A Foreign Affair (9 page)

Ordinarily, Brett would not have wasted a second thought on it, but the very fact that each woman avoided the subject of the other one made him all the more curious as to why they did.

“Princess von Hohenbachern?” Brett executed what little bow he could, given the crowds of spectators pressing on all sides of the carriage.

The princess held out her band, favoring him with a dazzling smile. “Major. Do let me make you known to the Prince and Princess Esterhazy. And I believe that you have told me that you have already made the acquaintance of Miss Devereux.”

Brett watched fascinated as a delicate blush rose in Miss Devereux’s cheeks. He would have been ready to swear that very little, if anything, could throw this redoubtable young woman, but now, suddenly, she looked as self-conscious as an awkward young miss just out of the schoolroom. And the glance she directed at the princess was decidedly odd—as though somehow she were looking to her for some sort of guidance. This hesitancy in a young woman who had carried herself with such confidence among the select crowd at the Princess von Furstenberg’s salon seemed all the more strange because it was out of character, or at least out of the character, Brett had thought she had.

Just then a magnificently uniformed gentleman appeared to claim the attention of the Esterhazys, and Brett, deciding that there was no time like the present, seized the opportunity to elicit an explanation from both the princess and Miss Devereux.

He smiled at the two of them. “I am delighted to find the only two Englishwomen I know in Vienna—except, of course, for Lady Castlereagh—here together in the same carriage. I gather, since I have already encountered Miss Devereux in your library. Princess, that yours is a long-standing acquaintance. How fortunate that you have found one another for companionship in this foreign city.”

Helena nodded in what she hoped was a noncommittal way. At this point she was more concerned with her own reactions to Major Lord Brett Stanford than his questions about her relationship to the princess. It had been disconcerting in the extreme to discover how quickly her eyes had found him among the vast crowd of spectators at the celebration. True, his broad-shouldered figure, taller than all the others by at least a head, dominated the scene, and despite the mass of people crowding around him on all sides, he moved with the natural grace and confidence of a man accustomed to dominating every situation in which he found himself. But even more disconcerting was the warm feeling of gratification that swept over her on hearing that he had mentioned her to her mother. Why should she even care that she had made a favorable impression on a man whom she had only met twice before, favorable enough so that he had introduced her into a conversation with her mother? It should not have mattered, but somehow Helena was inordinately pleased that he had noticed her enough to ask the Princess von Hohenbachern about her.

Brett’s eyes narrowed. Surely the politely blank expression that Miss Devereux was so carefully. maintaining was assumed?

The princess, however, flashed a charmingly conspiratorial smile. “Perhaps not so fortunate as you might think, for I asked Helena to accompany me here to Vienna. In fact, she will tell you that I gave her very little choice in the matter, for if she were left to her own devices she would have remained immured at home in our library at Hohenbachern. But I felt that we both needed a bit of society, and she is nothing if not a dutiful daughter.”

“Daughter!”

“You are surprised. Major?” Even though by now she felt quite sure of his admiration, the princess took great pleasure in Brett’s patent astonishment. “Well, I
was
barely out of the schoolroom when Helena’s father and I were married. It is astounding now to think of it, two such children as we were setting up housekeeping and then a baby immediately. But I shall not bore you with the details, as I ...”

The rest of her words were drowned out by a roll of drums as three orchestras, spaced strategically around the altar, struck up
The Hymn of Peace,
and every church bell in the city rang a peel in celebration of the Allied victory and the peace that had at last come to Europe. The crowd remained silent until the last strains of the music and the bells had died away, and then turned to welcome the troops being honored by the celebration as they marched toward tables laid out for their feast.

Brett turned to the princess. “Would you care to stroll with me to the pavilion? I believe that the emperor and the rest of the allied sovereigns will be toasting the troops before they begin their feast.”

The princess surveyed the soldiers filing down the alley, which was lined on both sides by thousands of cheering citizens, and shuddered. “Thank you. Major.” She tilted her straw-colored silk parasol coquettishly. “But the crowds and the dust ... so fatiguing, do you not think so?”

