My Wicked Little Lies by Victoria Alexander

Author:Victoria Alexander [Alexander, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781420117066
Google: uirGwHZQ_CwC
Amazon: 1420117068
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2012-01-31T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Evelyn’s gaze shifted from one bouquet to the next. The floral displays sat side by side on the table in Celeste’s parlor.

���I can’t leave you alone for a minute, can I?” Celeste strode into the parlor.

“Nonsense, it was far more than a minute.” Evelyn smiled at her friend. “I daresay you were gone nearly an hour.”

“I was gone merely an hour. Long enough apparently for you to fill the house with strange men.” Exasperation sounded in Celeste’s voice. “Again.”

“That would be Mr. Merryweather, Mr. Knowles, and Mr. Lloyd,” Evelyn said absently, her gaze returning to the flowers.

On the left side, an explosion of tulips and hyacinths and other spring flowers filled a large bowl to overflowing. It was most impressive. Somewhat more sedate, but no less impressive, was the elegant vase of two dozen red roses.

“Why are they here?”

“They’re measuring the bedrooms. I stopped at their establishments yesterday when I was finished at the dressmaker’s.” Evelyn glanced at her. “You may send them on their way with the same speech you gave the others.”

“I thought you were only going to refurbish one room?”

“Only one room at a time,” Evelyn said. “But it struck me last night, as I was failing to get to sleep, that refurbishing my wardrobe instead of this house means there is nothing to oversee.” She shrugged. “And no need to stay here.”

Celeste considered her for a moment. “Therefore, you could return to your husband.”

She nodded. “I could.”

“And his punishment would be at an end.”

“I’m not punishing him,” Evelyn said in a lofty manner. “I am simply giving him the uninterrupted opportunity to see the error of his ways.”

“Is it working?”

Evelyn clenched her teeth. “Not thus far.”

Celeste’s gaze slid to the floral arrangements. “I know the roses are from Sir. I’m assuming the other flowers are from Lord W?”

“They arrived this morning along with a brief note about spring. Quite lovely really.” She recited from memory, “ ‘My dear Evie, I send these in hope they bring a touch of spring to your heart as you have always brought it to mine.’ ”

“That is lovely.”

“My husband is a man of few words.” Too few really. The sentiment expressed in his note would have been quite perfect if it had come when she had been attributing her preoccupied manner to the weather. As it was, after two days and two endless nights without him, it simply wasn’t enough. “And apparently his continued apology, his declaration of being unable to live without me, his vow of undying love, his assurance that he will trust me without question for the rest of our days ...” She gritted her teeth. “Those are words that he is either unable or unwilling to say.”

“Still,” Celeste said quickly. “Lord W must have gone to a great deal of trouble to obtain spring blossoms at this time of year.”

“We do have a conservatory, you know,” Evelyn said wryly. “And a gardener quite proficient at forcing blooms.”

“Regardless, it was most thoughtful, as was his sentiment.” Celeste waved at the roses.

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