Very well. She didn’t want to discuss it, and he understood it wasn’t the most appropriate place for an intimate conversation. “Someday, if you wish to tell me what has caused you such sorrow, I pledge to keep your confidence. You may tell me anything, Helena.”
She sighed and slowly unfolded her arms. “I believe you, truly I do, but it is nothing I want to remember. Would it be acceptable to change the subject?”
“Of course.”
Her gaze darted to his and she licked her lips. “Please, don’t take this the wrong way, but I cannot help wondering what will happen once your sister has an offer of marriage, what that will mean for us.”
He grinned. “Well, we will no longer be forced to attend the assemblies, which should leave more time to look for your Lavinia.”
The worry lines on her forehead disappeared. “I wasn’t certain our partnership would continue.”
“Before I’ve fulfilled my end? You hold a poor opinion of me, Lady Prestwick.”
“Not of you, Lord Thorne. Of men as a whole, with the exception of Fergus. He has proven to be a very loyal sort.”
Sebastian cocked an eyebrow. “And? Haven’t I earned my place as your loyal champion yet?”
She chuckled softly, her face losing the last signs of tension. “I suppose you have. Forgive me for doubting you.”
“I meant what I said earlier. If you ever want to tell me what those men did to turn you against all of us…”
She shrugged one shoulder. “I would rather forget about it.”
Only she hadn’t forgotten. Even if she didn’t dwell on the specific ways she had been mistreated, these men who had come before him colored her decisions. Their acts made her wary and kept her isolated and alone.
His hand found hers between them on the settee. “I will never hurt you, Helena. You have my word.”
She turned her hand palm up and twined her fingers with his. “I know.”
Did she really? He supposed he would have to have faith in her too if there was any hope for them. “We shouldn’t have left Eve alone this long. There is no telling what kind of mischief she has gotten into,” he said.
He grinned, knowing his younger sister wasn’t inclined to get into trouble. She was uncommonly astute for a girl of one and twenty. And he had taught her to stay in the ballroom under the watchful eyes of the matrons while not allowing any particular gentleman to monopolize her time unless she would welcome a match with him.
When he and Helena entered the ballroom arm in arm, he didn’t immediately see his sister, but she wouldn’t have gotten far. As he and Helena completed a turn around the room, his confidence began to falter.
“There is Sir Jonathan. Perhaps he knows where she is,” Helena said.
The man was in conversation with the Duke and Duchess of Foxhaven and the Earl and Countess of Ellis.
Splendid. Just what he needed, another encounter with his former fiancée and her husband. Well, there was no help for it. If Eve was missing from the ballroom—as it appeared she might be—Sir Jonathan could know where she had gone.
Gabrielle’s brother, the duke, greeted Sebastian with a friendly smile, which was the decent thing to do since Sebastian hadn’t sued for a breach of contract. To be fair, the duke hadn’t killed him for compromising his sister either, so Sebastian considered them to be on good terms.
Ellis took Helena’s hand and placed a respectful kiss on her knuckles. “Good evening, Lady Prestwick. Lord Thorne.”
He ignored Ellis’s greeting on principle and turned to Sir Jonathan. “Have you seen my sister, sir?”
“Uh…” Sir Jonathan glanced around the ballroom, his weathered forehead wrinkled in confusion. “She was dancing a moment ago. Some gent recently returned from Delhi asked for her dance card. A former acquaintance, I believe.”
“An acquaintance?” Eve’s social circle was small, so whoever had danced with her was likely one of Sebastian’s associates. But he couldn’t think of anyone who had been abroad recently.
Sir Jonathan nodded. “The gentleman intimated it had been a long time. I believe his name is Hillary?”