Now every eye swung to Cranford, but he did not gratify them by making any comment. Instead he rose and left them without even an apology, a certain sign of his inner turmoil. Trelenny was still sitting where Clare had left her, a glazed look in her eyes, when he came abruptly into the room and closed the door.
"What's this nonsense Clare talks about Lady Jane?”
“I…It seemed to Mama and me,” Trelenny tried to point out in a reasonable voice, that you had formed an attachment for her while we were in Bath.”
“Well, I didn’t. For God’s sake, Trelenny, I told you that Jane and I had been friends for years.”
“Even friends of long standing can fall in love, Cranford.”
His gaze softened. “Yes, I know.”
“She seemed the perfect wife for you. I tried very hard to be happy about it.”
“Did you? But, Trelenny, when I offered for you…”
She lowered her eyes from his searching gaze. “I had made a fool of myself, letting you know how I felt. You never said you cared for me. I thought you were just honoring your word to my father.”
“I didn’t tell you? It’s hard for me to express how I feel, Trelenny. Too many times I have had to swallow any emotions I might have had because of my father. Do you really think I am like him?”
“No. I’m proud of what you did for Clare.”
“I’m relieved that everything has worked out so well.” He crossed the short distance which separated them and took her in his arms. “I do love you, Trelenny. You will have to teach me how to express myself.” And he bent to kiss her.
Sometime later she said, “You express yourself very well, Cranford.”
About the Author
Laura Matthews is the author of nineteen Regency romances and two Regency Christmas novellas. Writing as Elizabeth Neff Walker, she has also written numerous contemporary romances and women's fiction titles.
Ms. Matthews lives in San Francisco with her architect husband Paul and their two small dogs. She actively pursues her research interests (the Regency period and medical sociology) by membership in her local Jane Austen Society and by volunteering at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
More information about Ms. Matthews is available on the Belgrave House website:
www.belgravehouse.com
Publishing Information
Copyright © 1981 by Elizabeth Rotter (Laura Matthews)
Originally published by Warner Books
Electronically published in 2001 by Belgrave House
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228
http://www.belgravehouse.com
Electronic sales: [email protected]
This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.
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