The Unexpected Wife - Jess Michaels Page 0,12
nightmare. I will be lucky if I am not booed out of Hyde Park if I’m recognized.”
Her mother’s face paled. “Well, I suppose…that is…”
Celeste shrugged. “In truth, it might be better for you and father to simply cut me off and forget you had a daughter.”
That was a terrifying thing to say when Celeste had no idea of her future. Worse was that her mother pressed her lips together and was clearly considering the option. At last she said, “Perhaps staying here would be better.”
“Yes,” Celeste said, and went back to her worn portmanteau to begin to add things again. “And I will write you to let you know all the gossip.”
That seemed to please her mother, for she brightened up considerably. With a sigh, she stepped up to Celeste and pressed the briefest of kisses to her cheek. “Do that. And I hope it won’t be as terrible as you predict. Goodbye, dear.”
That was all she had to say before she departed the room. Perhaps departed Celeste’s life permanently, for she hadn’t disagreed about the idea of cutting her off. It was a strange feeling, the concept that she might be free, at last, of her mother’s meddling.
She jumped a little as Mabel re-entered the room and gave her a look of concern. “Are you well, Mrs. Montgomery?”
Celeste frowned. “I think we can’t call me that anymore, can we? Back to Miss Celeste?” As Mabel nodded, Celeste managed a smile. “In truth, I’m not sad about that part. The role of Mrs. Montgomery never felt like it was mine. Turns out it wasn’t. And yes…I’m as well as can be expected under the circumstances.”
“What about this man who brought the news? Mr. Gregory,” Mabel asked, sending her a quick side glance.
Heat rushed to Celeste’s cheeks. An odd sensation considering they were talking about someone she had so little connection to. But the circumstance was certainly fraught, so that must be why she felt so warm and odd when she thought of the man.
“No one can deny he is handsome,” she said.
Mabel giggled. “I peeped from the window when he arrived earlier, and indeed, he’s well favored. At least it won’t be an unpleasant ride to London, there will be something to look at.”
“Mabel!” Celeste gasped, but then laughed. She’d had Mabel as her maid for several years and they were often more like friends in private. She worried her lip a moment. “He is more than handsome, though. He could have been…horrible about all this. Many would have been. But he wasn’t.”
Mabel arched a brow. “Handsome and kind? Men like that don’t fly by all that often.”
“No.” Celeste sighed. “But I’m certain after we arrive in London, he’ll only call on me to answer questions if he needs information. We will hardly see him.”
“Hmmm.” They went back to packing as Mabel said, “And do you have a plan then, Miss Celeste?”
Celeste’s hands trembled and she set the gown she’d been ready to pack down on the bed. “I don’t know. But I will. I must.” She fisted her hands and collected her resolve. “And I can tell you that none of those plans will likely involve ever coming back here again.”
Chapter 4
The trip started out most inauspiciously, with a clap of thunder and then a downpour that had continued for the next two hours. Celeste and her maid Mabel were safe and warm enough inside the carriage Owen had hired to ferry them to London. But he was on his horse and it was a miserable ride, indeed.
He glanced up at the sky, silently cursing whatever ancient, vengeful god had brought this cold and unpleasant torrent down on his head. Then again, perhaps whichever one had done so was only trying to tell him that he shouldn’t involve himself too closely with Celeste Montgomery. Not bad advice, if cruelly given.
It was becoming painfully clear to him that he was already too close to her. After all, he had dreamed of her the night before. Not an innocent dream, either. No, he had unbound all those beautiful red locks, let them cascade over them like a fiery curtain while he stroked every inch of that luscious, curvy body with his tongue. She’d rocked and keened beneath him until all there was left was pleasure, pleasure, pleasure…
He’d woken hard enough that a cold bath had been in order before he traveled to her home, where he’d had to pretend to be proper so he wouldn’t make her uncomfortable knowing he felt