And oh, how she enjoyed it.
Slowly, Edward pulled away. She gasped when he did, trying to follow him, but he held her back. She snapped open her eyes, she saw him smiling, and she did the same.
“There,” he said as he gently released her face and removed his hand from her thigh. “Something to remember you by.”
“I… I…” Her thoughts whirled. “Thank you.”
“For?”
She shook her head and smiled. “For this last month. It was better than it ought to have been, just as it reminded me that…” She winced. “That not all men are wretches.”
He chuckled. “Only most of us.”
Edward turned back to watch the remainder of the opera. Celestine did the same, or she tried to. But as she sat there, as she forced herself not to look at Edward, she realized finally and without argument how wrong she had been about both him and what they were doing.
Their engagement was about to end, but the taste of him on her lips, the way her heart beat against her chest, had her questioning if it should do. Worse still, she knew just as well that there was nothing that she could do to stop it.
Once again, Celestine would be alone, only this time, it felt nowhere near as triumphant or necessary as it used to. Not even close.
“Are you ready?” Edward asked Celestine.
She was not ready. In fact, more than once, Celestine had considered pulling Edward to the side and telling him that perhaps they should wait. She wasn’t willing to tell him why they should, and even she was not certain of the reason.
Besides, I doubt he would want to…
She looked at Edward, noted the determination on his face, and swallowed her thoughts. The kiss they just shared was a goodbye, and while it had touched her in ways she could not have fathomed, she doubted the effect was the same for him.
No, this was for the best. It was, after all, what was promised.
“I am,” she said with a deep breath. “Shall we?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Not really. Although, it is not as if I am not used to being talked about behind my back. Let us begin…”
They stood together in the lounge area of the theatre, one reserved especially for members of the peerage. The show had just concluded, and moments like this one were used for drinking with friends as discussions were had about what was just witnessed.
No doubt, the fellow attendees had enjoyed the show and were eager to unpack it and air their thoughts and grievances. Little did they realize that the show had only just begun.
Edward strode ahead, cutting through the center of the lounge.
“Edward, please do not walk away from me.” Celestine followed him, pitching her voice loud enough so it would carry, but not so loud that she was forced to shout.
He sighed and turned around. “What other option have you left me? Should I just stand around while you level base accusations at me all evening? I should sooner return home.”
“I am not accusing you.”
“It sure sounds as if you are.”
He stood in the center of the lounge, positioned so that the two score of guests were able to turn with ease and see what had caused the disruption. The conversation that had drifted across the lounge area came to an immediate stop, all eyes on them.
Celestine stopped short of Edward. Her body trembled, her throat constricted, and she focused squarely on Edward as if he was the only person in the room.
“All I did was ask who you have been writing to in secret. I did not accuse you of anything.”
“And as I told you, it was nobody. Merely…” He waved his hand away. “An old friend from Eton.”
“A friend whose name you refuse to tell me.”
“I should not have to tell you anything.” He put his hands on his hips. “I would expect you to respect my privacy.”
