"You do that very well," Evelyn said in a wry manner.

"It's my job." She leveled Evelyn a firm look. "I consider a critical responsibility of my position to be protecting you from yourself. And I have no intention of shirking my duties."

"Nonsense." Evelyn laughed, pushed aside the wallpaper samples, and sank down on the sofa. "I don't need protection. Not from myself and particularly not from merchants."

"Not under ordinary circ.u.mstances perhaps, but right now, as your goal seems to be to inflict as much financial damage as you can on Lord W's accounts, someone needs to keep your head on your shoulders. Especially as your actions are predicated on anger and hurt."

"Nonsense," Evelyn said again, her voice weaker than before. "Redoing this house is long overdue."

"Perhaps, although I have never noticed a problem."

"I think it's become somewhat worn."

"I prefer the word comfortable." Celeste glanced around the parlor. "I'm rather fond of it."

"You deserve better."

"About that." Celeste picked up the wallpaper samples, placed them on a table, then returned to sit down beside Evelyn. "You have never allowed me to pay rent-"

"I consider this part of your salary."

"And you pay the wages for the staff-"

"Come now, Celeste." Evelyn scoffed. "There's only Hendricks and Mrs. O'Mally, who is both housekeeper and cook, and one lone maid. It's a meager excuse for a staff."

"Nonetheless-"

"My husband is an eminently practical man, recent events notwithstanding." Evelyn leaned toward her friend. "If you did not live here, he would no doubt press for me to sell this house as we certainly don't need it. But this is the only thing I have left of my parents and I shall never sell it. As for the servants ..." She shook her head. "They consider this their home. I grew quite fond of them in the years when I resided here. You know how difficult it is to find a new position. I simply could not let them go."

"Still, I should-"

"I do not wish to let this house to strangers as my guardian did nor do I wish for it to sit unoccupied." Her gaze slid around the room. Even now, she wished she remembered this room, this house. But she scarcely remembered her parents let alone where they had lived. "There is something about an empty house that has always struck me as sad and forlorn. I would hate to think of this house as being alone and unloved. You, dear friend, are doing me a great favor by living here."

"You have my thanks nonetheless." Celeste studied her for a long moment. "In the spirit of our friendship, might I suggest you start with one room rather than create ma.s.sive upheaval throughout the entire house? As you said, you don't know how long you will be here."

"That makes a certain amount of sense, I suppose." She stood, crossed to the table, and studied the wallpaper. "But I need something to fill my time." She selected two samples and moved to the far wall. "I find leaving one's husband, even temporarily, leaves one feeling restless."

"You have charity work and committees of the dozens of organizations you belong to. You scarcely ever have a moment free."

"And yet I am feeling remarkably free at the moment," she muttered. d.a.m.n the man anyway. She held a damask striped pattern in shades of ivory and scarlet against the wall and glanced at Celeste.

"Too formal, I think," Celeste said. "I suspected as much."

Evelyn held up another sample. This one was entwined vines and leaves and trees in blues and greens.

"Oh, I like that."

Evelyn nodded. "So do I." She glanced at the other woman. "Suspected what?"

"That you would need something to occupy your time and your mind while you wait for Lord W to come crawling on his knees."

"I don't want him to come crawling on his knees." She scoffed. "Although I do like the way that sounds." She sighed. "If Max would give me further instructions, at least that would keep me busy."

"No doubt you will hear something soon."

"I do hope so. At least living here, I won't have to mislead Adrian as to my activities."

"That is indeed a benefit." Celeste drew a deep breath. "Might I make another suggestion? That instead of refurbishing the house, you refurbish yourself ?"

Evelyn drew her brows together. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you should commission a new wardrobe."

"My wardrobe is more than acceptable, thank you."

Celeste raised a brow.

"Admittedly, I haven't had a new gown made in some time."

"And didn't you say you wished you'd had something new to wear to the Dunwells' reception rather than something that had been seen on more than one occasion?"

