Read Online A Companion for Life by Cari Hislop - Free Book Online Page B

exaggerated
disbelief. “…circumference. You must find it a trial, having such a
beautiful husband.”

    “How would Mr Bowen’s beauty be a trial?”

    Lady Gillingham made a show of suppressing
her amusement. “My dear, didn’t you think it a trifle odd that a
new husband would mention the fact he has a mistress? It’s not
something most men admit to their brides. It implies the wife is
incapable of fulfilling his needs.” Lily bit the inside of her
cheek and silently reminded herself that Mr Bowen had married her
out of pity, but the awful words pierced her heart. “You and I
shall be great friends; we’re like two halves of a wife.” Lily
didn’t return the lady’s cold smile. “Your size may make it
impossible for you to pleasure Penryth, but you can be his hearth
companion and ensure his house is run properly while I fulfill his
physical needs and ensure he’s satiated with happiness. A well run
house makes a man comfortable, but men can’t endure celibacy
without going mad, or so I’m told. You wouldn’t want a raving
Welshman at your breakfast table; you never know what a man will do
when his needs are pressing. He might even beat you black and
blue.” Lily blinked back more tears. What did the horrid woman mean
her size made it impossible? “You were lately living with your
sister Mrs Philips I understand? She was a beauty in her prime.
Isn’t it odd how family blood seems to randomly decree a curse on
one sibling and a blessing on the other…like Jacob and Esau. You
have the most interesting hair. There’s so much of it. I can
understand why you’d simply leave it down. It must be impossible to
put up without looking like you have a tumor on your head. Have you
ever tried to powder it to tone down the orange?”

    “Mr Bowen likes it down.”

    Lady Gillingham looked shocked before
recovering her superior smile. “It must look better down than up.
Men always prefer long hair. My husband has forbid me to cut mine,
though he’s gone to India so I could cut it all off and he might
never know.”

    “No, he might die before he can return to
find you’ve been playing wife with my husband.”

    “Mrs Bowen, I was hoping we could be friends,
but you appear to have an emaciated unforgiving heart for such a
fat body. Don’t come crying to me when your husband beats you black
and blue because you’re too rotund to pleasure him. I tried to be
helpful, but some people won’t be helped. It appears Penryth has
made a poor choice of bride. Pray he doesn’t decide to get an
annulment and send you back to Mrs Philips; I understand she’s
quite a hard task master.” Lady Gillingham stood up with studied
dignity. “I shan’t stay for tea. Doubtless you’ll need the lot to
keep your spirits from drooping as low as your bust. It’s no wonder
Penryth came to me this morning to be pleasured, he was probably
afraid he’d suffocate in your bosom if he tried to make love to
you. I’ll show myself out; conserve your vigour for luncheon.”

    Lily’s cold heart had frozen her limbs. She
was still sitting there staring into space when Jones entered five
minutes later carrying a tea tray. “Is there a key to my chamber
door?”

    “It’s on your mantel, in the round ceramic
dish.” Lily somehow managed to shift her weight to her feet and
move her legs to her room. Locking the door, she tore both emerald
bracelets from her wrists and let them fall to the floor before
collapsing face down onto the bed and rolling onto her back. Mr
Bowen had kissed her knowing he was going to visit that awful
woman; her heart felt a vicious stabbing sensation every time the
fact crawled through her conscious. His kisses and kindness meant
nothing. If only Mr Bowen had left the bottle of laudanum in her
room. She could have drunk it and insured that she’d never have to
face him. She lay on her bed feeling like a whale that had been
harpooned, cut up and prepared to be burnt in an oil lamp. She was
nothing but a greasy