowing it, the man was before her.
The garden lamp gave off just enough illumination for her to see his face.
The Duke of Valen. Of course, who else could it be? The man just cannot seem to stop ruining my evening!
Matteo stopped in mid-step as he saw her too. By his expression, was equally stunned to see her there.
How long they stayed in that manner, he standing looking at her with surprise and not a little confusion, she sitting frozen on the garden bench, she could not tell. It certainly felt longer than just a few moments.
“Really, Lady Helena,” Matteo drawled after his initial surprise at seeing her alone in the garden, “are you following me?”
“I beg your pardon!” Standing up from the bench, Helena fairly sputtered, “I was here first, Your Grace! I will say that it isyouwho seems to be following me!”
“You flatter yourself, my lady.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I should askyouthat question, an unmarried lady alone in a garden at night.”
“And what of it?” Helena’s hands were clenched at her sides. “I wanted some respite from the happenings of the ball. I have no need to explain myself to you.”
“I am merely concerned for your well-being, Lady Helena. I thought you were an expert on keeping one’s reputation intact, clearly you have forgotten the dangers for a lady of solitary garden walks at night.”
Her eyes narrowed at him. Matteo was enjoying riling Helena, indeed he had even during their short visit with Peter and Dahlia. Although then, he tempered the inclination. Now, watching the way her eyes blazed at him made him want to try her further. He did mean what he said to Peter back then as well. Helena seemed so wound tight that she did not seem to know what the word fun meant. Someone must remind her how to have fun.
“And you must know all about the dangers of solitary garden walks at night, I imagine.”
Matteo intentionally smiled at her in a mysterious way.
“A rake must know such things of course.” Then she continued with a sniff, “Why do you keep seeking Chastity out?”
Matteo let out a long breath. She certainly did not mince words. Matteo felt a little insulted, for he felt that he did not deserve the censure that she was implying.
“Forgive me, but I seem to recall asking Lady Chastity to dance only once, a request which, I might add, I withdrew in deference to your unreasonable ill humor. And while we are speaking of your sister, why is it that you are so eager to keep her away from me?”
“Chastity deserves better than a rake!”
“Ah. And so my reputation precedes me, I see.” He adopted a nonchalant expression. “Funny how, during our time together at Icedale Castle, you never saw the need to protect Lady Chastity from me there.”
“You would never! Not in your friend’s very home!”
“You are correct, I would never.” Matteo put emphasis on each word. “Not Lady Chastity, not Mary, not Claire.”
Matteo was vaguely aware that he did not addnot you.
“Even we rakes have our codes.” He said sardonically.
“An oxymoron, if I ever heard one.” Helena spat. “Rakes, by their very definition. do not treat women as they should be treated.”
Matteo stepped closer to her. He felt a thrill run through him when she did not move away. Leaning down, he softened his voice.
“Really, and how, pray tell, do you know this? For I should think that a rake is the best authority on how to treat a woman most pleasantly.”
Helena’s eyes widened. Then, seemingly realizing how close to each other they were standing, started to step back. She opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of approaching people froze her.
They both turned toward the pathway Matteo had used to enter. They could hear a conversation between a group of gentlemen and ladies, seemingly out on a stroll.
