Taking another swallow, he picked it up and sat in the armchair before the fire, staring at the envelope the whole time. Judging from the date, she had written it the very night of the child’s birth. This would be the letter. The one that let him know if she wanted him for her future or not. There was no sense in prolonging things. He tore through the sealed envelope and read.
My dearest Maxwell,
I am writing to convey my happiness on the birth of your niece. You will no doubt have been apprised of the particulars by the time you receive this letter. Violet was gracious enough to ask that I attend to her, along with August. The labor was as straightforward as such a thing can be and ended in the small hours of the morning. Violet was strong and brave during the entire ordeal. I confess it was Christian that I worried for near the end. I have never seen a man so distraught and agitated as he. He refused to leave your sister’s side and was there when the sweet little creature made her debut. Rosalie Violet Halston is a perfectly healthy baby girl, and her mother is well.
The joy she brought to both Violet and Christian confirmed that my decision in regard to us is the right one. You deserve every happiness, and that includes children and securing your legacy. I think it’s best that we do not correspond anymore.
Yours affectionately and forever,
Helena
Max’s vision blurred as he stared at the letter in his hand. Helena’s name swam on the page as tears filled his eyes. All this time he had allowed himself to hope that if he waited her out she would finally accept that he refused to give up on them. But here she was, telling him that she wouldn’t write to him anymore. What was he to do with all contact with her severed?
Yelling in outrage, he grabbed the tumbler filled with brandy and threw it into the fire where it burst into a shower of glass. The flames raged higher for an instant before settling again. Max fell back into his chair and dropped his head into his hands.
“Is everything—” Charles hurried into the room but stopped when he noticed the state of his employer.
“Leave me,” Max growled, not looking up until he heard the discreet click of the latch as the door shut.
A hundred different ideas swirled in his head. He could go to her and negotiate, he could write to her and lay out the reasons they would suit, he could proclaim that he loved her more than his legacy; but none of those would work. He knew in his heart that she wouldn’t believe him. Time is the only thing that would convince her.
Leaving her letter on the floor where he’d dropped it, he walked from the armchair to his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper from the drawer.
My dearest Helena,
My feelings for you have not changed, but I have accepted that I have no choice but to respect your feelings on our relationship. August assures me that her position is secure with the dock project. I believe the best recourse now is to end our betrothal. I will leave the announcement to your discretion.
Yours,
Maxwell
* * *
• • •
The day after receiving the letter from Max, Helena sat having tea with Violet and August in the Leigh townhome in Belgravia. Christian and Evan were at their club working, and the baby was sleeping, so it was only the three of them in Violet’s morning room. It was the first time since Rosie’s birth nearly a month ago that they had been able to get together. Violet appeared tired but blissfully happy. August was in good spirits, having taken the afternoon away from her work to be here.
They had spent the first half hour catching up. Rosie was healthy and strong, August’s dock project was moving along successfully, and the London Home for Young Women was nearing the final stage of completion with the factory almost finished. Women and children had been residing in Penhurst Hall for two months now, and despite a few minor setbacks, Helena couldn’t have asked for a more successful opening.
She should be happier, but the pain of losing Max seemed to only get worse. This last letter had almost broken her, for it signaled the end. He was moving on, and once their betrothal was finished, he would be done with her and out of her life except for a peripheral presence as the brother of her dear friends. It was no less than what she had wanted, but it was still bitter medicine.
She waited for a break in the conversation before she said, “Maxwell has written that he believes it’s time to put an end to our ruse.”
August paused, her mouth dropping open slightly in shock as she glanced at her sister. “Well . . .” She appeared to be searching for the right words.
Helena continued, “With both of our fathers battling the objections from the board of Crenshaw Iron regarding the Indian railroad, I believe they’ll be too busy to care. We shouldn’t encounter any resistance.” Over the past few months, Max had followed through on his word and gathered the support of the board in New York to vote against the expansion. Mr. Crenshaw had been distressed to say the least. Her own father had been unhappy as well, as it would greatly slow the railroad progress for England.
The sapphire on her finger caught the light, and she felt a stab of regret that she wouldn’t be able to wear it anymore. As foolish as it was, having it on her finger was like carrying a small piece of him with her wherever she went.
Violet went quiet.
Catching Helena’s line of sight, August added, “It’s simply too bad you won’t be able to wear it anymore. It’s beautiful on you.”
“But this is good,” Violet said, her voice suspiciously bright. At their questioning looks, she continued, “Obviously, I’d prefer Max with Helena, but if it’s not meant to be.” She shrugged. “Amelia has been writing to me, absolutely horrified that her parents are planning to bring her here next month.” To Helena she explained, “Amelia Van der Meer is a very dear friend from New York. Her parents hope to find her a titled husband. She’s always adored Max, so I hinted that she might come to an arrangement of sorts with him to avoid coming here altogether.” Mistaking Helena’s expression of horror to be about potentially revealing their deception, she said, “Oh, don’t worry, I didn’t tell her the whole truth of things. After the first flurry of excitement in the New York newspapers, the gossip about you two seems to have fizzled. Max is very good about not talking about his personal life, so I believe many rightfully assume that with the distance between you, the attachment ran its course. I simply encouraged the thought.”
Helena sat with that a moment as she imagined how she might feel knowing he was courting someone else. Fury and heartbreak churned within her. Still, she managed to keep her voice calm when she asked, “And how does your brother feel about that? Does he favor Miss Van der Meer?”
Violet shrugged one shoulder. “Max has said in the past that he admires her. I think it only natural that the two of them form an attachment.”