Lord Grundon chuckled ruefully. Celestine threw him a nasty glare. Then she hurried after her husband, knowing that the worst was far from over. In fact, if she knew Edward as she was sure that she did, the worst was yet to come.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Ihate him!” Millicent said through tears. “I… why did he… I hate him so much!”
“Oh, you don’t mean that.” Celestine sat with Millicent on her bed, one arm around her as the young girl wept into her shoulder.
“I do,” she blubbered. “Why did he have to do that?”
“He thought he was protecting you.”
“No,” she cried. “He did it because he… he likes that everyone hates him. And because he can’t be happy, he doesn’t want anyone else to be either.”
Celestine said nothing, as she had no idea what to say.
Once, she might have agreed with the young girl’s comments. After all, her initial perception of Edward was exactly as Millicent just claimed. He was one to be feared, and the exact type who seemed to like that about himself. Now, she knew differently.
He was not that person. What was more, all he wanted was for Millicent to be happy. Everything he had done this last Season was proof of that, and Celestine had no doubt that he would move the heavens with his own two hands if he thought that it would help.
If only it had been anyone other than Lord Grundon…
The other reason that Celestine did not speak was because she understood perfectly well why Edward had risen to such fury. And while she did not agree with what he had done, she agreed with his judgement of the man who he had done it to.
Millicent was far too good for one of Lord Grundon’s ilk, and Celestine was certain that Lord Grundon’s interest in Millicent had less to do with her as a woman, and more to do with who she was related to. The man could not be trusted.
But there was no sense in trying to explain this to Millicent. Not as she grieved. Not as she lamented. And not when she was in a state that would likely see her do something foolish if she thought it would upset Edward.
“Let me talk to him,” Celestine said gently as she stroked the young girl’s hair.
“What’s the point,” Millicent blubbered. “He won’t listen to you. He won’t listen to anyone.”
“I will try anyway,” she said. “You might not agree with me, but Edward does care for you, and everything he does is for you and your future.”
“I am so embarrassed,” she continued to weep. “Lord Grundon will likely never speak to me again.”
Let us hope that is the case.
“I will go speak with him now.” Gently, Celestine peeled herself from Millicent. “If you need anything, do not hesitate, Millicent. Please. And know that this is not the end of the world.”
“It is!”
Celestine shook her head, laughing softly. “Take it from me. You might remember that I was once known as the Mad Hargrave Sister. So, I, more than anyone, know how fortunes can change.”
“Have they though?” Millicent threw herself onto the bed, her head stuffed into her pillows. “Married to my uncle. I cannot imagine a worse fate.”
Celestine winced at the harsh words.She is just upset…
She left the young girl to herself, determined to speak with Edward about what he had done. While she agreed that he was right to be cautious, she could not accept the way he had gone about it. What was more, if his relationship with Millicent was to be saved, he needed to realize this and then try and fix it.
A shame that he was so stubborn… a shame that even as Celestine hurried to his room, she knew that whatever she said would fall on deaf ears. Worse too, a fight was sure to ensue.
“Edward?” She knocked on his bedroom door and walked inside. “We need to talk.”
Edward paced the room in anger. His boots were kicked across the room. His shirt was flung over the chair. And when Celestine stepped inside and closed the door, he hardly paid her a glance.
“She is not to go out again for the rest of the Season,” he snarled as he paced. “Not until I can be sure that Lord Grundon is no longer a concern.”
Celestine found herself momentarily distracted.
