My Pleasure by Connie Brockway Read Free Book Online Page A

Lady Tilpot about her unforeseen wind-fall, because if the old despot suspected that anyone in her employ did not live in constant fear of dismissal, she threw them out. And once dismissed, Helena did not fool herself into thinking that she would ever be welcomed back as Flora’s friend. She wouldn’t even be allowed through the door, and the underlings that Lady Tilpot employed were not likely to risk their positions by aiding a one-time companion.
    Flora, Helena thought, was as well guarded as a princess in a tower. Except for one notable lapse that had occurred a month ago, when, Helena had arrived back from a short stay in Brighton with Lady Tilpot to discover Flora in her room, much as tonight. First glowing, then crumpling, and finally confessing her marriage to Oswald.
    “You know Ossie is doing everything in his power to be reunited with me!” Flora insisted.
    “Oh, yes,” Helena said dryly. “His efforts have been truly noteworthy—for being disastrously wrongheaded. Whatever gave Mr. Goodwin the notion that he could win a fortune at the gaming tables?”
    “He has had a bit of bad luck, is all—”
    “No, Flora.” Helena cut off her excuses. “He has been criminally foolish!”
    She ignored Flora’s gasp and plowed on, striving to make Flora understand the character of the man with whom she’d eloped. “He converted everything of value he owned into cash and frittered away the profit in the lowest sorts of gaming hells. Then, not content simply to be insolvent, he willingly placed himself in the clutches of not one but two different cent-per-centers, the money which he borrowed going the same way as his other funds.
    “Only a fool does not learn from his mistakes, Flora, and I see no evidence that Mr. Goodwin has learned anything from his current troubles but how to dodge dunners!”
    “That is so unfair!” Flora intoned, her voice wobbling. “He is only trying to accumulate enough of the ready that we might live together, independently and…and…comfortably!”
    “I will tell you what is unfair,” Helena said firmly. “What is unfair is the risks he allows his friends to take in hiding him from his creditors and helping him evade moneylenders.
    “My word, Flora, the man darts about from hidey-hole to attic closet like a thief! We can’t ever contact him because no one knows who’ll put him up for a night or lend him the money to rent a room.”
    Flora, seeing that Helena wasn’t about to take back her harsh words regarding the light of her life, once more flung herself on the floor. “You hate him!”
    Helena felt her anger slipping away. She never had been able to maintain a decent fume. She reached down and touched the girl lightly on the shoulder. “I do not hate him. I am, er, troubled by his lack of resources.”
    “He’s spent his resources!”
    Helena briefly closed her eyes, once more asking herself what momentary aberration of sanity had led her to agree to being party to such nonsense. But even as she questioned her sanity, she knew there really hadn’t been any alternative.
    She didn’t trust any of Lady Tilpot’s servants to keep mum about Flora and Oswald’s marriage, let alone act as their messenger. They stood too much in terror of their mistress. And it was out of the question for Flora to risk her reputation and her aunt’s wrath by going abroad at night. Besides which, Helena had serious doubts that Flora could navigate her way across the street without an escort, much less find her way to Vauxhall Garden.
    Which left Helena. And Helena, having finally had a taste of taking action rather than simply responding to another’s actions, found it a heady and powerful sensation. And addictive.
    In order to evade the eyes of those looking for young Goodwin, Helena had hit upon the plan of meeting at crowded public masquerades. Happily, this season the ton had developed a positive passion for costume balls and masques. Opportunities to dress up in a domino or mask