knew this was the right course of action. It’s the perfect way to finagle your way into his confidence without the messy business of sex.” Her lips curved. “No man takes interest in a woman who throws herself at him. Toss yourself in his direction and he will be sure to forget all about the prize under your skirts.”
Celeste tapped her friend on the arm. Her forced smile, however, made her a bit nauseated. She would never admit as much to Elizabeth, but she was terrified. Hiding in her safe little rabbit hole had served her well. Pursuing the fox made her feel exposed. What if… What if she began to like the fox? What if she discovered the fox had feelings?
What if she discovered she had feelings?
She was a little past that point, was she not? Girlish hope—just a curl, mind, hardly bigger around than her little finger—had already escaped the tight box where it had been suffocated for so long. Years ago, she’d determined she’d have none of it, whatever it was. Night after night, week after week, month after month, when men had come and gone without so much as a good-bye, decades over which she’d determined that she wasn’t worth loving, her hope had stayed nice and neat and buried. She’d given up her ability to feel, and for a good reason. The whiplash assignations that had thrilled her mother—was that love? The passionate back-and-forth Elizabeth and Captain Finn had? The forbidden longing Miss Delilah felt for her Mr. Conley? Or the blue devils that plagued Roman after a flirtation? From what she knew of love, it was a painful business.
Yet that foolish curl of hope snaking in her belly said she was tempted to experience it for herself. Just once.
Don’t be silly. This was nothing but a scheme to ensure Lord Trestin came to view Elizabeth and her favorably.
Gradually, the hopeful sensation waned until she felt what she wished to feel: nothing at all.
“You say he’s taken an interest in you,” Elizabeth said, breaking into her thoughts. “In all seriousness, that must stop. He can have no cause to think of you in a less-than-moral light.” An ironic smile touched her lips. “We will be much better off if he puts you out of his mind. Not just for the babe, but for your sanity. An entanglement endangers your heart—Oh, don’t look at me that way. I know you are capable of feeling. Even the best of us are.” She pressed her lips together. Then her gaze briefly alighted on her belly.
An instant later, she trailed her hand through the air as if waving away her momentary melancholy. “This will put an end to his infatuation, mark my words. Men love to chase, not be chased. With me along to chaperone and you standing right there before him, he would be a terrible boor to decline your invitation of a walk, which means you will have an entire afternoon of him grappling with the unsettling feeling of having been cornered.”
“Boorishness is hardly in line with his behavior to date,” Celeste drawled.
Elizabeth gave her a long look filled with the confidence of a woman who knew the strength of her mind. “I shall insisthe act the proper lord. Remember, I used to be one of his kind. I know how they think.”
Not that anyone could ever look at Elizabeth and doubt she was the daughter of an earl, but yes, sometimes, Celeste did forget. She and Elizabeth hailed from vastly different backgrounds, yet they had met the same end. Celeste glanced at Elizabeth’s belly. Almost the same end.
It could have as easily been you.
But no, it couldn’t have. Celeste suspected Elizabeth had done worse than have a mere bout of “forgetfulness” when the time had come to insert her sponge. She wanted Captain Finn for herself, and she’d stop at nothing to have him. It was all the more reason Celeste had hauled her to Devon.
“The two of you will suffer each other an hour,” Elizabeth continued, oblivious to Celeste’s momentary disquiet, “during which you will entertain him with your legendary
Celeste tapped her friend on the arm. Her forced smile, however, made her a bit nauseated. She would never admit as much to Elizabeth, but she was terrified. Hiding in her safe little rabbit hole had served her well. Pursuing the fox made her feel exposed. What if… What if she began to like the fox? What if she discovered the fox had feelings?
What if she discovered she had feelings?
She was a little past that point, was she not? Girlish hope—just a curl, mind, hardly bigger around than her little finger—had already escaped the tight box where it had been suffocated for so long. Years ago, she’d determined she’d have none of it, whatever it was. Night after night, week after week, month after month, when men had come and gone without so much as a good-bye, decades over which she’d determined that she wasn’t worth loving, her hope had stayed nice and neat and buried. She’d given up her ability to feel, and for a good reason. The whiplash assignations that had thrilled her mother—was that love? The passionate back-and-forth Elizabeth and Captain Finn had? The forbidden longing Miss Delilah felt for her Mr. Conley? Or the blue devils that plagued Roman after a flirtation? From what she knew of love, it was a painful business.
Yet that foolish curl of hope snaking in her belly said she was tempted to experience it for herself. Just once.
Don’t be silly. This was nothing but a scheme to ensure Lord Trestin came to view Elizabeth and her favorably.
Gradually, the hopeful sensation waned until she felt what she wished to feel: nothing at all.
“You say he’s taken an interest in you,” Elizabeth said, breaking into her thoughts. “In all seriousness, that must stop. He can have no cause to think of you in a less-than-moral light.” An ironic smile touched her lips. “We will be much better off if he puts you out of his mind. Not just for the babe, but for your sanity. An entanglement endangers your heart—Oh, don’t look at me that way. I know you are capable of feeling. Even the best of us are.” She pressed her lips together. Then her gaze briefly alighted on her belly.
An instant later, she trailed her hand through the air as if waving away her momentary melancholy. “This will put an end to his infatuation, mark my words. Men love to chase, not be chased. With me along to chaperone and you standing right there before him, he would be a terrible boor to decline your invitation of a walk, which means you will have an entire afternoon of him grappling with the unsettling feeling of having been cornered.”
“Boorishness is hardly in line with his behavior to date,” Celeste drawled.
Elizabeth gave her a long look filled with the confidence of a woman who knew the strength of her mind. “I shall insisthe act the proper lord. Remember, I used to be one of his kind. I know how they think.”
Not that anyone could ever look at Elizabeth and doubt she was the daughter of an earl, but yes, sometimes, Celeste did forget. She and Elizabeth hailed from vastly different backgrounds, yet they had met the same end. Celeste glanced at Elizabeth’s belly. Almost the same end.
It could have as easily been you.
But no, it couldn’t have. Celeste suspected Elizabeth had done worse than have a mere bout of “forgetfulness” when the time had come to insert her sponge. She wanted Captain Finn for herself, and she’d stop at nothing to have him. It was all the more reason Celeste had hauled her to Devon.
“The two of you will suffer each other an hour,” Elizabeth continued, oblivious to Celeste’s momentary disquiet, “during which you will entertain him with your legendary
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