“You can tell her yourself, my lord.”
Behind him, she greeted her sister.
“Hello, Chastity. Look, an old friend has found me.”
Turning around, Lord Strong bowed to Chastity.
“Lady Chastity.”
“Lord Strong.”
The surprise in Chastity’s voice was evident. She blinked her eyes, seeming to gather her composure.
“I apologize for not being able to call on you lately. As I had been telling Lady Helena, a most unfortunate incident left me with no choice but to return to my country estate.”
“Oh, I am sorry to hear that. I hope you have been able to recover from the incident.” Chastity said, now with an even voice.
Helena watched as they continued their exchange. Lord Strong proceeded with his explanations, and Chastity seemed to be taking his apology in stride. She did everything correctly, said all the right responses, but in her voice, Helena heard disinterest. Had she been so hurt by his sudden absence that her feelings for him were rendered forgotten?
“Of course, you may have a dance,” Chastity replied politely to his request for a dance with her. She marked the dance with his name.
“Thank you,” Lord Strong said.
When he seemed to run out of things to say, Lord Strong excused himself and bowed, but not before Helena caught his worried look.
“That was unexpected,” Helena said to Chastity, watching her sister’s expression.
“Yes, to be sure,” Chastity said, then smiled her usual smile. “But he has returned, and I hope that he enjoys the season.”
“He will probably resume his calls at Huntington House.”
“Perhaps.”
Chastity’s apparent lack of interest bothered Helena. Deciding to take the direct route, she voiced her question.
“Chastity, do you no longer have feelings for Lord Strong?”
Chastity, who had been checking her dance card, looked up and simply shrugged her shoulders.
“I see,” Helena said when she added no other answer.
She felt that she should say something, but the signal for the start of the next dance gave her no opportunity. Beside her, Chastity scanned the crowd. Her face instantly lit up when she saw Lord Clifton approaching them.
“Ladies.” He bowed low. “I believe that this dance is mine, Lady Chastity?”
“Yes, it is, my lord,” Chastity replied, her eyes sparkling.
She took the hand he held out and joined him with nary a word to Helena as they left her. As they moved to the dance floor, Helena watched with a disapproving eye, Lord Clifton’s hand rest—possessively, it seemed to her—on the small of Chastity’s back as he maneuvered her to their positions.
She watched them throughout the whole dance, and indeed, followed them with her eyes when they went for refreshments.
But throughout their time together, Chastity was beaming, she laughed more exuberantly, her eyes seemed more alive.
She still, however, did not like the way his hands were too free in touching Chastity. He touched her cheek on one occasion, and on another, Lord Clifton rested his hand on her waist.
It is bordering on impropriety! But, oh, Chastity looks happy.
For all her protective feelings, Helena could not begrudge her that. She shook her head. If only she could be sure of Lord Clifton’s intentions. She sighed as she watched him. He knew how to make her sister laugh; indeed, it seemed that he made her happy.
