Page 2 of Celestes Forever Marquess
She fretted that everyone was talking about how his father had married her, a lowly maid. Perhaps they were, Caleb thought, but it didn’t really matter. No matter how affronted they were by his mother’s bloodlines, the title was his.
He slowed his horse to a gentle trot, taking in the woman whose blonde mane was now falling down her back. She waved at the geese again. “Go!”
She hadn’t seen him yet, as her sole focus seemed to be surviving the imminent attack by the birds. Whoever she was, the lady was beautiful. Not as young as some of the other women he’d met who were on the marriage mart, but Caleb wasn’t sure age mattered so much to him. Who was she?
One goose spread its wings and flapped them at her, making all kinds of noises. The woman let out a screech, and Caleb, laughing, charged the birds, scaring them all away. They made even more noise but continued away from her.
His eyes connected with the woman’s, and she burst out laughing. Pushing her thick, blonde hair away from her face, thewoman sighed. His eyes lingered on her lips and moved down her throat, but Caleb stopped himself from perusing her form further.
Still, his stomach and his heart clenched at the sight of her, startling him. Her blue eyes studied him, and there was a rightness about her gaze that was both disconcerting and mesmerizing.
***
Celeste couldn’t stop laughing. She had no idea who the man on the horse was, but she didn’t doubt she looked like someone who’d gone crazy. The geese had begun following her from the first pond she passed when she departed Derry Hall.
For days, her business partners had told her to enjoy the fresh country air, so this morning, unable to sleep, she’d finally decided to do so, only to be chased by the bloody birds. She glanced at the man, and he grinned back at her. Her heart stumbled a little bit. There was a rugged appeal to him.
He watched her intently, and her body hummed under his perusal. Heat streaked across her cheeks. Why was she blushing? She wasn’t some young naïve miss. Taking a deep breath, Celeste said, “Thank you, sir. I feared they would chase me all the way down the road.”
A deep, rich laugh drifted out of him. He swung his leg over his horse and slid to the ground. He was tall, tan, and broad. She swallowed, as a shiver ran over her body, but it wasn’t from fear.
“I assume you are attending the same party as me at Derry Hall.”
Celeste realized the man was an American. “I am.”
“I’m Caleb Monteith.”
She nodded, her eyes locking with his green ones. “I’m Miss Hathway.”
Monteith flashed her a smile again. Celeste suspected it was one he used when trying to be charming. It most definitely was.
“Please call me Caleb or Monteith.”
Amusement filled her, and she laughed. “You might want to watch that with the ladies on the marriage mart; that is almost a proposal.”
He pressed his hands over his heart. “Are you saying no?”
Celeste did laugh then. She liked this American. “Very amusing, Monteith.”
“What is your full name?” he said, smiling at his own cleverness.
“Celeste Hathaway.”
“Shall I call you Celeste or Hathaway?” he inquired.
The blush that had finally disappeared from Celeste’s cheeks came back. While she enjoyed speaking with him, his lack of formality wouldn’t be good when they returned to Derry Hall.
“Hathaway, it is. Don’t worry, I like it. It has a certain endearing ring to it,” he said.
“Miss Hathaway is fine as well.”
“We are past such formalities. I saved you from vicious birds,” he said, beaming at her.
She couldn’t stop herself from giggling. The man was truly charming and one of the most attractive men she’d ever met. Her eyes wandered down him until she jerked her gaze back to his face, horrified that she was ogling him so openly.
His lips twitched in amusement, but he said nothing about it. Instead, he asked. “Where are we headed, Hathaway?”
“My friends suggested I enjoy the country air. I had no direction planned out, but now I suspect most of the house is up. I should probably return for breakfast.”
