Read Online Sea of Lost Love by Santa Montefiore - Free Book Online

his ladies, endeavoring to join together the fragmented pieces of conversation in order to respond convincingly.
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    To Celestria’s irritation, Julia had seated her next to Dan, not Rafferty, but she forgave her because Dan had introduced her to the mysterious Irishman. On her other side sat Humphrey, now puce in the face with alcohol and excitement. Her heart sank. Judging by the breadth of his smile he was clearly triumphant with his placement.
    â€œAh, Celestria,” he gushed, planting his hand on her bottom. “The lovely Celestria!” He wriggled his hand and let out a theatrical groan. “What do you do to me, you naughty girl.”
    She placed the object of his desire on the chair and covered her knees with a napkin. She was about to respond with rudeness when her attention was drawn to the next-door table, where Rafferty was sitting next to Melissa, trying to catch her eye. While Melissa radiated joy, Rafferty gave Celestria a look of desperation, to which she responded by raising her eyes to heaven. There was no doubt about it, Rafferty and she had an understanding and were united already by their unfortunate placements. It is clear that he would have preferred to sit next to me, she thought happily and threw him a coy smile. He grinned back, using only one side of his mouth. Her stomach flipped again. Oh, how delicious it was to be in love.

5
    F ather Dalgliesh was ill at ease with people. In front of his congregation he sparkled. He commandeered the nave, recited Latin as if it were his first language, and filled everyone with enthusiasm to go out more virtuous than they came in. That was why the bishop had appointed him to this parish and the two neighboring ones, despite his relative youth and inexperience. In his professional capacity he had charisma: he inspired people, stimulated them, poured oil on the rusty chinks in their faith. But when it came to everyday conversation, relating to the mundane toils of his congregants, he felt he was sitting behind a pane of glass, unable to reach them. This made him nervous. Yet he recognized the challenge before him, and, as he sat between Penelope Flint and a lively woman in her late sixties, he knew the only way to improve his social skills was to practice. He watched Celestria take her seat at a table on the other side of the tent and felt his heart deflate with disappointment. How he wished he were sitting next to her. Suddenly, he caught sight of his feet. His stomach lurched in horror as he noticed one red sock and one green. He quickly pushed them under the table, thus concealing them from Penelope’s incisive gaze. It was shameful to be so distracted as to forget to dress properly.
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    â€œYour grandmother is right, Celestria. You’re asking for trouble in a dress like that. But, as you said yourself, you like trouble. You like it a lot, don’t you, my dear?”
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about, Humphrey. Really, the champagne has gone to your head,” she replied. She felt the old man’s hand squeezing her knee.
    â€œYou don’t fool me,” he whispered.
    â€œWhy would I want to fool you, Humphrey?”
    â€œBecause you look like butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth. But you’ve been a naughty girl, haven’t you?”
    â€œNow you’re boring me,” she said wearily. His hand remained firmly on her knee.
    â€œI can smell naughtiness on a girl, you see. I have the smelling power of a dog. You like a little hanky-panky, don’t you? But then, it runs in the family. Your grandmother liked a little hanky-panky, too, when she was young. She wasn’t as beautiful as you, but she was sexy. I was her cousin, so no hanky-panky for me. But you, you…” She could feel his hot breath on her cheek. “You like the pleasures of the flesh, don’t you, Celestria? You’re a sensual woman, I can tell.” His hand wandered up her thigh. “You