Read Online Into Temptation (Spoils of Time 03) by Penny Vincenzi - Free Book Online
Authors: Penny Vincenzi
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to be a good wife to Bunny, supportive of whatever he wants to do.’ She smiled at Barty, a wry, conspiratorial smile. ‘It’s a novel sensation. Now, I don’t expect you to rejoice at what I am doing. But I would like you to understand, and to try to approve.’
‘I will. Of course I will,’ said Barty carefully. She found Celia’s protestations deeply unconvincing. It was rather as if she had suddenly embraced a different faith or announced her intention to vote Labour and to give everything she had to the poor. She took a deep breath. ‘Anyway, Celia, I am very glad that you’re keeping your shares. I feel that if you do – recant—’
‘A strange word,’ said Celia.
‘Perhaps. Well, anyway, if you do start missing it all – which I still think you might – you can get back without too much difficulty. The others probably wouldn’t like to hear me saying that,’ she added.
‘Probably not. Of course it won’t happen, and I know I won’t miss it, but I’m very touched that you feel like that. Touched and surprised.’
‘Celia, I’m not a complete idiot,’ said Barty. ‘I value you more than anyone or anything else in the company. You know I do.’
‘Well, thank you. Now what else did you want to say? I can tell there’s something.’
‘Well – ’ she hesitated, ‘ – well, I just feel that Wol would be—’
‘Distressed? At my remarrying so soon?’
‘Yes. A bit.’
‘Barty, I really don’t think he would. I honestly believe that. I think he would be quite happy to see me become Lady Arden. And indeed to be leaving Lyttons.’
Another silence. Then Celia leaned forward, put her hand over Barty’s.
‘Now I can tell you what would have caused him distress. My marrying – well, marrying someone else.’
Barty looked at her. ‘Do you really think so?’
‘I know so, Barty. Absolutely. That would have hurt him very badly. Very badly indeed.’
Just the same, Oliver’s gentle, charming presence haunted the marriage ceremony at Chelsea Register Office and later the reception in Lord Arden’s house in Belgrave Square. There was something chilly and joyless about the whole day, however much champagne went down, however amusing and flattering Boy Warwick’s speech, however determinedly everyone smiled and joked and kissed, however beautiful and happy Celia looked: and she did look both. She wore a dazzling suit from Balenciaga – ‘Well one doesn’t get married every day’ – in palest blue shantung with the new bloused jacket, and a hugely wide feather and straw hat by Simone Mirman, and when the registrar declared them man and wife, Celia smiled and leaned forward to kiss Bunny and knocked the hat crooked. It was one of the few spontaneously joyful moments of the day.
Celia had been very hurt by the polite refusal of her invitation from both Oliver’s brothers.
‘I don’t believe she really thought either of them would come,’ said Adele. ‘Apart from anything else, Robert is quite old now and it’s a frightful journey for him, even by plane.’
‘I know, but I don’t think she minds quite so much about him. It’s Jack, you know how she loves him.’
‘Well that’s a long journey too, all the way from California, and Lily’s very frail, isn’t she? With her arthritis, poor old darling.’
‘All those high kicks in her youth, I expect,’ said Venetia with a sigh. She and Adele both adored Jack’s wife; Lily had been a chorus girl when she met Jack, and a very briefly twinkling star of the silver screen in the Twenties. They had returned for a short while to England to live, but the climate had been bad for Lily; and without all their friends in Hollywood they had been lonely and bored. But Celia had loved Jack, who was the same age as her to the day, and she had really thought he would make the trip for her, had even offered to pay the fare, knowing he and Lily were far from well-off. But a charmingly firm note had come back, saying it would be
‘I will. Of course I will,’ said Barty carefully. She found Celia’s protestations deeply unconvincing. It was rather as if she had suddenly embraced a different faith or announced her intention to vote Labour and to give everything she had to the poor. She took a deep breath. ‘Anyway, Celia, I am very glad that you’re keeping your shares. I feel that if you do – recant—’
‘A strange word,’ said Celia.
‘Perhaps. Well, anyway, if you do start missing it all – which I still think you might – you can get back without too much difficulty. The others probably wouldn’t like to hear me saying that,’ she added.
‘Probably not. Of course it won’t happen, and I know I won’t miss it, but I’m very touched that you feel like that. Touched and surprised.’
‘Celia, I’m not a complete idiot,’ said Barty. ‘I value you more than anyone or anything else in the company. You know I do.’
‘Well, thank you. Now what else did you want to say? I can tell there’s something.’
‘Well – ’ she hesitated, ‘ – well, I just feel that Wol would be—’
‘Distressed? At my remarrying so soon?’
‘Yes. A bit.’
‘Barty, I really don’t think he would. I honestly believe that. I think he would be quite happy to see me become Lady Arden. And indeed to be leaving Lyttons.’
Another silence. Then Celia leaned forward, put her hand over Barty’s.
‘Now I can tell you what would have caused him distress. My marrying – well, marrying someone else.’
Barty looked at her. ‘Do you really think so?’
‘I know so, Barty. Absolutely. That would have hurt him very badly. Very badly indeed.’
Just the same, Oliver’s gentle, charming presence haunted the marriage ceremony at Chelsea Register Office and later the reception in Lord Arden’s house in Belgrave Square. There was something chilly and joyless about the whole day, however much champagne went down, however amusing and flattering Boy Warwick’s speech, however determinedly everyone smiled and joked and kissed, however beautiful and happy Celia looked: and she did look both. She wore a dazzling suit from Balenciaga – ‘Well one doesn’t get married every day’ – in palest blue shantung with the new bloused jacket, and a hugely wide feather and straw hat by Simone Mirman, and when the registrar declared them man and wife, Celia smiled and leaned forward to kiss Bunny and knocked the hat crooked. It was one of the few spontaneously joyful moments of the day.
Celia had been very hurt by the polite refusal of her invitation from both Oliver’s brothers.
‘I don’t believe she really thought either of them would come,’ said Adele. ‘Apart from anything else, Robert is quite old now and it’s a frightful journey for him, even by plane.’
‘I know, but I don’t think she minds quite so much about him. It’s Jack, you know how she loves him.’
‘Well that’s a long journey too, all the way from California, and Lily’s very frail, isn’t she? With her arthritis, poor old darling.’
‘All those high kicks in her youth, I expect,’ said Venetia with a sigh. She and Adele both adored Jack’s wife; Lily had been a chorus girl when she met Jack, and a very briefly twinkling star of the silver screen in the Twenties. They had returned for a short while to England to live, but the climate had been bad for Lily; and without all their friends in Hollywood they had been lonely and bored. But Celia had loved Jack, who was the same age as her to the day, and she had really thought he would make the trip for her, had even offered to pay the fare, knowing he and Lily were far from well-off. But a charmingly firm note had come back, saying it would be
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