ROOK AND RAVEN: The Celtic Kingdom Trilogy Book One by Julie Harvey Delcourt Read Free Book Online Page B

right.  First I was told she was missing, then possibly dead.  When I found out that Jessy was alive, and in London, I tried to come back here.  A halt was put to that.  Over the years, she sent little tidbits that painted a very clear picture of Jessy with a series of lovers and flaunting herself among the
    Demi Monde.” 
    “So, she what, told you Jessy was a courtesan and therefore you should feel cheerful about moving on? Jessy has never even taken a breeches part.  She is this generations Sarah Siddons.  You really should have put aside that bloody pride of yours and asked me.  I wasn’t going to tell you a damned thing about Jessy unless you did.  You might have saved yourself a great deal of embarrassment but, I for one, think it quite marvelous she got the better of you,” He looked thoughtfully at Sebastian for a moment, “You know your mother always hated your interest in Jessy even as she made nice to her mother.  I’m not sure why you thought for a moment she was telling you the truth.”
    Sebastian finally sat across from David and leaning forward intently he said, “My mother has done an excellent job of damning herself my friend.  More than that I cannot tell you now, but hopefully soon she shall get all she deserves,” Sebastian seemed to hesitate a moment before continuing, “There were good reasons for not asking after Jessy and I will tell you soon,” he paused in troubled thought.  He had been given permission to enlist David in his current endeavor.  He knew now that David had been wounded and barely survived Waterloo.  He was conflicted about involving him.  He probably didn’t have a choice. He would need all the help he could get and someone he could trust completely to watch his back.
    “So what do I do now David?  About Jessy, I mean? I seem to be making a career of being wrong footed with her.  I come back thinking she is a courtesan, you spring her on me as an actress, and let’s admit that those two things often go together.  Instead, I find her the toast of London, a widow, respectable you tell me, in a way few actresses have ever been.  I didn’t really believe it when she told me she is being courted by Tamworth.  I’ll be lucky if Tamworth doesn’t try and shoot me in a duel.”  Restlessly Sebastian got back up and paced to the fire.  Tamworth was not an enemy he needed to make, not by a long stretch.
    David considered his next words carefully.  In a less complicated man he wouldn’t feel quite like he was picking his way through a thorn hedge, but this was Sebastian.  His friend had proven over the years that he was all about contradictions; you never knew whether he was going to be hot headed, cold as ice, impetuous, selfish, generous, or pick a fight.  All in all he had always been a volatile, dangerous combination.  Sebastian had spent most of his life convincing himself and others that he was amoral and self-absorbed but David was never surprised at the good in his friend. He had always been less surprised at the good in Sebastian than Sebastian was in himself. 
    It was all due to that controlling horror of a mother who had manipulated and attempted to toughen and embitter her only child at all costs.  His friend was a good man, though he would hate to hear that expressed. But, his Celtica born, Viking mother was a piece of work. David would trust Sebastian with his life.  He had survived living at Red Sails under the rule of the Countess of Redsayle with his friend.  He knew him as well as you could know another person but, what he didn’t know was could he be trusted with Jessy?  
    He found the scene between the two former lovers not only rather entertaining but proof that something was still there between them, despite bad behavior on both their parts. Anyone hearing his thoughts would think his judgment severely off but he saw the farce of their fireworks laden reunion as rather hopeful.  There was obviously still something there.