“Well, that was awkward,” Wilcox said to Comerford after Thomas had left.

“Not for me. Your nephew is a scoundrel, as far as I am concerned,” he answered, “And as are you. It seems to run in the family.”

Wilcox put on his most insincere smile and said, “Come, Your Lordship, it takes one to know one. You can hardly claim the high ground with your past history.”

“I would rather not discuss that,” he said grumpily.

“I am certain you would not, but nonetheless…”

“Let us conclude our business. I am beginning to feel ill having you around.”

“Until my client pays you that is. Then… I expect you will feel much better.”

“What exactly does your client need from me to make this putrid deal move forward?”

Wilcox reached into his coat and pulled out a paper and handed it to the Earl. “These documents and this information. You may gather the information and send them to my estate. I shall make sure the deal moves forward from there.” The Earl nodded. “Then I shall leave you.”

He turned to leave and stopped. “Will I be seeing you at the Duke’s ball?”

“Unlikely.”

“Then good afternoon.”

Upon his return to Pemberton, Thomas spent the rest of the afternoon, until tea time, going over details with George on his father’s investment.

At one point, he was interrupted by his Grandmamma with issues regarding the ball, but he quickly attended to those and returned to his business with George.

Helena appeared promptly at four, smiling and delighted to see George again. They warmly embraced, and then Helena said, “Darling George, we absolutely must start looking for our new home. As I was riding over, I saw a sign for the most delightful little house for lease—well, it was a cottage really. And I thought it would suit us just fine until we can afford to buy—when Aunt Rosemary’s money comes through. And it has the most charming cottage garden with…”

George needed Helena to understand their predicament. He gently took her by the shoulders, looked into her eyes and said, “Stop. Stop. We are not even near planning the wedding and already you are setting up house and spending your Aunt’s money. Please, my dear, let us take our time. Thomas and I have a lot of work to do on our project and you must find some way of reconciling with your father. I do not want us to marry while there is still acrimony in your family.”

“But…”

George put his finger on Helena’s lips to silence her. “No buts. Let us take a break, have some tea, and relax for one moment… please?”

Thomas was amused by this little show. Of course, he knew Helena all too well, and her impulse to have everything she wanted when she wanted it. Thomas rang the bell and Willoughby appeared.

“Is it a nice enough afternoon to have tea on the terrace?” Thomas asked.

Helena brightened up. “Oh yes, let us.”

“Tea under the portico, if you please, Willoughby.”

“As Your Grace wishes.”

Thomas allowed Helena and George to do most of the talking during tea. But he had one most important task he wanted to accomplish with Helena before she left.

“Of course, Mother knows about the engagement, although I have sworn her to the utmost secrecy,” Helena said. “And she wants us to go to London to have the wedding gown bespoke. I told her I care not, but she insists, and it would be rather fun to have everything just right.”

George replied, “Thomas and I must go to London after the ball, perhaps the three of us could go together and meet up. You will be staying at your London house with your mother, of course?”

“Of course. I was thinking Dippleward and Phipps for the dress, but Mother thinks Stevens, Carruthers and Downey would be best. What do you think?” Helena asked George.

He smiled. “I have no idea, my dear. You might as well be listing wine merchants for all I know about dress designers.”

“Yes, I expect that is rather outside your sphere.”

Thomas could see that Helena was thinking of leaving as she picked up her reticule and fished inside for something.

He interrupted her by saying, “Helena, dear friend, I was wondering if you might do me a huge favor?”

Helena looked up with some surprise. “Of course, whatever I can do.”

“It is about Miss Jenny…”

Helena suddenly erupted by saying, “Oh yes, I heard. What a disaster her poor sister fell and broke her ankle. And I hear she will not be baking for you after all.”

“Alas, she shall not.”

“And this favor?” Helena asked with a sly smile.

“I should very much like it if you and George could bring Miss Jenny to the ball with you.”

“As a guest?” Helena asked a little shocked.

“Yes. She has that lovely gown from when we were caught in the rain, and I keep thinking how charming it looked on her and I would be happy if she could attend. She has no escort that I am aware of, and if she could accompany the two of you… Well… I think it would be nice.”

Helena appeared to be both surprised and amused. “Thomas… your grandmother is holding a ball for you to find a suitable bride and you are inviting a young woman of whom, I am certain, your grandmother would not approve. Naughty, naughty… And I absolutely love it! You know I think she is adorable and ever such a perfect match for you.”

Thomas could not help but think how correct she was, but instead said, “I am not inviting her because of that. I feel badly that she was unable to achieve her dream… at least for now… and I wanted to show my appreciation for her efforts and show I have no hard feelings.”

