The First Meeting
Lady Helen Clifford stood in the doorway watching her brother, George, talking to his friend, Louis, The Duke of Suffolk. Helen was holding the Iliad and was going to sit by the window when her brother finally caught on that Helen was there.
"Helen, come over and meet my friend." George looked at his sister.
Helen walked over to George and Louis. She stood tall against the book lined wall. She looked toward Louis.
"Hello, I am Louis Tomlinson.."
"Hello, I am Helen Clifford."
Helen reached out with her right hand and so did Louis. They shook hands and a spark was felt between the two of them. Helen sat down on the window sill and began reading the book. Helen was an intelligent girl who often did not care for the simple lessons of the daughter of aristocracy which was better than most.
Meanwhile, Louis looked at George and said "Your sister is.. Quite the beauty."
"Yes, my father has been thinking of marrying her to Sir Clotworthy Stockington soon enough." George said.
"Does Lady Helen know.."
"No. My daughter does not know," said Henry Clifford.
Louis' eyes flashed. Lady Helen was quite the catch, a great beauty and according to George and even Louis' dear friend, Lady Eleanor Calder, intelligent. Louis thought that Helen looked like a woman waiting to be ravished.
"I am going to go for a walk."
Louis left the library and walked around. He went down stairs when he looked up. There sitting on a windowsill was Helen, reading a book that she held in her lap, her long brown hair like drapes over her face.
"Lady Helen.. Like Helen of Troy.." Louis called out
;
"Yes, Helen like Helen of Troy. The great beauty, the face..." Helen said
"That launched a thousand ships."
Louis and Helen grinned at each other. They then went on a walk together. It was scandalous as they could be. To be unchaperoned.
"So, You went to Eton."
"Yes with your brother.."
"You are attending Oxford.."
"Yes," Louis paused looking at Helen "How do you know.."
"My Brother in Law, Sir Humphrey Blackwood, said that he knew you from Oxford and spoke highly of you.."
"Oh, Sir Humphrey married Alice Clifford," Louis remembered. "Well, I supposed Lady although Alice never likes that."
"You say that, Sir, as though you are friends with my sister because I concur with that statement. So you know Alice, Humphrey, and George. Do you know Rosemary or her husband Hugh Churchill, Duke of Marlborough."
"No Lady in that."
"No, we are.. Friends or at least friendly that we can drop the formality of court and society."
Helen grabbed his hand and led Louis towards a large grand window where you can see the long rolling hills and forest from. It had a small bookshelf with a candle and couple of books. There were also two wicker chairs and small pillows that one could sit on when they got too uncomfortable.
"This is my favorite place to sit. I set up the chairs and bookshelf. The view, oh how books could be written about this simple view." Helen said walking him to a window. "Is it alright if I call you by your name."
"Yes, and I you."
"Yes. What books do you like to read, Louis"
Suddenly footsteps came rushing towards the window.
"Louis!" said a group of boys who then proceeded to hug. Helen stood just off to the side, watching but not seeing, listening but not paying attention.
"Hello," said a girl to Helen "My name is Angelica."
"Hello, I am Helen."
As Helen was distracted the boys all looked at Louis and whispered "Oh, so this is why you requested Clifford Place as the Wedgewood Hunting Clubs meeting."
Louis said nothing but nodded. He remembered the girl from the afternoon when she stood outside of Eton College. He had found her attractive and wanted to get to know her so he had his friends, all of them, become friends with George Clifford and after Eton, creating Wedgewood Hunting Club, and inviting George to the club. It had taken 2 years to get George to invite them to Clifford Place but now there it was.
"Who is the girl?" said Eleanor.
"Helen," said one of the boys
"The Helen from Eton."
"What?" asked a girl's voice loudly.
The group looked over at Helen and Angelica then sighed in relief.
"Unity, Shh.." Eleanor softly said. "You know, the girl who Louis saw when he was 17 during his time at Eton."
"Yes," Unity questioned.
"Her name is Lady Helen Clifford."
Unity opened her eyes wider and looked at Helen.
YOU ARE READING
A Aristocratic Love| Louis T.
FanfictionLady Helen Clifford was considered a great beauty. She is the youngest of Clifford Siblings. George invites his hunting club, Wedgewood, to Clifford Place. Louis Tomlinson is a duke who was educated with George and saw Helen in passing...
