“Well, we shall just have to see.” Helena interrupted. “In the meantime, Matteo and I will just have to be extremely watchful of Chastity when he is with her.”
When Celine and Dahlia looked at each other, Helena knew that she had just accidentally given them an opening to a subject that she had much preferred to avoid.
“Helena,” Dahlia started, her hands clasped tightly together—a sure sign that Dahlia was about to say something that she deemed important. “We have tried not to ask you—indeed, we did our best to wait until you are ready to tell us.”
“But we feel that as your best friends, we need to tell you that we are worried about you,” Celine said simply, placing her hand on top of Helena’s.
Helena gulped.
“But why should you be?” Helena said, forcing a smile. “I am perfectly fine. The season could not be any better than it is, for Chastity especially.”
“And for you?” Dahlia asked quietly.
“I am engaged to be married to a duke! It cannot get any better than that.” Helena’s voice sounded shrill even to her own ears. “I have never received so many invitations, never been so sought after as I am now. It is the perfect scenario for Chastity.”
Celine and Dahlia looked at each other again, communicating silently it seemed.
“I have been so busy as of late that I have not been able to call on either of you more often,” Helena added.
“You have not called at all since you sent us each a note telling us of your engagement to Matteo,” Dahlia said simply.
“Helena, your mere absence—your avoidance of us already said so much.” Celine took Helena’s hand in hers.
“I was not avoiding you!” Helena exclaimed.
Celine leveled her with a look.
“You told us of your engagement through a note. Anote.” Celine emphasized. Then in a softer tone, she continued. “I know that at one point in our lives, all three of us vowed never to get married—well, perhaps, Dahlia was merely dragged into that vow—but fate had her own plans. That taught us that we can never know what to expect. So, when we received your note, we just knew that there was more to it.”
“And you not telling us in person suggested that you were not yet ready for questions. So, we respected that, Dear Helena.” Dahlia said, empathy in her eyes.
“Really, there is nothing…”
Celine and Dahlia did not answer, they looked at her with understanding expressions.
They know me too well.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“I-I have something to tell you.” Helena stammered. Then, not knowing how to start, she covered her face with her hands and let out a long breath.
Dahlia went closer to her and took her in her arms. A moment later, Helena felt Celine embrace her from behind.
“I think you have forgotten what misadventures Dahlia and I both had to go through as well.” Celine said. “You will hear no judgement from us, Helena.”
When they had, all three of them composed themselves, Helena gathered her courage and spoke.
“As you know, Matteo and I met during our short stay with you in Icedale Castle, Dahlia.”
When her friend nodded, Helena continued.
“I admit that I found him aggravating then, oh, don’t get me wrong, he was very charming and entertaining, but I found him too sure of himself. Anyway,” she waved a hand and proceeded. “We had a plan back then to push you, Dahlia, and Peter, to realize your feelings for each other—for it was very obvious to us. I guess you could say that we built a certain, tentative kind of friendship. A temporary alliance, if you will.”
Celine and Dahlia nodded.
“When we saw each other at Lady Chapman’s ball, we had a small misunderstanding?—”
“Oh, I remember! When he called you out on your lie!” Dahlia exclaimed.
