A Woman of Honour

Chapter 7

'You are coming to the picnic this afternoon,' Lady Emley asked Helen after breakfast the next morning.

'It depends on Lady Helford's plans for the afternoon,' Helen replied, smiling at the young woman. Lady Emley had just entered the dining-room and had sat next to Helen.

'I am afraid Mrs Wakefield will be accompanying me this afternoon to visit the church. I so dislike picnics. Eating outside is messy and only ruins one's clothes.' Lady Helford said in her commanding voice that rang out across the dining-room.

'Oh! But, Lady Helford,' Lady Emley said sweetly, looking directly at the older woman, 'surely you can spare Mrs Wakefield for a couple of hours. I was so looking forward to making her acquaintance. Tom has told me so much about her.'

Lady Emley may have looked like a quiet young woman who would be easily manipulated by the likes of Lady Helford. However, there was a steely quality in her voice that signalled her determination.

Helen sensed Lady Helford's reservations. Lady Helford did not just want her around if she happened to require any assistance, she wanted to know that Helen was there continually by her side at her beck and call. Helen had slipped her leash the previous afternoon, and Lady Helford had made it very clear to her, in no uncertain terms, that it was not to be repeated. Lady Helford had just opened her mouth, and Helen knew that what would follow would be a polite but firm refusal. But before Lady Helford could deliver her speech, Lady Emley pre-empted her.

'Oh! But I insist,' she said, still smiling sweetly at Lady Helford. 'Lord Emley expressly asked me to invite Mrs Wakefield. I do not think that you would want his lordship to be disappointed.'

'Well,' Lady Helford said in a bluster, 'this is highly irregular.'

Lady Emley smiled broadly. 'That is settled,' she said brightly, ignoring Lady Helford's protestations, 'Mrs Wakefield will join us this afternoon at the lake.'

Lady Helford looked dazed and a little confused at the direction the conversation had taken. 'I...I...' Lady Helford said, looking very flustered.

'Of course,' Lady Emley said, interrupting Lady Helford once more. 'I will take excellent care of her and return her to you before dinner.'

Lady Helford had been manoeuvred into a corner and could not refuse the young women's request without seeming rude and churlish in front of the other guests who were looking at them with interest. Lady Helford then glared at Helen; a warning look in her eyes. Helen knew that her employer wanted her to refuse the invitation and accompany her instead.

Under normal circumstances, Helen would have followed Lady Helford's direction. The last thing she wanted to do was to expose herself to an awkward social situation. However, Helen was fed up of Lady Helford and her imperious attitude towards her. To spend the afternoon away from her relentless complaining was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Helen turned away from Lady Helford and addressed Lady Emley. 'It would be a pleasure, my lady, to join you this afternoon.'

In her room after luncheon, Helen opened the small wardrobe that contained her meagre collection of clothes she had bought to the house-party. There were the two dull, light grey wool dresses that she wore during the day when she was acting as Lady Helford's companion and a plain dove grey silk dress that she wore in the evening. They were all pretty drab, and their sole purpose was to signal to the people around her, that she was not one of the invited guests.