Page 56 of Death of a Courtesan
For the first time, Riley appeared to have surprised Celeste. ‘She kept my letters?’
‘We haven’t found them yet. I learned from another source that she received regular letters until a few months ago which is, I assume, when you returned to London. At which point you met with Adelaide in person rather than corresponding with her.’
Celeste tilted her head. ‘You are very perceptive.’
‘Did Adelaide tell you why she left her family and finished up selling herself?’
‘For the same reason as a lot of us do.’ Celeste lifted one elegant shoulder. ‘She was molested by her uncle, her family didn’t believe her and she wasn’t prepared to sit passively by and wait until he decided to rape her.’
‘You believed her story?’
‘Oh yes.’ She looked away. ‘It was so similar to my own circumstances that there could be no doubt. Except that I was cornered by my own father when he was in a drunken rage and didn’t escape quite so easily as Adelaide.’ She let out a slow breath. ‘I lost my virginity to my own father at the age of fourteen.’
Riley shook his head. ‘I am so very sorry. No wonder ladies in your position grow to despise men in general.’
‘I was made to believe it was my own fault, that I had brought it on myself and no one would take my word over my father’s if I said anything.’ She stared off into the distance and shrugged again. ‘That was probably true. That I wouldn’t be believed, I mean. So I decided my father wouldn’t have an opportunity to do the same thing to me again. My older sister had left home abruptly at an early age. She lives in London so I came to her and…well, progressed to what I do now. Except now it’s on my terms. Men can pay for my body but they will never own or control me. Adelaide felt the same way.’
‘Were you aware that she died a virgin?’
Celeste’s smile highlighted her delicate beauty, making Riley see why his brother was so enamoured with her. An evening in her company would make a man forget all his troubles, even if their liaison wasn’t sexual. She simply had that way about her. What she had just told him about her own circumstances also explained why she was unwilling to become Henry’s exclusive mistress. Tight as a tic with his money, if Henry purchased sole rights to her services he would most definitely want to control her.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘We used to laugh about that. It was an ultimate means of control. A virgin holding sway over all those powerful men. We couldn’t help wondering how they would have reacted had they known the truth.’ Her smile abruptly faded. ‘Now we shall never find out.’
‘What did you and she talk about when you met?’
‘Oh, her revenge, of course. She survived by plotting her family’s downfall.’
Riley tried not to show how interested he was in that comment. ‘Did she indeed,’ he remarked casually.
‘She blamed her aunt as much as her uncle for allowing matters to run out of control. She described her aunt as a jealous old harridan who resented Adelaide and totally dominated her mother. Adelaide followed her family’s fortunes from afar and knew of her mother’s death. That was the final blow and everything she did from that point onwards was with single-minded determination to have her revenge.’
‘How?’
‘You will have to ask my husband that question,’ Celeste replied with a casual wave of one hand.
‘Your husband?’ Riley jerked upright. ‘Excuse me, but I was not aware that you were married.’
She dismissal Riley’s comment with a negligent shrug. ‘Is there any reason why you should have been?’
‘Well no, I suppose not, but I assumed—’
‘You assumed,’ she said, an edge to her voice, ‘that because I sell myself, no respectable man would want a permanent connection with me?’
‘Quite the reverse, I do assure you. My brother would walk over hot coals if you would agree to his terms.’
‘He is not asking me to marry him—and even if he was in a position to do so, I would not accept him. Henry has yet to learn that not everyone in this world is impressed by his elevated position within society, or would like to have any part of it.’ Celeste smiled. ‘I married a year ago, which is why I returned to London. It suits my husband and me not to advertise the fact that we are married, but it is no secret either.’
‘You no longer offer yourself to other men?’
‘Oh, I do occasionally, with my husband’s prior knowledge and approval. I am very skilled at what I do, Lord Riley, and charge accordingly. We need, or should I say needed, every penny that we could raise between us in order to help Adelaide gain her revenge.’
Riley shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have the pleasure of understanding you. Why would you want to give everything you have to help Adelaide? I know she was your particular friend, but still…’
‘Oh, Michael and I are in it primarily for profit but if it also meant that Adelaide could even the score, then all to the good.’
‘Is your husband here?’
‘Not at the moment, but I am expecting him back later tonight or in the morning. He is in France at the moment.’
A teasing smile graced Celeste’s pretty lips, which was when the penny dropped.
‘You are married to Michael Clement,’ Riley said slowly.
