Free Coulson's Wife (The Coulson Series) by Anna J. McIntyre Page A

one house.”
    “Are you going to stay
on that phone all night?” William heard a male voice ask. Apparently Randall
was not alone in his hotel suite. Everything went silent for a moment, as if
Randall had covered the mouthpiece with his hand.
    “Who is that?” William
asked.
    “Just someone I met. I
need to go now, I’m holding up the poker game.”
    “You’re playing poker
this late?”
    “Enough William, you
sound more like a wife than Mary Ellen. I’ll talk to you tomorrow night.”

Chapter Ten
     
    M ary Ellen was just
buttoning up the front of her dress when a knock came at the bedroom door.
Glancing from the mirror to the door, and back to the mirror, her nimble
fingers fastened the last button, bringing together the garment’s wide lace
collar.
    “Come in!” she called
out.
    Lily opened the door,
then picked up the tray she’d just set on the table in the hallway outside Mary
Ellen’s room. She brought the lunch tray into the bedroom while watching Mary
Ellen, who stood before the floor length mirror, pivoting from side to side
while inspecting her appearance. Mary Ellen’s hands slid down the sides of her
body, smoothing the fabric over her slim hips.
    “That dress looks
lovely on you. It’s a shame it won’t fit for long.” Lily cringed at her own
words then set the tray on the small table in the center of the bedroom.
“Sorry, ma’am. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    Mary Ellen understood Lily
was referring to the pregnancy. While Mary Ellen had been taught it was not
proper to discuss such matters, it was obvious her husband shared his erroneous
belief with someone on the household staff. She doubted he told Lily, yet
suspected it was Mrs. Parker who passed on the misinformation. She chose not to
comment.
    “Oh, what do we have
there?” Mary Ellen asked brightly, turning from the mirror and walking toward
the table.
    “Mrs. Parker didn’t
think it would be a good idea for you to skip lunch, so she instructed me to
bring up a tray of food.”
    “It’s very thoughtful
of Mrs. Parker, but I had a big breakfast, and I was planning on skipping lunch
so I could better enjoy my dinner out.”
    “Oh but ma’am, it’s not
a good idea to skip a meal…I mean…” Lily blushed.
    “Yes, I understand what
you’re saying. But I do wish Mrs. Parker wouldn’t fret about me so. Come, sit
down and help me eat this!”
    Lily started to decline
but Mary Ellen pulled out a chair for the maid and motioned for her to sit
down. Giving a shrug, Lily sat down as Mary Ellen took the second chair.
    “Have you had lunch
yet?”  Mary Ellen asked.
    “No ma’am.” Lily eyed
the chicken sandwich. Mary Ellen smiled, then picked up one-half of the
sandwich and handed it to Lily. Reluctantly, the maid accepted the offering.
    “I’m going to see Tarzan
of the Apes today.” Mary Ellen announced before picking up the second half
of the sandwich and taking a bite.
    “I heard it was a good
one.”
    “You haven’t seen it?”
    “No, but I do love
going to the movies.”
    Mary Ellen took another
bite of the sandwich. Lily thought it odd to be sharing a lunch with her
mistress while discussing movies, but she withheld comment.
    “I guess I was a little
hungry,” Mary Ellen said. 
    Lily smiled and
continued to eat her half of the sandwich.
    “It doesn’t feel as hot
as it has been all week,” Mary Ellen noted. “I hope it isn’t too warm in the
theatre.”
    “It’s been in the 80s
all week. But it does feel a bit cooler today. Would you like me to fix your hair
up, ma’am? That way if it warms up, it won’t feel so hot.”
    “Oh, could you? I’m not
very good with my hair, and it’s just easier for me to wear it down. But I
suppose the proper thing is to wear it up, now that I’m married.”
    “You’d look real keen
with one of those bob cuts the ladies have been wearing. You’ve the face for
it.”
    “Thank you, Lily.” Mary
Ellen blushed. “I would be tempted, but I will confess, my