seen since even before Erasmus,” she admitted at last.
“Good,” he said softly.
He continued to comb through her hair with his fingers. The action was so relaxing, and yet she felt his tension. It practically vibrated beneath her. Why, though? Why the shift? Was it her? Was it them? Was it his suspicions when it came to Abigail?
“You deserve a future, Celeste.”
She lifted her head again and looked down into his face. “I like my present…at present. I like it very much.”
He held her stare for what felt like a lifetime before he caught the back of her neck and drew her in. His mouth just brushed hers, not quite a proper kiss and not what she yearned for the moment he drew her close.
He pulled back and that smile flashed across his face once more, this time a bit more wicked. “What do you say about writing a little note to Abigail and Phillipa?”
She smiled back. “And what, pray tell, would this note say?”
“Hmmmm,” he teased. “Why don’t you say that you’ll be joining me for supper?”
“I think that is the best idea you’ve had yet, Mr. Gregory. Will you get me paper?”
He shook his head. “After. After.”
Then he kissed her and her mind emptied of all the questions and problems and fears. Emptied of everything but the intense pleasure this man always created. Some day it would end. But not today.
Chapter 19
Celeste hunched over the book open at the table in her chamber, the candlelight fading as she scribbled notes. Her stomach ached as she read over what she’d written, what she had etched out a star next to in the book. Nothing made sense and her heart throbbed.
“Celeste!”
She jumped to her feet at the unexpected interruption and turned to find Pippa just inside her doorway, brow wrinkled and eyes filled with concern.
“Pippa, you scared the life out of me,” Celeste said, clutching her hand over her heart.
“I knocked several times and said your name more than once,” Pippa said. “But you were entirely engrossed with that book. What is it?”
She moved forward and swept up the tome before Celeste could stop her. “Harrison’s Poisons and Potions,” Pippa read. “I have had my eye on that one in Abigail’s library, as well.”
Celeste stared at her. “Abigail’s library?” she repeated in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw this in Abigail’s private library a few days ago,” Pippa explained. “She and I were talking about it and she claimed it to be a very good source on remedies. She was so convincing, I began to wonder if developing some knowledge in that area would be something worth pursuing.”
Celeste’s stomach sank at that information and she reached out to take the book from Pippa’s hand. “Is Abigail home at present?”
Pippa cocked her head at the question. “I…don’t think so. She had something to attend to this morning, she said last night while you were still out with Mr. Gregory.”
That was for the best, of course, but it made Celeste feel very uneasy about betraying her friend as she caught Pippa’s hand. “Can you…show me that book?”
“You have it,” Pippa said. “What is going on? Why do you look so pale and what is the issue with Abigail’s book?”
“I will explain in a moment,” Celeste promised. “Will you take me to where you saw it?”
Pippa’s lips pressed together hard, but she nodded and led Celeste down the hall and into a chamber attached to Abigail’s bedroom. It was a small study and there was a row of bookcases beside the fire. Under normal circumstances, Celeste would have cooed and studied the titles, but right now she had to focus.
“Abigail and I had tea here a few days ago when you were out. She told me I was free to come in and take any book I liked at any time,” Pippa explained. “And Poisons and Potions was right…”
She trailed off as she pulled the same book Celeste was holding from the shelf. She gazed from one copy to another. “I don’t understand.”
Celeste took the second copy and moved to the escritoire by the window. She set both down on the top with what felt like a very loud thud. “I hadn’t known about Abigail’s library or her copy. Yesterday at Lady Lena’s Salon, we were discussing the topic of poisons and she offered to send me the very same book. I returned so late that I didn’t begin looking at it before this morning.”
She stared at Abigail’s copy of the book. The