He nodded at her, admiring the exquisite picture she made from the tip of her fashionable bonnet trimmed with green ribbon to the sandals of green kid that just peeped from under the deep lace flounces of her dress. But it was a picture better left as it was. Her daughter, on the other hand, appeared to be more than eager to escape the confines of the carriage.

Brett grinned. He had been right in his first assessment at the Princess von Furstenberg’s salon, even if he was having difficulty adjusting to the idea of the redoubtable Miss Devereux being the daughter of the exquisite Princess von Hohenbachern. Clearly Miss Devereux was a most energetic young woman who despised sitting tamely on the side when something of interest was occurring. “Then perhaps Miss Devereux would like to join me.”

“Thank you. Major.” Grateful for the opportunity to stretch her cramped limbs, Helena took his outstretched hand and allowed him to help her down before the other occupants of the landau had time to demur. “It is such a glorious day, and there is so much to see that it is a pity not to take advantage of it all. I do appreciate your offer.”

Ordinarily accustomed to striding along by herself, Helena acknowledged the advantage of being escorted by an impressive-looking man when the crowd parted respectfully in front of them and they made their way toward the pavilion. There was something extraordinarily pleasant, not to mention reassuring, about having a strong arm to hold onto as they negotiated the press of people surrounding them. “It is most kind of you to escort me. I am sorry that Mama did not wish to come, but . . .”

“But being a beauty takes a great deal of time and effort, and the effect can be ruined in an instant if one indulges in such disarranging activities as taking a long walk through a horde of people. I quite understand.”

Helena stared at him. Most of her mother’s gallants were so concerned with
the
impressions that they themselves were making they had little thought or attention to spare on anyone else. And certainly none of them had ever wasted a moment’s thought or effort on her daughter. But there was something about the sympathetic twinkle in this man’s eyes and the conspiratorial intimacy of his smile that made her feel instinctively as though she could trust him. His humorously indulgent attitude toward the princess made Helena realize that, unlike her mother’s other admirers, this man was fundamentally a kind person who understood the princess’ foibles and forgave them, just as he admired her good qualities.

“Yes, it does take a good deal of time and effort.” Helena shook her head ruefully as she thought of the hours her mother spent closeted with hairdressers, dressmakers, and maids, not to mention the time spent shopping.

“Time that the serious Miss Devereux, who has far better things to do with it, considers wasted, no doubt.”

Helena frowned thoughtfully. “Not wasted, precisely. At least not for Mama. Mama has always been very gay, or at least she was before my father died and before the war took my stepfather away from Hohenbachern and kept her from entertaining. But now the war is over and she can be gay again. And if one aspires to that sort of life, one must be beautiful, or, at the very least, fashionable.”

Brett looked down at his companion. Did he detect just the slightest note of wistfulness in her voice? Surely it must have been difficult, no matter how intellectual Helena’s own interests were, to be the daughter of a noted beauty. “Yes, I can see that society with its entertainments, the dancing, the music, the crowds, the laughter, are the very breath of life to the princess, er, your mother, and she gives the breath of life to them. And it is her zest for it all, her gaiety that I find particularly attractive. She enjoys life and it enjoys her.”

Helena glanced curiously at him. He truly meant what he said, and be had a point. There
was
something infectious about her mother’s frank appreciation of all the diversions that life had to offer. Even Helena, who had witnessed enough of the other side of it to vow never to depend on the society of others for her own happiness, had to admit that life was always more vibrant, more exuberant, even more fun, when her mother was around. “I suppose you are right, but one cannot always count on balls and
fêtes
to amuse oneself.”

“That is undoubtedly true, but neither should one become so philosophical and serious that one forgets entirely one’s capacity for enjoying oneself or, worse yet, loses it altogether.”

There was an edge in his voice that told her this was no idle observation. “You speak from experience, perhaps, Major?” Helena could not think what possessed her to make such a very personal remark, but she was curious about this man who was such a study in contrasts—a gallant who flattered her mother, but a soldier who believed strongly in the cause he fought for, a charming man of the world, yet someone who obviously reflected a great deal on it all.