"I did, didn't I?" She shook her head. "It was most annoying."

"And aren't there several events on the schedule you had me deliver that scream for a new gown, including a gala Venetian masquerade?"

Evelyn waved away her comment. "Oh, I have a costume."

Celeste ignored her. "Beyond your obvious need for a complete new wardrobe-"

"It will be dreadfully expensive," she murmured. Not that expense was a consideration at the moment. Indeed, dreadfully expensive was most appealing.

"If the purpose of this exercise is to punish Lord W for his transgressions-"

"I'm not sure punish is the right word-"

"Then it seems to me, as Lord W has not been in this house since your marriage, while he will see the bills for the refurbishment, it will scarcely have a lasting impact. However-"

"However, if I am wearing my purchases, it will certainly remind him of the error of his ways every time he sees something new. And remind him as well of what he has that he does not wish to lose." Evelyn grinned. "That is brilliant, Celeste."

"Just another one of my duties." Her friend returned her grin. "While I was out, I made an appointment for later today with your favorite dressmaker. She has the latest patterns from Paris and is most eager to get started." Celeste shrugged. "I might have mentioned that you wished to spare no expense."

"Excellent." Evelyn laughed. "Still, this house does need work, but one room at a time is a good idea." She moved back to the table, placed the samples in her hand with the others, then studied them all. "I would hate to inflict the result of rash decisions upon you. After all, you are the one who lives here."

A brief knock sounded. Celeste moved to the door and pulled it open.

"There was a delivery for Lady Waterston." Hendricks strode into the room bearing a large bouquet of red roses in a vase. Relief washed through Evelyn. "I took the liberty of putting these in water for you." He set the vase on a table, and presented a card with a flourish. "My lady."

"Thank you, Hendricks." Evelyn took the card, waited until the butler had left the room, then turned to her friend with a satisfied smile. "I had begun to think my husband had decided not to pursue my forgiveness."

"Obviously you were wrong."

"Thank goodness," she said with a sigh. "I was starting to wonder ... never mind. There are times when one is grateful to be wrong."

Celeste moved to the flowers and inhaled. "There is nothing like the smell of roses. And two dozen will fill the room with this delicious scent in no time."

"I have always been fond of red roses. But of course, he knows that." She opened the envelope, pulled out the card, and read the spa.r.s.ely worded note. Her heart sank.

"Well?" Impatience sounded in Celeste's voice. "Is he appropriately apologetic? Does he declare his undying love? Is he begging you to return home?"

"Not exactly," Evelyn said slowly, her gaze still on the well-remembered handwriting on the card in her hand. "These aren't from Adrian."

"Then who?"

She looked up and met her friend's gaze. "They're from Sir."

Chapter 14.

Celeste's eyes widened. "Sir? Are you certain?"

"Of course I'm certain," Evelyn snapped. Disappointment sharpened her voice. "My apologies. I didn't expect this." She drew a calming breath. "Aside from the fact that it's signed Sir, I would recognize his writing anywhere. He favors his left hand, you know." Evelyn studied the note.

"You said he was no longer with the department."

"Apparently he has returned," she murmured. Good Lord, she never imagined she'd read a note from Sir again. At once, she was thrust back to the days before Adrian when a note from Sir would stir excitement within her and more than a little curiosity. Even, on occasion, a touch of desire, a measure of longing for someone she would never meet, never know.

"Well," Celeste said. "Are you going to tell me what it says or shall I s.n.a.t.c.h it out of your hand and read it myself?"

"It's brief and is in the manner of an introduction or a reintroduction, I suppose." She read aloud, "'My dear Eve, I have returned to my previous position to take charge of the current situation. You will receive your instructions from me from this point forward.' " She glanced up. "There's little more than that."

Celeste's eye's narrowed. "But there is more, isn't there?"

She nodded and continued to read. "'I must confess, I have missed you and look forward to renewing our acquaintance.' "

"And?"

"And it's signed: 'Yours with great affection, Sir.' " She blew a long breath. "Oh, this is just perfect."

