Keenly aware of her sudden reticence, Richard cleared his throat and tried again. ‘My grandmama tells me that Madame Devy is in great demand. I understand that she is known to be rather choosy about accepting new clients. You must consider yourself very fortunate to be one of the favoured few.’
‘I am aware that Madame is very well regarded nowadays, of course,’ Helena eventually managed. ‘The truth of the matter is that she is one of my father’s oldest clients and has been making my gowns since before I left the schoolroom. But you are right,’ she added hastily, fearing that he might have considered her offhand remark somewhat conceited, ‘I am most gratified that she is still willing to keep me on her list.’ A little smile leapt unbidden to her lips. ‘Although I sometimes suspect that the fact that my father is always very prompt in his payment of her accounts may have more to do with her eagerness to fit me in, rather than my ability to advertise her skill in the haut monde.’
Richard flashed her a curious glance. ‘But surely that is exactly what you have been doing during these past few months? I rather gained the impression that the whole purpose of your father’s agreement was to ensure that you are brought out into society.’
Carefully evading his gaze, Helena toyed with her reticule. ‘As it happens, my lord,’ she answered reluctantly, ‘Papa did not decide to have the contract drawn up until after he had agreed to receive you.’
Silently digesting this disquieting piece of information, the earl’s brow furrowed but, since the press of traffic was becoming more intense, he found himself obliged to devote his full attention to the road ahead, in order to steer clear of a miscellany of poorly driven vehicles, the drivers of which were all seemingly intent upon hogging the entire carriageway. Consequently, it was several minutes before he was able to formulate his response.
‘Am I to understand that none of my—predecessors was asked to sign that extraordinary document?’
At the clearly discernible frostiness of his tone, Helena stiffened and leapt at once to her father’s defence. ‘Papa was formerly of the opinion that a gentleman’s word was his bond,’ she replied guardedly.
Disturbed at the notion that the stockbroker had considered it necessary to treat him more exactingly than he had dealt with the previous suitors for his daughter’s hand, Richard’s jaw tightened but, trying to keep his tone non-committal, he enquired, ‘May I ask what it was that occasioned him to change his mind in that respect?’
Her discomfiture increasing, Helena shifted uneasily in her seat. ‘He took exception to one or two of the individuals to whom I was introduced.’
‘I take it that you are referring to Lord Barrington and his colleagues?’
At Helena’s nod, a wave of relief swept through the earl’s body, but, sensing her discomfiture, he made an effort to lighten the conversation.
‘Then, please allow me to assure you that neither your father nor yourself need have any qualms about the suitability of my friends,’ he said. ‘Their backgrounds are impeccable, you have my word.’
Thankful that he had not seemed to regard her father’s change of tactics as in any way a personal slight against himself, Helena allowed herself to relax. ‘I do not doubt it, your lordship,’ she returned. ‘I would hardly have agreed to accompany you in this manner had I believed otherwise.’
Inclining his head in acknowledgement, Richard offered her a brief smile before going on to say, ‘I trust that you managed to explain to your father why I did not feel able to sign his contract.’
‘N-not in so many words, my lord,’ she was obliged to admit. ‘His physician has insisted upon administering a mild opiate to Papa, in order to prevent him from becoming over-excited. I simply told him that you had agreed his terms. But, you need not concern yourself, sir,’ she hastened to reassure the frowning earl, ‘as soon as he is well enough to discuss the matter, I shall tell him the truth, of course.’
In point of fact, since she had every intention of finding an easy way to extricate herself from this latest attempt of her father’s to launch her into society, she was hoping that the necessity of divulging her perfidy would not arise. But then, as the phaeton inched its way through the press of traffic that was waiting to enter the park gates and she found herself mesmerised by the earl’s highly impressive manipulation of the reins, it was not long before it occurred to her that it would be, perhaps, rather a pity if Markfield should happen to be tarred with the same brush as Viscount Barrington and his ilk. From the little she had seen of his lordship, he did seem to be quite a cut above some of his peers and he had certainly shown her a good deal more courtesy than any of his rivals had done. Nevertheless, as she was quick to remind herself, the only reason that he was here, driving her in this very showy equipage, was not because he had any real interest in developing any sort of acquaintanceship with her, but merely because he was no less eager than his predecessors to get his hands on her father’s money.
‘This is certainly a very fine carriage, Lord Markfield,’ she ventured, after some moments of silence.
‘Isn’t it just!’ replied the earl, with a swift grin. ‘Not mine, however, I’m sad to relate—courtesy of a most generous friend!’
‘It is not difficult to understand why he should place such trust in you, my lord,’ she returned, drawing in her breath in admiration as Markfield neatly feathered the vehicle out of the path of an oncoming and rather badly driven curricle.
Resolutely ignoring the insolent gesture that the curricle’s young driver offered him as he flashed passed, the earl acknowledged Helena’s compliment with a swift smile.
‘You are very kind,’ he said. ‘Although I am bound to admit that the traffic is somewhat heavier than I had anticipated. One gets the impression that the whole of London is heading for the park.’
‘I believe it’s what they call the “fashionable hour”—although I have it on good authority that it more usually lasts for three or four!’ returned Helena, her attention being momentarily diverted by a noisy altercation taking place some distance ahead. ‘We, ourselves, seldom have any need to frequent this part of town at this hour.’ And then, as the highly decorative attire of a passing whipster caught her eye, her cheeks suddenly dimpled. ‘Although I must say that it is not hard to see what attracts them all!’
As yet another poorly driven vehicle rocked across their path, Richard, who was finding that it required all of his, not inconsiderable, driving skill to manoeuvre Braithwaite’s equipage out of harm’s way, was unable to reply. But then, when he had finally edged the curricle safely past Apsley House into the relative serenity of Park Lane, his attention was suddenly distracted by the unexpected sound of his passenger’s smothered laughter. Unable to resist the temptation to see what might have caused such merriment, he took his eyes off the road long enough to glance across at her and was immediately struck by the sudden glowing animation on her face.
Her laughing eyes indicating the source of her levity, Helena, covering her lips with her gloved fingers, in a vain effort to control her rising mirth, whispered, ‘Do look at that fellow’s collar—he can hardly turn his head—and the size of his buttons—they must be quite three inches across! How perfectly ridiculous!’
As his own gaze lit upon the bizarre appearance of one of the occupants in a passing carriage, Richard was unable to prevent himself from joining in her amusement. ‘I gather that it’s considered quite the fashion amongst some of the young swells,’ he said, with a quick sideways grin. ‘But, surely, you must have come across some even more outrageous styles during your recent outings about town?’
Helena’s smile faded. ‘Not really,’ she replied reluctantly. ‘Two of my previous escorts proved to be rather a staid pair of individuals and the last one—Viscount Barrington—seemed to prefer to do his entertaining south of the river.’
‘You were