“Girdleston will not live forever,” Helena added, “and it is my great hope that, one day, Lusk will... willgrow up.”
She looked at Miss Keep and made a face. “But I cannot guarantee it.”
“I am not afraid of either of these men,” Miss Keep proclaimed. “I never intended to marry, so a husband who pursues his own diversions sounds inconsequential to me.Ifthe arrangement comes with money and influence and I may enjoy the freedom to study.”
She got up from her chair and walked to her desk. “But what I don’t know is if I can win him over. If he is as you describe.”
“He is,” Helena said on a sigh, but she wasthinking,She cannot. And is it fair of me to encourage her to try?
For better or for worse, Helena pressed on. “It’s only the initial attraction that you would need to get perfectly right. For this, you would need to enchant him, in a way. And quickly—in fact, you’d have to make a very strong first impression in one afternoon. There’s a party at Lusk House next week, and I’ll invite all of the potential duchesses there to... in a manner... beguile him.”
“Other women?”
“I know, it sounds arcane—it is a little arcane—but I’ve had to cast a wide net, and to do so quickly. My plan is to bring all the potential duchesses together at this event. Whichever girl seems to spark his interest would have a fortnight to further ensnare him. He must throw me over before the wedding in January. It’s all very dire, I’m afraid. But someone will be the Duchess of Lusk in the end—only, it cannot be me.”
“Oh,” said Miss Keep, looking overwhelmed.
“Look, Miss Keep, you are very beautiful, but do you think you could flirt? Could you cozen up and appeal to him and...bewitch himfor a time?”
“If it meant my hospital, I could try,” she said, but she sounded very uncertain. She sounded like a bold child accepting a dare.
Helena slumped lower in her seat.
After a moment, Miss Keep said, “But what do you mean by the notion offlirting?”
Helena opened her mouth to answer but before she could, Declan rolled off the wall and leaned his head through the open door.
“Maid’s come,” he said.
Helena nodded, looking up, and she was struck with an idea. Unorthodox. Bold and provocative. But what part of her scheme was not all of these things?
She said, “I need a favor, Shaw. Will you come in?”
To Miss Keep, she said, “My groom is very obliging.”
Declan asked, “In the office?” He looked confused.
“Come. Sit.” Helena rose. “Right here.” She stood behind her chair and patted it with three taps.
Cautiously, Declan entered the small room. The very breadth of his muscled body put the spindly table and fragile tea service in jeopardy. The chair creaked when he sat.
Miss Keep took up a piece of parchment and pen and resettled into her chair. She stared at Helena as if she would explain some complicated magic trick.
“Shaw?” Helena asked, coming up behind him in the chair. “Will you help me demonstrateflirtingto Miss Keep?” She settled both hands on his shoulders.
Declan reeled around. “Ah, no,” he said. His expression said,You wouldn’t.
Helena ignored him. “I’m no expert,” she continued, dropping her face to beside his, dangling her wrists over his shoulders, “but based on what I have seen, you must touch unnecessarily at every opportunity.”
Slowly, wiggling her fingers over his chest, she began to tug at her gloves.
Miss Keep madly scribbled notes.
“Did you say that my maid, Meg, has arrived?” Helena asked sweetly, speaking close to his face.
“Ah...?” said Declan.
Helena dropped her limp gloves onto his thighs. He stared down at them as if something had died in his lap.
