A Home for Helena (The Lady P Chronicles Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

never held a real baby,” she confessed, wiping away her tears with the back of her wrist. “Can Fanny come along?”
    “Of course,” he agreed. “Your nursemaid will be there as well.”
    “Well then,” she said with a shrug, “I suppose that will be all right. Will you bring me a present from London?”
    She pouts just like her mother did.
    “A small one, perhaps. If I can spare the time.”
    “Sweets! Or a puppy? Can you bring back a puppy, Papa? I’d love a puppy to cuddle!”
    James chuckled. “We needn’t go all the way to London for a puppy, child. I’m sure you could find a hundred in Langley Heath alone.”
    “Perhaps the Newsomes know of one. I shall find one, Papa, wait and see if I don’t!”
    He left her daydreaming about the delights offered by a new pet. On Sunday he would take her to Newsome Grange and he and Sir Henry would depart for London and a few days of male merriment.
    What could be better?

3
    Present-day London
    Two weeks later

    I t was official . Helena was homeless once again. This time, with nothing but the clothes on her back and her minuscule cross-body bag with about fifty pounds in cash, a credit card for emergencies, a pair of sunglasses, lip balm, her iPad mini, and her mobile phone. Wait—the phone wasn’t even hers. Lucille Earskine had neglected to demand it back when she’d simultaneously sacked and evicted Helena for the alleged crime of seducing Mr. Earskine.
    Tears of anger formed in Helena’s eyes. It was all so unfair! She’d never seduced any man in her life, and certainly would never have chosen creepy Richard for the honor. On the contrary, she had ignored his advances as long as she could, hoping he would get the message, but trust-fund Dickie wouldn’t take no for an answer. The firm rebuke she gave him had been long in coming and included a few choice words that left him in no doubt of her opinion of him as a man.
    The satisfaction gained from speaking her mind lasted only a minute or two, after which she realized her job was toast. Within the hour, Tricky Dickie had falsely confessed to being seduced by the nanny, and his furious wife Lucille had tossed her out of the house. In front of the children, no less! Helena could still hear their fearful wailing. Poor little things, to have such parents!
    At least they had parents! She’d never known hers. Until Mrs. Lloyd had taken over the role. Her eyes pricked with tears at the memory of the warm-hearted woman who'd given her a real home, at least for awhile.
    A drop of rain on her bare shoulder brought her back to the present. She looked up to see dark clouds gathering. Damn! She hadn’t been allowed to retrieve any of her belongings, not a jacket or an umbrella, and her peach tank top would soon be soaked. What to do? Where to go? She kicked the gate post before recalling that she was wearing rope-trimmed espadrilles. Double damn! The pain radiating from her injured toes escalated her anger.
    This wasn’t her fault. The Earskines owed her money, her wages for the month and another in lieu of notice. Then there was the issue with her possessions. She needed to retrieve them, but was certain that she’d never be allowed to cross the threshold again. She needed help.
    The agency. They were contractually obligated to help her. She took out the partially-charged mobile phone.
    “Yes, hello. This is Helena Lloyd. May I speak with the director, please? It’s urgent.”
    “She’s on the other line—” began the receptionist.
    “I’ve got it, Fran.” The receptionist rang off and the voice of the director exploded. “Bloody hell, Helena, what have you got us into? I just got off the phone with Lucille Earskine and she’s threatening legal action against us all!”
    “Is that so? Well, the person she ought to be suing is her lying lecher of a husband. For divorce!”
    Helena gave a brief summary of the events leading up to the unfortunate confrontation, ending with a request for direction.
    “You