The Unexpected Wife - Jess Michaels Page 0,64

it doesn’t change the fact that as a result of her parents’ foolishness, she was sheltered.”

“I did not see any evidence that she was protected,” Owen said.

“Not protected, sheltered,” Harriet repeated. “And certainly not out of excessive care, but out of a lack of it. They did not show her the world because it had no value to them. And now I fear she is not entirely cognizant of what will happen next, after the dust settles on this enormous scandal.”

He paced away to the fire and stared into the flames for a moment. “I’ll help her.”

They both knew what he meant. He wasn’t ready to say it out loud yet and she didn’t push, but it was clear. He did love Celeste. He wanted a life with her. He knew that as easily as his own name or the street he lived on. He would know it in the darkest corner of the coldest part of the world. He would know it without ever having that emotion returned.

“And can I trust you to do that?” Miss Smith asked.

He faced her. “If she would allow me to.”

“And if she won’t?” she said slowly, almost carefully, like she was trying to avoid hurting him.

The arrow still landed, though, softly slung or not. A creeping pain in his chest at the idea that for Celeste, their bond was one created merely out of fear of the future. That he was something solid to cling to in a storm, but nothing more. That if he asked her to stay, she would walk away.

All her right. All entirely understandable considering the way she had been controlled her whole life. But God, the idea was painful.

“I would still do everything in my power to see her happy,” he said. “Including encouraging her to turn to old friends for a fresh start if they could offer it.”

Miss Smith didn’t say anything for a moment, just continued to examine him with that careful expression that revealed nothing of what she thought of it all. “Yes,” she said at last. “You might at that. Which means you might deserve her.”

“I don’t deserve her,” he corrected.

Before she could reply, the door to the salon opened and Celeste and Lena re-entered the room. Their arms were still linked and they were laughing. Owen stared. All the pressure of the last few days was gone from Celeste’s face. She was flushed with pure delight and his heart thudded with even more love for her than he had admitted, if only to himself, a moment ago.

“Oh, Owen, the rest of the apartment is charming! They have the sweetest little library,” Celeste said as she crossed to him and stared up at him with those shining eyes that took his breath away.

“It is the hazard of living above London’s finest bookshop,” Lena said as she moved to stand beside Harriet. “Mr. Mattigan is the most delightful enabler of a love for books. Speaking of which, Celeste, I will find that book we were discussing down in the shop and have it sent over to you later today.”

Something in Celeste’s cheek fluttered and she nodded. “That’s very kind. I appreciate it.” She glanced up at Owen. “You and I have another engagement, don’t we?”

He wrinkled his brow, for they had made no other appointment. But it was clear she wished to speak to him away from the others, so he went along with the ruse. “We do, indeed.”

Harriet exchanged a quick glance with Lena before she moved forward and embraced Celeste warmly. “We won’t keep you. But I hope you will come back for the Salon and also to have supper with us.”

“Oh yes, do!” Lena said, and squeezed Celeste’s hand with both of hers. “We would be a jolly foursome!”

“We will,” Celeste assured them as they moved as a group to the door where they had met not so very long ago. “I’m so happy to have been able to see you, Harriet, and to meet Lena at last!”

They said their goodbyes and Owen followed Celeste down the stairs back to the entrance where they’d come in. The footman who had greeted them was waiting there, and he ran to fetch their carriage back to the street as Celeste and Owen strolled back to the front of the building.

Owen smiled as Celeste peered in the windows of Mattigan’s Bookshop. “We could go in,” he offered.

She jumped as if she hadn’t expected him to talk, so wrapped up was she in examining the books