by Maria Grace
Wentworth would have been different, though. Certainly, he would have. Did Lady Russell persuade her against him because he did not hear dragons, or because he did? Had she feared she could not persuade him of her identity as the widow Lady Russell or was it something more, like the way she feared Mr. Elliot would find a way to use her for his own gain? Wentworth would have never done such a thing—Anne knew his character well enough to be certain of that. But it was all really a moot point. Lady Russell would not own to anything she might have done, and they would likely never see Wentworth again.
Lady Russell stood straight and stepped over the bench to face Anne. “You know that if Mr. Elliot does inherit the estate, I will not be able to stay at Kellynch. I will have to find another place to live.”
“Will that be a problem? Is that something that we should be seeking even now?” For all Lady Russell’s foibles and peculiarities, it would be difficult to lose her oldest friend.
“I have been looking into the matter. I do have friends, you know.”
“You have never introduced me. Who are they?”
“No one of consequence to you. The material issue, though, is that I do believe I will be able to secure a cottage in the country that will be quite adequate. It is not unusual for a … a woman, a widow … like myself to have a companion with her. I thought perchance, if you are agreeable … well, I should very much like your company. We have been friends for so very long now, that it would seem quite odd to be without you. You might come with me and live as companion to this widow in a small neighborhood, in a quiet situation. Sir Henry left me sufficient means. I think it could be quite comfortable.”
“So then, what you are saying is that if I do not retain the Keepership at Kellynch, you would like me to Keep your new establishment? Or are you offering to Keep me?”
Lady Russell turned her head this way and that, finally hunching into her thinking posture. “A dragon keeping a person? What a very odd thought. You are becoming quite a peculiar girl since visiting that Blue Order of yours.”
“Perhaps I am, my friend, perhaps I am.” And, though neither her father, nor her sisters, nor possibly even Lady Russell might approve, it was not a bad thing at all.
Looking for the next books in the
series? Find them here:
Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon
Longbourn: Dragon Entail
Netherfield: Rogue Dragon
A Proper Introduction to Dragons
The Dragons of Kellynch
(Coming soon!) Kellynch: Dragon Persuasion
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Other books by Maria Grace:
Jane Austen’s Dragons Series:
A Proper Introduction to Dragons
Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon
Longbourn: Dragon Entail
Netherfield: Rogue Dragon
The Dragons of Kellynch
Kellynch: Dragon Persuasion
Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions
Remember the Past
The Darcy Brothers
Given Good Principles Series:
Darcy’s Decision
The Future Mrs. Darcy
All the Appearance of Goodness
Twelfth Night at Longbourn
The Queen of Rosings Park Series:
Mistaking Her Character
The Trouble to Check Her
A Less Agreeable Man
Sweet Tea Stories:
A Spot of Sweet Tea: Hopes and Beginnings
Snowbound at Hartfield
A Most Affectionate Mother
Inspiration
Darcy Family Christmas Series
Darcy & Elizabeth: Christmas 1811
The Darcy’s First Christmas
From Admiration to Love
Regency Life (Nonfiction) Series:
A Jane Austen Christmas: Regency Christmas
Traditions
Courtship and Marriage in Jane Austen’s World
How Jane Austen Kept her Cool: An A to Z History of Georgian Ice Cream
Behind the Scene Anthologies (with Austen
Variations):
Pride and Prejudice: Behind the Scenes
Persuasion: Behind the Scenes
Non-fiction Anthologies
Castles, Customs, and Kings Vol. 1
Castles, Customs, and Kings Vol. 2
Putting the Science in Fiction
Available in e-book and paperback
Free ebooks
Available at Maria Grace’s website:
RandomBitsofFascination.com
~Rising Waters: Hurricane Harvey Memoirs
~Lady Catherine’s Cat
~A Gift from Rosings Park
~Bits of Bobbin Lace
~Half Agony, Half Hope: New Reflections on Persuasion
~Four Days in April
About the Author
Six time BRAG Medallion Honoree, #1 Best-selling Historical Fantasy author Maria Grace has her PhD in Educational Psychology and is a 16-year veteran of the university classroom where she taught courses in human growth and development, learning, test development and counseling. None of which have anything to do with her undergraduate studies in economics/sociology/managerial studies/behavior sciences. She pretends to be a mild-mannered writer/cat-lady, but most of her vacations require helmets and waivers or historical costumes, usually not at the same time.
She writes gaslamp fantasy, historical romance and non-fiction to help justify her research addiction.
Her books are available at all major online booksellers.
She can be contacted at:
[email protected]
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Random Bits of Fascination
Austen Variations
English Historical Fiction Authors
Pinterest
Dedication
For my husband and sons.
You have always believed in me.
Acknowledgments
So many people have helped me along the journey taking this from an idea to a reality.
Debbie, Diana, Anji, Susanne, Jan and Ruth thank you so much for cold reading and being honest!
My dear friend Cathy, my biggest cheerleader, you have kept me from chickening out more than once!
And my sweet sister Gerri who believed in even those first attempts that now live in the file drawer!
Thank you!
Don’t miss a dragon update! Sign up for the Blue Order Dragon Newsletter HERE and get a free copy of The Blue Order Dragon Index