Miss Goodhue Lives for a Night by Kate Noble Page A

quite as much as I do.”
    As Eleanor visibly melted at this overt display, Theo could feel Cecilia’s small body beside his stiffen into stone.
    â€œWell . . . that’s good,” she said, forcing a tight smile onto her face. “I can write your father and let him know the happy news.”
    â€œOh, there’s no need,” Eleanor said, tearing her eyes away from her husband. “I wrote them the morning after the wedding. And I’ve already received their reply—they are coming to visit next week!”
    The smile fell from Cecilia’s face. “I see. I can only imagine that there is a letter waiting for me from your father at home.”
    â€œYes, you could have saved yourself quite a bit of trouble!” Eleanor laughed. “But then you always were a little headstrong. Or so says Father.”
    â€œIf only you’d told me this morning that it was our Eleanor you were looking for,” Colonel Birmingham said. Then he grimaced. “You even mentioned Manchester! And I didn’t even think of my Victor here, having just transferred. If I had known . . . Although I do understand your circumspection, you could have saved your poor Mr. Hudson a long day!”
    â€œMr. Hudson?” Eleanor’s eyes whipped up to his. “Oh but, that was the name of—”
    Eleanor’s gaze widened as her jaw slowly dropped. Her expression shifted from Theo to Cecilia. Then, to the closet they had occupied not three minutes before. Its door hanging open like a secret waiting to be told. “Oh, cousin, what have you been up to?” Hands came to her cheeks as her mouth formed a perfect O. “What will everyone say?”
    Cecilia was already as pale as he’d ever seen her, but for the first time, Theo was afraid she might faint. And that was the only thing keeping him from launching into a rage at a precocious and advantageously married seventeen-year-old girl. Instead of giving voice to his dark thoughts, he gently took Cee by the arm and let his body give her strength.
    â€œWell, we should have you over!” Colonel Birmingham was saying, aware of the awkwardness of the situation. “Instead of coming to Horse Guards tomorrow morning, come to the house for breakfast! It will be lovely!”
    â€œI’m sorry, but I think I must be getting Miss Goodhue back. Lord and Lady Ashby will be expecting us,” Theo said, making sure to drop the Ashby name in the hopes of impressing the respectability of the situation upon them.
    Hell, in hopes of impressing them, full stop.
    â€œCome on, Cee,” he whispered in her ear. “Let’s go.”

9
    T he drive back to Berkeley Square was as quiet as the drive to the ball. More so, because Cee was not tapping her foot nervously or pushing back the curtains to peek at London passing by. Theo tread as gingerly as he could, sitting perched forward on the seat, his entire body tensed. Waiting. But she sat still, her eyes on her hands in her lap, the city rolling past unwatched.
    â€œYou should be happy,” he said gently. “You were right.”
    She didn’t answer, didn’t look up from her hands.
    â€œYou found your cousin married and happy, just like you hoped they would be. Like you said they would be, even when I scoffed at it,” he said. “I doubted that you would ever find them. But you did, in less than a day.”
    â€œI’m a fool,” she said quietly.
    â€œNo. Never. Hoping for the best doesn’t make you a fool.”
    â€œNot that,” she said. “I was a fool to think that I could write a better ending this time.”
    â€œBut your cousin does have a better ending,” Theo replied. Then, with a smile, “Although I have no doubt she’ll be annoyed by her husband’s penchant for saccharine overtures soon enough.”
    â€œBut I don’t.” Her eyes came up. “My ending remains the same. I’m