Part 30 (1/2)
”Still-”
”There is no still about it. I have never lied to you. There are things I have never told you because it was not necessary to do so. If anything, I am guilty of lies of omission, which I feel no need to apologize for as those were dictated by the nature-”
”Yes, yes, I know.” Celeste waved away his words impatiently. ”The nature of the department.”
She considered what he had said and was hard-pressed to argue the point. Indeed, she had never asked about the man Evelyn had married, had never thought to ask. Why would she? In spite of his reputation with women, Lord W was of good family and had recently inherited a t.i.tle. One could tell simply by looking at him that he would rise to the occasion. And he had. Nor would one ever have suspected his randy bachelor days concealed a life far more serious. And indeed, hadn't they always lived by the rule that people never saw what they did not expect to see?
”Admittedly, you have a valid point.”
”I usually do.”
”But,” she said pointedly, ”since you called Evelyn back to the department, you have to admit you have not been entirely honest with me.”
”But”-his tone echoed hers-”you have to admit I did not actually lie to you either.”
”You led me to believe-”
”Which is not the same as lying.”
”I am still furious with you.”
”Now who is lying?”
”You had my dearest friend kidnapped!”
”Yes, but I never lied about it.” He shrugged. ”It needed to be done.”
”Why?”
”Waterston needed to know how his wife felt about him. Whom she would choose if given the choice.”
She stared in disbelief. ”You mean a choice between Lord W and Sir?”
”Yes.”
”But they are one and the same.”
”But she doesn't know that.”
”And you helped him.”
”He is my friend. He has saved my life on more than one occasion. It seemed little enough repayment.” For a long moment Max didn't say a word. ”Besides, I wanted him back.”
”What do you-” The answer dawned on her and she sucked in a hard breath. ”You never truly needed Evelyn at all, did you? You just brought her back to get her husband.”
”It was rather clever.”
”It was rather vile.”
”Vile is a harsh word.”
”And yet appropriate.” She huffed. ”What happens now?”
”Now?” He shook his head. ”Nothing, it's over. Waterston is on his way to rescue his wife. And that's the end of it.”
”She needs to know the truth.”
”Not from us,” he said firmly. ”It's between the two of them now and we should leave it to them.”
”Yes, we should.” And she firmly intended to do so until the moment she saw Evelyn. ”Then you will not tell him I know his secret?”
”Oh, well, he should know that-”
”No.” Her tone hardened. ”You tell him that I know the truth, and I swear by all that's holy, you'll regret it.”
”Are you threatening me?”
”I prefer to think of it as a promise.”
He considered her carefully. ”But he is my friend.”
”And I am the woman you claim to love.” She paused. ”The woman you wish to marry.”
”I see.” He thought for a moment. ”Nonetheless it does seem to me that I owe greater allegiance to a man who has saved me in the past than to a woman who may or may not marry me.”
She gasped. ”Oh, you are a wicked man.”
”But I am your wicked man or at least I want to be.”
Celeste thought for a moment. ”And your allegiance to, oh, say a fiancee? Would that be greater than to a friend?”
”Without question.” He paused. ”But only if said fiancee truly intended to marry me and was not just getting her way.”
She nodded slowly. ”I can agree to that.”
”When?”
”When what?”
”When will you marry me?”
”I don't know. Eventually.”
”Celeste.”
”Very well then. Sooner rather than later, I suppose.” She huffed. ”This is not the place to be discussing the rest of our lives. Where are you taking me anyway?”
”We are going to my flat, where you will spend the entire night,” he said firmly. ”I wish to celebrate with my fiancee.”
”But I should be home when Evelyn-”