But of course he would. Probably he suspected everyone in the room. One of them could very well be the killer and yet she felt no fear. If someone in this room had murdered Erasmus, well…they’d certainly had their good reasons.
“Yes, there is that,” the earl murmured. Celeste couldn’t help but mark the way his head bent. There was something guilty in his demeanor. Guilt over this terrible state of affairs? Or something deeper?
Abigail shrugged. “And we will resolve all of that. But not tonight. Celeste must be exhausted from her journey, and all of us need time to stare each other in the face and see what this sisterhood of the Mrs. Montgomerys will look like as we move forward. And none of you men are invited.”
She gave a playful smile to the gentlemen before she settled into one of the seats before the fire. The Duke of Gilmore shot her a look. “I don’t know how you can be so flippant about such a serious subject, Mrs. Montgomery.”
“Which one of us are you speaking to, Your Grace?” Abigail asked.
Celeste’s eyes went wide. The two of them were almost at each other’s throats, even if they were oh-so-very polite about it. She would hate to see what would happen if the knives really came out.
She stepped forward to diffuse the situation before the vein that was pulsing in the duke’s forehead popped. “I admit I am tired. It’s been a very long few days. Perhaps a quiet night would be good for all of us. And then we will, of course, discuss all those important matters.” Celeste shifted her focus to Owen. When he met her gaze, she found a fraction more calm on the violent seas. “Owen—Mr. Gregory, what do you think?”
“I think another night won’t matter in the scheme of things,” he said softly. “And that it makes sense that you ladies would wish to get to know each other.”
“It seems it has been decided,” the duke said with a shake of his head. “Then I will depart. We will meet again tomorrow then. Good afternoon.”
He nodded to the group as a whole and then strode from the room. Once he was gone, Abigail pursed her lips and then spat, “I don’t know why he must be involved in all this. He got his way, didn’t he? He set in motion a destruction of us all and protected his family. Why can he not just leave us to the consequences?”
The Earl of Leighton let out a long sigh. “He truly isn’t the beast you make him out to be, Abigail. And he’s a powerful man, so don’t completely disregard that his influence might make this easier. If you don’t chase him off entirely by your obvious disdain.” When Abigail shrugged, the earl smiled. “Good afternoon, ladies. Mr. Gregory.” He once again gave a quick glance toward Pippa, but said nothing more as he left the room.
Owen was all that was left, and he met Celeste’s gaze and held there as he said, “We will have much to discuss tomorrow, ladies. But I hope your peace will do you all good. Celeste, I will make certain all your things are taken from the carriage.”
“I’ll join you,” she said. “I left a book in the carriage and I think it might have slipped between the cushions. I’ll find it easier.”
He didn’t argue, even though they both knew her book had been safely placed into her reticule. She smiled back at Abigail and Phillipa before she followed him from the parlor and out to where his carriage was still waiting. Footmen had unloaded it already, making her think that Abigail had always intended to take her in.
She and Owen stopped next to the open carriage door, and she stared up at him. “You’ll be fine,” he said softly.
She blinked. “Did I look worried?”
He nodded. “Since the first moment I saw you. But the other two wives seem like decent women. Your welcome was genuine, and I think you’ll find them good allies for what is to come.”
“Even if you’re not certain if one of them is a murderer. Nor the earl. Nor the duke?”
His brows lifted and a hint of a smile tilted his lips. “You saw all that, did you?”
She shrugged. “It doesn’t take too sharp a mind to deduce it, but yes. I saw you watching them all with more interest than just a casual observation. You still have a long road to walk to determine who snuffed