Chapter 2 #2
Despite his best efforts, Edward’s eyes dropped just a little… sweeping over Miss Celestine’s body… noting her narrow waist, her wide hips, and the size of her bust; trapped in a gown that struggled to contain her. His heart started to race, just as his pulse quickened, just as his mouth salivated…
No, Edward! You are not here for that! Control yourself.
He tore his eyes from the softness of her body and fixed it on her face once more. A pretty face, that was undeniable. But it was hard to notice behind the harrowing glare that she held on him. She would not be tamed.
“I see that a welcome party has been called for me,” Edward noted of the three sisters. “I ought to have visited sooner.”
“We…” Lady Fairbrook could not have looked more worried. “We were surprised by your visit, Your Grace. And considering our brief conversation last evening, I was not certain who… which of my daughters… I can only surmise that –”
“There is no need to be so worried,” he said as he waved the woman down.
“I do not bite. I am merely here to have a conversation. You mentioned last evening, which is apt, as there was a particular conversation had that I was eager to continue in.” He made sure to be looking right at Miss Celestine.
“I thought I made myself clear,” she said sharply.
“Celestine!” her mother cried.
“It is quite fine,” he said simply, not once looking away from Miss Celestine.
“Lady Fairbrook, although it is unorthodox, I was hoping to have a moment alone with your eldest daughter. There is something I would like to discuss with her and while it might be prudent that you remain in the room for such discussions, I cannot help but sense that she is more than capable of looking after her own interests.”
“Celestine…” Lady Fairbrook’s eyes widened. “What do you… whatever you have to say, you can say to me, Your Grace.”
“It is fine, Mother,” Miss Celestine said, also not once looking away from Edward. She continued to glare as if she might attack him the moment that they were alone. “It is best if His Grace and I speak alone.”
That made Edward smile to himself.
He had been right about Miss Celestine from the beginning.
Funny that when he first started to consider what he needed to do for Millicent, that she had not entered his frame of thought.
Oh yes, he knew of her, of course, as most of the ton did.
That she was said to be ‘mad,’ the type that would likely end up alone as a spinster, who young boys would tell stories of to scare their friends away.
But that was what made her so perfect.
Edward realized now that Miss Celestine, above all, would understand his plea. What was more, assuming she accepted his bargain, that she might be the last person he needed to worry about.
My only fear is that she might slit my throat while I sleep. Or when I am awake so she can look me in the eyes as she does.
Lady Fairbrook did not look pleased about leaving her daughter alone with Edward. But a few terse words exchanged, and Miss Celestine managed to shoo her and her sisters outside. As she did, he noted her quick exchange with Miss Marigold, what looked like an assurance given… even a promise.
And he certainly noticed Miss Marigold looking between her and him with an expression on her face that told of just how rotten Edward’s reputation was.
To be changed soon, should this go to plan…
“What are you doing here?” Miss Celestine asked as soon as the doors were closed. She stood with her back to them, as if she was guarding them against him.
“Straight to the point?” he asked innocently. “No asking how I am? Seeing if I would like something to drink?”
“What do you want?” she asked again, her voice sharp.
He chuckled. “Yes, straight to the point then. Which is good, truth be told, as I am not here to exchange pleasantries. And after our conversation last evening, I sense that you are not the type who would appreciate such efforts.”
“I thought I made my feelings last night perfectly clear,” she said.
“You did.”
“Then why are you here?” she demanded. “Surely there are other women who you can harass?”
“Is that what I am doing? Harassing you?”
“What else might you call it?”
She acted brave but he saw the fear in her eyes. The way her body trembled. How she tried to hold his eyes but glanced away constantly. And when he took a gentle step forward, her body turned rigid.
“I will be blunt with you, Miss Celestine, because at this stage, there is no point in being anything but. You found my list last evening, so you know that I am searching for a woman of particular…” He considered his phrasing. “Interests.”
“Of which I am not one of them.”
“But you are,” he said. “More than you can know. Tell me, what do you know about me? And be honest, please. Not that this is something that you are not used to.”
Her eyes flashed distaste. “I know that you are a rake. That you spend your spare time courting and bedding any woman who will have you. I know that you own a gaming hell, one you use to blackmail your peers with so that you can own them. I know…” Her upper lip curled.
“That any woman with half a brain would be smart to want nothing to do with you.”
Her words hurt more than Edward liked to admit.
Again, he was responsible for these rumors, and he would not deny the fact. But they were less than half true…
“So, you do not know nearly as much as you claim,” he said flatly. “People do talk, and what they say is exactly as you have described. But most of it is highly exaggerated and more so. I am not what people say.”
“Ha!”
“Alas, a reputation is a hard thing to absolve oneself of. And while I do not care about my reputation, what I do care about is that of my niece.” He made sure to look right at her as he spoke, so that she would know that he wasn’t lying.
“She turns eighteen next month, at which point she will debut into society. She is excited for it, thrilled at what awaits her, but what she does not know is that all that she wants and desires will be denied her because of who she is associated with. Me.”
Miss Celestine hesitated. “I… I do not care about your niece.”
“Yes, you do,” he said. “I saw how you look out for your sisters. You are protective like that. You are even willing to jeopardize your own reputation so that they might be saved. You are argumentative. You are stubborn. You are…” He chuckled.
“… mad, or so they say. But you are also the exact type who would not want to see someone as innocent as my niece suffer for the sins of others.”
Again, she hesitated. “So what if I am? What does this have to do with me?”
He took another step toward her and again she turned rigid.
“There is nothing I will not do for my niece,” he said as he approached her.
“And it starts with improving my reputation so that when she debuts, she will not be weighed down by the things that I have done. I have one month to do this for her. One month to prove to the ton that I am not what people say.”
He saw the realization begin to dawn on her. Those hazel eyes opened wide. Her mouth dropped slightly. And a frown worked across her brow…
“That list you found last evening,” he continued as he came to within three feet of her.
“It was a collection of all the eligible women of the ton who I might ask to marry me. Women with good reputations. Women who might be obedient to my needs and not cause problems. However…” He chuckled and shook his head.
“It was only after I spoke to you that I realized the error of my approach.”
“I…” She swallowed. “I do not…”
“I do not need obedience,” he said. “What I need is someone who wants the same thing as I do. Someone with a reputation to match my own. Someone who I know will play along, while never risking the obvious.” He raised an eyebrow at her.
She shook her head. “I am not… whatever it is you are about to ask…”
“Do not play coy,” he said, dropping his voice to a purr. “You know what I am here to ask.” He paused and let that sit. “I am here to ask you to marry me.”
She must have seen it coming but she gasped nonetheless. “You are mad!”
“I thought you were?”
“I cannot marry you.” She leaned back and let her disgust show. “You are… you are…”
“The worst man alive,” he finished for her. “But that is only a rumor. I am not asking you to fall in love with me, Miss Celestine. In fact, I am not even asking you to marry me.”
“But you just said –”
“We will be engaged,” he cut her off. “For one month only. Enough time to improve my reputation and your own so my niece will have a chance. One month and then you will be free of me.”
“And then what happens?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you desire. I know you do not wish to marry, so you will not have to worry about other lords courting you once you are done with me. Perhaps I will even bare the brunt of our engagement ending, making it appear as if you hurt me such that I cannot bear it.” He chuckled.
“This will have the added effect of scaring other suitors away from you. Thus, you will be free to do what you want, how you want it. Your life will be your own and with it, you will be able to protect those you love like you never have before.”
That got her. That final offer… feeding into her desire to protect those she loved… and he saw in her eyes that she was finally starting to consider his offer.
Now, we find out just how desperate she is…