Love Sneaked In (Montgomery Family Trilogy) (2 page)

Oh, she did hope Hanford would be there tonight.

Helen and her party arrived at Lady Crawford’s shortly after eight o’clock. Since this was the first ball of the season, Helen was a bit surprised to see so many people there. Most of the ton must have decided to attend since the ballroom was extremely crowded. Helen surreptitiously glanced around the ballroom looking for Hanford. At first she didn’t see him, but then she saw him dancing with, of all people, Lady Penelope. They appeared to be in deep conversation, and she wondered what they could be talking about so intently.

Lady Penelope was the daughter of the Earl of Stanton, and she was supposed to have married Henry at one time. Because their estates bordered each other, Helen’s father had greatly desired the match. Of course, Henry had fallen in love with Melody, so the match never happened. Lady Penelope was a witch, and Helen had never cared for her at all. They were both strong-willed and had gotten into quite a few arguments while growing up.

Helen turned to Kathryn and asked, “Do you see His Grace dancing with Lady Penelope? I wonder how well they know one another. Oh, I hope he sees me and asks me to dance. I’m just dying to dance with him again, as he’s such a wonderful dancer.”

After the Duke of Somerset finished dancing with Lady Penelope, Helen watched as he made his way around the dance floor. Her heart did a little flip when she realized that he was coming over to her. He stopped in front of her and bowed. “Good evening, Lady Helen. It’s a pleasure to see you again. How was your time in the country this past winter?”

Helen curtsied and then gazed at him with delight in her startling blue eyes. “I always enjoy my time at Sanderford Park, but I’m looking forward to having a wonderful time now that I’m here in London for the season. Since my brother and his wife are expecting a blessed event in May, I’m staying with Lady Helton. She has quite a few entertainments planned for my sister Kathryn and me. Did you enjoy your time in the country?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t as enjoyable as your time was, I’m sure. I stayed very busy, what with running all my estates. I spent quite a bit of my time traveling from one holding to another. I’ll actually find the season relaxing compared to what I have been doing. By the way, you look lovely tonight. Do you have a waltz available for me?”

Helen coyly glanced at him. “The supper dance is open if you would you like that one?”

Hanford looked deeply into her eyes, and Helen felt little flutters deep in the pit of her stomach. “That would be lovely. I’d like to take you driving tomorrow at four o’clock. Would you be available?”

“Yes that would be splendid.” Then with a questioning tone in her voice, she continued speaking. “I noticed you dancing with Lady Penelope. She’s a neighbor of mine, and I was wondering…if you have known her for a long time?”

Hanford arrogantly raised his eyebrow. “One of my smaller properties is close to her father’s estate, and I know him quite well, so I’ve actually known her for years. Well, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to the card room. I look forward to our dance later.”

Helen watched him as he left the ballroom and worried that she may have made a mistake asking him about Lady Penelope. He had cooled slightly after she’d asked him about her. Trying to put these thoughts out of her mind, she turned and joined the conversation that Lady Helton was having with her friends.

Helen danced several sets with some of her beaus from last season and was having a pleasant evening. She was impatient for the supper dance so she could dance with Hanford. She’d spoken with Susan, and they were going to St. Mark’s Orphanage tomorrow morning. She’d been volunteering there ever since Melody got her involved with it several years before. In fact, it was due to Melody that she’d become such good friends with Susan. Finally, the supper dance arrived, and Hanford came to get her.

When Hanford approached her for their dance, she could tell by his expression he was glad to see her, so maybe she’d been wrong to think it had bothered him when she asked him about Lady Penelope. The supper dance was the most important one of the evening, not only did you get to dance with your partner, you had supper with him as well.

As the strains of the waltz concluded, she realized she’d enjoyed dancing with him just as much as last year. They went into the supper room where they sat at one of the small white linen-draped tables. Hanford returned from the buffet table with plates filled with shaved ham sandwiches, lobster patties, and a variety of cheeses. After they finished eating, Hanford asked, “Would you like to take a stroll on the terrace? It’s grown quite stuffy in here.”