"Perfect?"

"The last thing I need right now, the last thing I want, now or ever, is Sir back in my life." She paced the room.

Celeste watched her carefully. "You were rather taken with him."

"Of course I was taken with him. What living, breathing woman wouldn't be taken with him? He was mysterious and exciting and courageous. In my mind, he could be anything I wished him to be. A great hero." She rolled her gaze toward the ceiling. "A great lover."

"I see."

"No, dear, you don't." She wrapped her arms around herself and continued to pace, trying to find the right words. "I was taken with him in the way in which one is taken with the swashbuckling hero of a romantic novel. Like d'Artagnan or Sir Lancelot or Edmond Dantes or Robin Hood. One can dream about him all one wishes, but he has no more substance than a fictional character." She met the other woman's gaze. "He's not there to take you in his arms. To tell you all will be well. To kiss you under the mistletoe in front of his entire family. To laugh with you and cry with you and make certain you know, even if he never says the words, that he will hold your hand until the moment you breathe your last. This"-she held out Sir's note-"is nothing more than a game. Great affection-hah! I don't want his great affection. I want ..."

"You want your husband," Celeste said simply.

"Yes, I do." She paused. "The beast."

Celeste stared. "You really do love him, don't you?"

"It's not very fashionable, is it?" She managed a wan smile. "Did you doubt it?"

"Doubt is not the right word exactly." Celeste thought for a moment. "He came into your life at precisely the right time, when you needed someone solid and respectable and secure. It did seem that he was somewhat, oh, convenient."

"He was in many ways. But there is so much more to it than that." Her mind wandered back to the days when she had first met Adrian. "The first time I met him, the first time we danced, it was as if we had known each other forever. As if he was the one I had been waiting for my entire life. Halves of a whole, as it were. Nothing in my life has ever seemed so right, so destined if you will, as being with him."

"Oh my." Celeste shook her head. "I must say, I find I am quite jealous."

Evelyn cast her a wry smile. "You, too?"

"One could argue ..." Celeste chose her words with care. "That great love can lead a man to great stupidity."

"I have never doubted his feelings for me. How could he doubt mine?"

"Men are idiots," Celeste said firmly. "One never knows what they are really thinking if indeed they are thinking at all. They claim to be rational, sensible creatures and yet they will jump to all sorts of irrational conclusions."

"Why hasn't he sent me a note? Why hasn't he asked me to come home?"

"You've barely been gone a full day and you are well aware of his schedule. He's hardly had time to miss you."

"Nonetheless"-she waved at the roses-"these should be from my husband. Not from a ... a work of fiction."

"Hopefully, with Sir back, this business with the department will be at an end quickly."

"One can hope." Evelyn glanced at the card in her hand. "You know, toward the end, these notes between Sir and I became quite flirtatious."

"It does seem bad timing that he has entered your life again now. Given the situation with Lord W." Celeste studied her cautiously. "Do you fear you will be tempted?"

"Tempted? By a man I have never met in person nor ever expect to meet?" She shook her head. "No. In my last note to him I said he was a road not taken. I shall always feel a certain curiosity about him, but I have no regrets as to the path I have chosen. There is only one man I want in my life. And if Sir were to come to my door right this very moment, tall and dashing and handsome and everything I ever thought he might be, that is exactly what I would tell him."

"Tall and dashing and handsome?" Celeste grinned. "Then I would be grateful if you pa.s.sed him on to me."

Evelyn laughed. "Agreed. And you may consider these roses yours as well. I want nothing to do with them. Now." She set her jaw firmly. "Apparently, I have an appointment with a woman who is more than willing to a.s.sist me in unnecessary extravagances and frivolous indulgences. At an outrageous price." She cast her friend a wicked smile. "I am quite looking forward to it."

Celeste laughed.

"Oh, and while I'm gone, I would be most appreciative if you could recall the details of the bodily harm you have inflicted on men in the past." Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "That just might be a good thing to know."