“You are such a liar, Thomas Haddington, but I forgive you,” Helena said with a smirk as she stood to leave. “However, I shall pass your invitation along and I know she will be thrilled.”

“What!” Jenny gasped. “That is quite impossible. He cannot possibly mean that. He must be teasing you.”

“Nonsense,” Helena replied. “And I want you to look your very best. You know the whole purpose of the ball is to find the Duke a wife. His grandmother is quite insistent.”

Jenny and Helena were in Jenny’s bedroom where Helena had dragged her to take out the dress to see if it needed any repairs or pressing.

“Everything needs to be just perfect,” Helena insisted, as she spread the gown across the bed to examine it. However, she suddenly stopped and turned to Jenny and asked, “You do like him, do you not?”

Jenny blushed and stammered, “Oh, Helena… I… he…” She put her hands up and shook them, unable to quite say what she truly felt with words.

“Jenny, no need to be shy with me. We have been friends forever. Tell me true.”

Jenny took a deep breath and said, “Yes, what can I say? He makes me shiver and blush and melt all at the same time. I have never met a man I find so attractive.”

“And your dear Evan?”

Jenny was thoughtful then said, “Yes, he is dear Evan. Dear like a brother. Handsome. Thoughtful. Devoted. But… well… something is missing for me. I cannot tell you why, but he is… just Evan… there is no inspiration.”

Helena nodded. “I understand. I do. And that is why we must make you the only woman at the ball Thomas will want to dance with or will ever not consider for his bride.”

“You expect a miracle.”

“Not so. The afternoon of the ball I want you to come to Springford with your dress and shoes and we shall get ready together. I shall have my maid, Alicia, do our hair and makeup and then we shall head out in my carriage, pick up George, and have the most splendid evening possible.”

Wilcox was puzzled why he felt so gleeful at having destroyed Thomas’s chances of securing an investment from the Earl of Comerford. In one of his rare moments of introspection, he asked himself why he would want to thwart Thomas’s efforts at restoring the Pemberton estate’s income? But he could not deny the fact that he was delighted to cause Thomas pain. There was a superior, arrogant quality about Thomas that never ceased to annoy him—Thomas seemed to feel that, as the Duke of Pemberton, he was above reproach. Wilcox felt justified in being the fox in the henhouse. He had even taken delight in stealing from his mother—the dear lady who had lavished her love and affection on him all his life. And yet… he could not help but relish the pain he had caused her as well. Wilcox had to acknowledge that he was, indeed, the rotten apple in the barrel, and that gave him a sort of peace and tranquility.

He had these thoughts as he headed in his carriage from his estate on his way to Pemberton to visit with his mother as he needed her help on an important matter.

Upon arriving at the house, he was greeted by Willoughby and ushered to his mother’s chambers, where she was at her desk surrounded by RSVPs and lists of things to do for the ball.

“Wilcox, what are you doing here?” Augusta asked with irritation. “We are deep in preparation for the ball on Saturday. What do you want?”

Wilcox now felt even more resentful of his angry mother. “Dearest Mother, I did not want to bother you during the ball, so I have stopped by to ask just the smallest favor. A favor I know you will want to grant because it just may help me be able to repay the money I… borrowed… from you.”

“Huh…” she said with scorn at his portrayal of his theft as borrowing. “What do you need now?”

O-o-o how she loved to rub salt in the wound, he thought. “Mother, I have started meeting with the Widow Monmouth socially.”

“So, you know Monmouth, do you?”

“Most charming lady.”

“Oh, Wilcox, really… She looks like fallen pudding.”

“But she and I are developing quite a pleasant relationship.”

“With the intent of?”

“Why marriage, of course. Since your dear grandson has been unwilling—or unable—to find a bride, I thought it best if I stepped forward and tried to repair the finances in this family.”

“They only need to be repaired because of your skullduggery.”

Wilcox humbly bowed. “I fully acknowledge my part in the situation. But that does not prevent me from also trying to right it.”

“And what is it you need from me?” she asked tamping a stack of papers on the top of her desk.

“Mother, dearest, it would be ever so useful if you might ask some of your London friends to put in a good word for me with her Ladyship. It is true we have begun to socialize, but some positive reinforcement from others in her circle would go a long way in her building trust in me. And remember, we shall all benefit if she and I were to marry.”

“You want her husband’s fortune.”

Wilcox smiled slightly. “It would not hurt.”

Augusta seemed to struggle with his request. “Wilcox… I know you to be a scoundrel and yet you ask me to have my friends recommend you to Lady Monmouth.”

“Yes. That is it exactly.”