“Yes, I would enjoy that. It
is
quite warm this evening.” While strolling around the terrace, Helen looked up at the sky. “It’s a lovely evening tonight. Look at all the stars. Don’t they seem to be brighter than usual? I’ve always loved the night sky, and if I see a shooting star, I make a wish.”

Hanford looked directly into Helen’s piercing blue eyes. “I agree. It is a beautiful evening. I was hoping I’d see you here tonight. I enjoyed spending time with you last year and hope we can do that again this year. You look so lovely in the moonlight…it illuminates your radiant skin…I just have to touch your lovely face.”

Hanford pulled her into his arms, touched her cheek with the back of his hand, and then he kissed her. Helen felt her heartbeat accelerate as he deepened his kiss. When she felt his tongue run across her lips, she parted hers in surprise, and he slid his tongue into her mouth.

No one had ever kissed Helen like this, not that she’d allowed many to kiss her, but there had been a few who tried. Her knees grew weak from all the sensations that were running through her as she gloried in his kiss. Taking his hand, he gently cupped her breast and squeezed her nipple through the bodice of her gown.

Helen felt as if she would swoon from the excitement of it all. Just as he started to slide his hand into the décolletage of her gown, a noise from behind startled them. She felt him begin to pull back and was disappointed that he was ending their embrace. Of course, it was just as well that he’d stopped. Helen would die if she ended up compromised. As much as she wanted to marry Hanford, she wouldn’t want it forced on them.

Hanford stepped back. “Did you hear something? We need to return to the ballroom before anyone notices how long we’ve been gone. Come, my dear. Let me escort you back to Lady Helton.” He offered her his arm, and they headed back to the ballroom.

When they entered the ballroom, Hanford led her over to Lady Helton who was sitting with some of her friends and took his leave. Helen watched him as he left the ballroom. Surely, he must return her regard, because that kiss had been simply marvelous, and she was just sorry he’d ended it when they heard that noise. At least she knew she would be seeing him tomorrow, when he came to pick her up for their drive.

Hanford made his way to the card room. Shaking his head, he sighed. As lovely as he found Lady Helen, he knew he wouldn’t pursue her with marriage on his mind. While she was quite an heiress and would enrich his coffers, she couldn’t bring him the property he wanted so badly. Lady Penelope would do that.

Lady Penelope’s father, the Earl of Stanton, didn’t have any other children, so she was his only heir. Since most of his holdings weren’t entailed, she would inherit everything. Yes, Lady Penelope would be whom he took to wife, not Lady Helen, but in the meantime he would take advantage of Helen’s infatuation for him and enjoy her company while Lady Penelope went to visit her great-aunt.

Besides, if Lord Stanton thought he was pursuing Lady Helen, then it might help him in his negotiations for his daughter’s hand. Not only could he end up gaining more from Lord Stanton, he would have the pleasure of enjoying Lady Helen’s company. He would love to get her in his bed. With all those gorgeous red-gold curls and her fiery blue eyes, he was sure that she would be a hellcat in bed.

Of course, Hanford knew he’d have to be careful because Lady Helen’s brother wouldn’t take it well if he ruined his sister. Everyone knew the Duke of Sanderford had a temper, but Hanford knew her brother would never do anything to hurt his sister’s reputation, so he should be safe as long as he was careful.

Oh yes, a little dalliance would definitely be pleasurable.

Just thinking about how Helen had felt in his arms earlier had his loins tightening with desire. She’d melted in his arms when he’d touched her breast. It was too bad he’d heard that noise because he was sure Helen would have let him take further liberties. Her naiveté would definitely play to his advantage.

Spying his friend, the Marquess of Elton, Hanford went over and joined him. As he sat down, Elton asked, “Did you just dance the supper dance with Lady Helen and then take her out onto the terrace? I thought you were in negotiations for Lady Penelope’s hand. Didn’t you tell me you wanted Lord Stanton’s lands since they border yours?”

