Page 67 of The Insufferable Duke
“I agree.” Christopher turned his focus to his great-uncle.
Christopher.
Helena’s eyes fixed on him, thinking of the meeting they had just shared. He had asked her to call him by his Christian name. It had to mean something as did that kiss. Was it possible after all that he cared for her as she did him?
“No more, Isaac.” Christopher moved the old man back until he sank into a chair between the potted plants. One of the fern’s leaves brushed him in the face, and he waved it away with a harsh movement of his cane.
“This is a mess,” Helena murmured, her eyes flicking down to the broken pot and the families that had now drawn sides.
To her right, her family stood. Anna said nothing at all, and Kitty fussed at her side, talking loudly of what their guests would think as Benjamin held back Lord Gibbs. Surprisingly, Matthew was quiet. He stood by the wall and fidgeted.
On Helena’s left, Christopher’s family stood. The Dowager Duchess of Bridstone’s arms were folded as she glared around the room, and Lady Laura hovered by her shoulder, pulling at her sleeve.
“This is not good for the happy couple,” Lady Laura murmured, her gentle words breaking through the anger. “If they hear of this argument —”
“Let them hear of it!” Lord Isaac insisted.
“Say another word, Uncle, and I swear —” Christopher warned, but he was cut off.
“You’ll do what? I’m still your senior.” He looked ready to put Christopher across his knee as he waved the cane threateningly.
“You may have forgotten, but I’m no longer a boy,” Christopher’s tone seethed. It took on such anger that Helena gripped the door behind her. She had never seen him in such a fury before. “I won’t stand for you causing trouble.”
“He was the one who started it.” Lord Isaac thrust his cane in Gibbs’s direction.
“Now, who is the child?” Christopher folded his arms as he stared down at the old man.
“There can be no peace; there can’t be,” Gibbs insisted, pushing against Benjamin.
“Gibbs, please,” Benjamin begged, shoving his brother so much that Gibbs tottered on his feet, in danger of falling over. “I don’t like this union either, but it must be done.”
“Father, please.” Helena walked away from the door and strode into the fray, knowing she couldn’t hold back anymore. She put herself in front of her father, so as he turned around, she was blocking his path to Christopher and Lord Isaac. “This family will be guided by you for their treatment of the Moores, yet you claim so boldly now that you have no liking for this union. None whatsoever. May I remind you that you gave the union its blessing.”
“Because of scandal,” he said darkly, his eyes flitting to Christopher. “Your brother did this to my daughter. Do you think I could ever be completely happy, elated even, about marrying her into a family that has causedthisto her?”
“My brother did not mean to risk her reputation,” Christopher said in a rush. “I do not like the scandal either.”
“A man of your reputation — you startle me,” Benjamin muttered.
“Father!” Helena spoke loudly. It was such a tone that Benjamin looked sharply at her, red in the face in surprise. “Do not insult the Duke of Bridstone when you have no grounds to.”
“You defend him now?” Benjamin folded his arms and actually laughed. She felt belittled by that sound. She and her father had always been closer, more intimate friends, than she had been with her mother, yet in that moment she felt distanced from him. It was as if a cold air had descended and hovered there between them. “Dear God, Helena. You’ve read the scandal sheets; you’ve heard the gossip. Do yourself the dignity of not defending a man like that.”
“From now on, I choose to judge a man by what I know of him myself, not based on what I hear from third parties.” Helena could feel Christopher’s eyes burning into her back, but she didn’t turn to look at him. She held her father’s gaze instead. “Perhaps you should too. The man standing behind me is a good man, who has done nothing but try to make peace between two warring families and find happiness for his brother.”
“Happiness!?” Benjamin spluttered.
“Yes. Lord Robert loves Julia. The scandal was no good thing, but it was not intended on either part.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes,” Helena said with vigor, startled to find another spoke at the same time as her, saying the exact same thing. It was Christopher. She looked over her shoulder to see him standing even closer behind her now.
“My brother is a good man,” Christopher muttered in a low and quiet tone.
“A food man?”
“A good man,” Helena repeated. Finding her own frustration at her father’s hearing spilling over.
