The Duke's Wife (The Three Mrs #3) - Jess Michaels Page 0,1
add to them,” Celeste insisted. “He’s said as much to Owen many times. He has never regretted marrying you.”
“Nor I him,” Pippa said, tears leaping to her eyes. “But I do fear that we will not find acceptance. I am not from his world, not truly, but I can see that it matters to him. It matters how the world sees us, for our sake and for the sake of Kenley and any children we might be happy enough to have together in the future.”
Abigail stiffened at the mention of Kenley Montgomery. He was the child Erasmus had sired with yet another woman in his life. The woman who had ultimately murdered him. Pippa and Rhys had taken the little boy in and were raising him as if he were their own. He was a happy, bright child, and Abigail enjoyed seeing him a great deal. Even if he did create yet another reminder of how little her late husband had given a damn about anyone but himself.
“It is very complicated,” Abigail said. “And scandalous. But time will soften it. Rhys is well liked and respected by many important people. This Season and even the next may be difficult, but eventually another scandal, perhaps an even more shocking one, will happen and they will all shift their ire. Be strong for Rhys and for yourself and know that you are not alone. You have an army of friends and allies behind you.”
“That is true.” Pippa’s face lit up slightly. “Of course you and Owen and Celeste will be there tomorrow. Harriet has agreed to come with Lena, and that will make an enormous splash since anyone who is anyone wants to be a member of their salon.”
Abigail shifted. “Have you considered that you might wish to rescind the kind invitation to me?”
Pippa’s eyes went wide. “Why would I ever do that?”
“I am the legal wife,” she said softly. “If you wish to disconnect your own reputation from Erasmus’s, having me there will do nothing to make that happen.”
Pippa and Celeste exchanged a glance filled with meaning, and then they both stepped up to her. She was wrapped in their mutual embrace, and for a moment she felt the urge to sag into it. Collapse against them and let them be her strength. Her own, after all, had felt like it was waning for some time.
But she didn’t. She had never been the kind to falter or ask for help. So she straightened her shoulders instead and shook her head. “Gracious, I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve such affection.”
“Just being you,” Pippa said as they both stepped away. “And you are ridiculous if you think I don’t want and need you at our party. When we rise, we will rise together. I’ll hear nothing more on the subject.”
“As you say,” Abigail said, and was pleased her voice didn’t tremble with the emotions that this unwavering support created in her.
She did adore these two women. If Erasmus had to betray her as he had, at least she was unwaveringly happy in his choices.
“Anyway, those Rhys has invited will create a lot of acceptance,” Pippa continued. “I know he’s mentioned Lord and Lady Goffard, the Earl of Yarrowood, the Duke of Gilmore, Sir William Livingston—”
Abigail pursed her lips and pivoted to pace to the fireplace. “You tried to gloss over Gilmore, you wicked thing. But of course Rhys is inviting him.” She rolled her eyes. “Why in the world would such a good and decent man associate himself with such a…such a…cretin?”
She glanced over her shoulder to see Celeste and Pippa exchanging yet another of those loaded looks. A world of communication flowed between them, and all of it was about Abigail. Her cheeks heated and she hated herself for creating this situation. Hated the Duke of Gilmore even more for it.
Horrible man.
“Gilmore is my husband’s best friend—he has been for decades,” Pippa said, Abigail thought a little gently.
“He has become one of Owen’s, as well,” Celeste said softly. “I still don’t understand why you hate him so.”
Abigail let out a gasp of annoyance. “You don’t? I don’t understand why all of you don’t despise him. He inserted himself into the situation with Erasmus—”
“You inserted him into the situation when you wrote him that anonymous letter telling him that our horrible shared husband was trying to make Gilmore’s sister into wife number four,” Pippa interrupted.
Abigail folded her arms. That was true. She had done that, there was no pretending otherwise.