Hanford glanced around the card room and then leaned in closer. “Oh, you’re right about my intentions in regards to Lady Penelope. I should be reaching an agreement by the end of next month with her father, but I find Lady Helen delightful company, and a little dalliance can do no harm. It shan’t interfere with my plans to marry Lady Penelope.”

Elton dropped his voice. “You might want to be careful. The Duke of Sanderford will not like you doing anything to hurt his sister. He’s very protective of both his sisters. He can be quite ill-tempered at times, especially if someone in his family is involved.”

“I’ll be discreet. All I’m doing is dancing with her, and I’m taking her driving tomorrow. Lady Penelope is leaving first thing in the morning to go visit her elderly aunt. She shan’t know anything about the time I’ll be spending with Lady Helen. Now enough about that, let’s get the game underway. I plan to win that money back from you that you won from me earlier.”

Chapter 2

April 1820

Shortly after Helen’s dance with Hanford, her party left to go home. When they returned to the house, she told Lady Helton goodnight and went up to bed. Once Sally, her maid, helped her into her night rail, she dismissed her. She sat down at her dressing table and began to brush her thick red-gold hair until it shone. She’d cut it short this past winter, and while sometimes she missed her long hair, most of the time she enjoyed the freedom her short hair gave her.

As Helen climbed into bed, she thought about the evening and knew her feelings had grown much stronger for Hanford. She wondered where that kiss would have led if they hadn’t heard that noise. She probably should have protested when he touched her breast, but it felt so exciting, she hadn’t wanted him to stop. Of course, she wasn’t sure what would have come next, because he was the first man she’d ever allowed to take such liberties. As she heard the clock strike two, she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Helen went about her morning ablutions, and Sally laid out her new day dress, a soft pale blue with white trim, which brought out the color of her eyes. She was due to meet Susan so she hurriedly finished getting ready. They had arranged to go to the orphanage. Helen enjoyed playing with the children. Whenever she spent time with them, she remembered how much she enjoyed playing with her nieces and nephews.

Children were one of the reasons that Helen had decided it was time to get married. She longed to have children of her own. Besides, she was almost three and twenty, and she would be considered on the shelf if she didn’t marry within the next year or two. Hanford would suit her very well. Since he was a bit older, she knew he’d be more than ready to set up his nursery.

Looking up at the clock, Helen hurried out of her room. All this daydreaming wasn’t like her at all, but of course, she’d never felt this way about a gentleman before. Just thinking about being in Hanford’s arms sent delicious sensations swirling in the pit of her stomach.

When Helen entered the breakfast room, Kathryn was already there. She went to the sideboard and filled her plate with sausages, coddled eggs, and a muffin, then took a seat across from Kathryn. “Where were you most of the evening, last night? I never saw you at all, from the time we arrived, until we left the ball. Have you met someone interesting?”

As Kathryn toyed with her eggs, she replied, “I spent most of the evening talking to Lord Walling. He’s an art connoisseur and has quite a collection. He’s offered to let me see it, and Aunt Miriam said we could go to his home this morning. I can’t wait to see his collection. I also danced quite a bit, and I actually had a very pleasant evening. What about you? What did you do most of the evening?”

Helen took a bite of her muffin, then wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Kathryn, Lord Walling must be at least sixty. I know you love your art, but you’re going to miss out on all the fun of the season if you spend time with old men like him. I danced the supper dance with the Duke of Somerset, and we took a stroll on the terrace. I think he returns my regard, because he kissed me and asked me to go driving with him this afternoon.”

With a wary expression on her face, Kathryn replied, “Helen you need to be careful. I don’t know that you should have let him kiss you. If anyone had seen you kissing, you would have ended up compromised. I know you care about him a great deal, but I don’t trust him. Something just doesn’t seem right with him.”