While Helena could be arrogant, it wasn't something she usually was. Typically, she was only arrogant when she was showing off her inventions. Then again in those instances it was warranted, but right now she wasn't showing off, she was a guest, an intellectual equal to Tony. Yes, she believed herself his equal even if he didn't see her that way. Helena had always considered herself equal to men. It hadn't gotten her much of anywhere in the Victorian era, but here? She expected people to take her seriously when she put forth ideas and inventions. She had a feeling Tony was not the kind of man to rebuke her for having a brain, but instead embrace it, thus she also had high hopes for this evening's events.
As Tony bypassed idle chit chat and moved straight to what was on his mind, Helena was relieved. Oh she could navigate through the small talk, but she'd much rather not. She didn't like dancing around more important things if she could help it. So she very much appreciated that he got straight to a point of which they could actually discuss. Chuckling softly, Helena took a sip of her own wine, then looked at Tony.
"Helena G. Wells is my name, so sorry to disappoint. My brother Charles didn't exactly have the H. G. initials. He was the writer history knows, but the ideas he wrote were all mine." Well, at least until 1900 and the H. G. Wells stories took an abrupt turn away from science fiction. There was a reason for that, but Helena would rather not get into the unsavory topic of why that had been. It would turn the conversation very sour. "I have no doubt I have caused you great shock that I am far more female than history would have you believe. But I am an unconventional woman who was far ahead of her time." She smiled, looking at him across the table.
Oh she could spend hours discussing the Suffragette Movement and having actually lived on both ends of it, but she restrained herself. If Tony asked on the topic, she'd offer her opinion. But so far, she was intrigued as to where he would go with this, and no doubt he had questions. Helena would let him ask and satisfy his curiosity. After all, there would certainly be no peace to the conversation if Tony's curiosity was not satisfied.