“Extensive. My entire family sees its duty so clearly that it is impossible for them to derive amusement from anything. We must always be devoting ourselves to our estates, our tenants, or our responsibilities as landowners, and there is no room for the enjoyment of any of it.”  There was no mistaking the bitterness in his voice now. “Even when my mother and sisters attend anything so frivolous as a ball, they do so mostly because it is expected of them, and not because they could possibly delight in wearing an elegant toilette, or appearing to their best advantage. They could not even take pleasure in listening to music or dancing to it. Do not mistake me, they are good, admirable people, but old before their time, not the least attractive to look at, and astoundingly dull as well. Your mother, on the other hand, enjoys being beautiful, makes the most of it, and therefore offers a delightful feast for the eyes. She will always retain a good deal of her beauty no matter how old, because she is so alive and she takes care always to look her best.”

Helena did not know how to respond to this. Never had any of her mother’s admirers honored her by speaking so frankly with her. And even the most admiring ones had failed to make her appreciate anything about her mother. But now she could see that there was a great deal of sense in what the major had to say. “You do make a strong case, Major, but pray do not repeat it to Mama. She already chastises me for being far too serious. But it is not so much that I am serious as it is that I simply do not enjoy what she enjoys.”

“As long as you enjoy something, and I do know that you enjoy one thing at least—putting me at a disadvantage. In fact, you took far too much pleasure at my discomfiture when I learned that you were not your mother’s maid. Furthermore, now that I think of it, I suspect that you did your very best to avoid any mention at all of the relationship between you and your mother.”

Helena chuckled. “I did, rather. But it is so rare that I have anyone at a disadvantage that I must be pardoned for taking what pleasure I could from it.”

“Miss Devereux, I feel certain that you have people at a disadvantage a good deal of the time.”

“I? What advantage could I possibly have over other people that would make them feel that way?”

“A very fine mind.” Brett watched the delicate shade of pink spread over her cheeks and decided that he liked to make her blush. It gave her a certain softness and vulnerability that was very attractive in someone so matter-of-fact and self-possessed.

“Really?” There was something infinitely touching in her genuine pleasure at such a small compliment and her eagerness to hear more. Then her face fell. “But Mama says that most people do not like cleverness, especially in a woman.”

“Your mama is quite correct Most people do not. I, however, do. I find it as intriguing as it is rare.”

“But I thought you preferred to feast your eyes on beauty.”

It was his turn to chuckle. There was a roguish twinkle in the big hazel eyes and a teasing smile tugging at the beautifully shaped lips that was utterly enchanting. “If I were allowed to do so in peace, yes. But most women insist on talking, which is often all that is required to make one forget their physical charms completely. Or they expect so many compliments that it becomes onerous rather than a pleasure. You have my word for it, it can rapidly become tedious, if not exhausting. You, on the other hand are quite unique. Your conversation is so interesting that one forgets all else.”

“Really?” Helena found herself experiencing the oddest feeling in the pit of her stomach, as though a flock of butterflies had suddenly taken flight. There was something in the way he looked at her that made her feel he was absolutely sincere, in spite of the extravagance of his claim. The intentness of his expression, the light in his eyes told her that he truly did believe she was special. Still, she was not at all certain this was a compliment. After all, no woman wished to be thought of as an antidote, no matter how fine her mind.

“Yes. Really. I may be a novice when it comes to diplomatic affairs, but I know enough about people to know that no one at the Princess von Furstenberg’s salon that evening was a casually invited guest. It was quite clear to me from the moment I entered the room that everyone there had been asked there for a purpose, and only those capable of advancing that purpose had been selected. No, do not argue with me. According to all that I have heard and all that I saw, Princess von Furstenberg is too dedicated to her cause to waste her time with anyone who cannot contribute effectively to it. She quite obviously considers you to be a valuable member of that group.”