butler’s presence.
“Yes. Tell Harris to prepare my best. My grandmother has summoned me to her side. I’m to be there in just under and hour, so we will have to make haste.”
As Greenville bowed out of the room, Wesley frowned. As much as he loved her and cherished the time he spent with her, he hated to see his grandmother in her weakened state. It was so different from the memories he held in his heart. Lady Stanton had raised him after the death of his parents. In many ways, she had been like a mother to him. And now she was confined to a wheelchair. Though she had grown stronger since her last attack, her doctors still frowned when they saw to her. And murmured quiet sentiments of sorrow that she would not be long for the earth.
It killed him to hear that, to smile and pretend when he knew what was coming over the horizon. It was going to be even harder to hide his reactions in his current condition. Hung-over and lost over Jane.
She would surely see his torment and offer words of comfort, no doubt, but also ask questions. Ones he had no answers to. And she could not take the worry away as she had when he was a child.
No one but Jane could clear his mind now. And only if he was brave enough to ask her.
#
The dim lighting in Lady Stanton’s private parlor only increased Jane’s nervousness. She smiled at the footman who had led her there and could only hope that her expression didn’t waver or reflect her inner turmoil. No matter how confused and emotional she was about the unexpected, out of control kiss she’d shared with Wesley last night, she didn’t want his grandmother to know anything was amiss. Not if his happiness would make the elderly lady’s final days a little more peaceful. That was part of the bargain they had struck. Wesley had kept up his end… she owed the same to him.
She took a seat on a settee and folded her trembling hands in her lap. Shutting her eyes, she tried to regain focus, but her treacherous mind could do only one thing: Take her back again and again, to the night before. To the feel of Wesley’s lips burning against hers. To the way her body had reacted so unexpectedly to that sinful touch.
And to Felicity’s assertion that Jane didn’t want her charade with Wesley to be pretend at all.
Her eyes flew open. That was ridiculous.
She was saved from her thoughts when the door to the adjoining bedchamber came open and a maid entered, pushing a wheelchair before her that contained Lady Stanton. Jane came to her feet on shaky knees.
“Good afternoon, my lady,” she managed to croak out.
“Sit, my dear. Please sit.”
Lady Stanton waved Jane back to the chair as the maid set her mistress in place and locked the wheels of the contraption in place. Without question or hesitation, the young woman quickly poured the tea and then inclined her head toward her mistress.
“That will be all, Marianne,” Lady Stanton said with a warm smile. “And will you close the door on your way out? I shall ring if we require any further assistance.”
The maid nodded, then did her ladyship’s bidding, leaving Jane alone with Lady Stanton. But now that she was sitting with her, Jane didn’t feel the knot of worry in her chest… or at least it wasn’t so large and overpowering.
It had been nearly eight months since Lady Stanton had last been out in Society and Jane had almost forgotten what she looked like. She was the picture of the perfect grandmother from every sweet childhood story. Soft and tender with lines on her face that said she smiled often. Her bright green eyes put Jane to mind of Wesley’s eyes.
Why, she wasn’t someone to fear at all! All Jane had to do was reassure the lady that Wesley’s future would be happy and the woman could find peace.
“I hope you don’t mind meeting in my private sitting room,” Lady Stanton asked. “It is difficult for me to move about the house now that the doctors insist upon me staying in my bed during the majority of the
“Yes. Tell Harris to prepare my best. My grandmother has summoned me to her side. I’m to be there in just under and hour, so we will have to make haste.”
As Greenville bowed out of the room, Wesley frowned. As much as he loved her and cherished the time he spent with her, he hated to see his grandmother in her weakened state. It was so different from the memories he held in his heart. Lady Stanton had raised him after the death of his parents. In many ways, she had been like a mother to him. And now she was confined to a wheelchair. Though she had grown stronger since her last attack, her doctors still frowned when they saw to her. And murmured quiet sentiments of sorrow that she would not be long for the earth.
It killed him to hear that, to smile and pretend when he knew what was coming over the horizon. It was going to be even harder to hide his reactions in his current condition. Hung-over and lost over Jane.
She would surely see his torment and offer words of comfort, no doubt, but also ask questions. Ones he had no answers to. And she could not take the worry away as she had when he was a child.
No one but Jane could clear his mind now. And only if he was brave enough to ask her.
#
The dim lighting in Lady Stanton’s private parlor only increased Jane’s nervousness. She smiled at the footman who had led her there and could only hope that her expression didn’t waver or reflect her inner turmoil. No matter how confused and emotional she was about the unexpected, out of control kiss she’d shared with Wesley last night, she didn’t want his grandmother to know anything was amiss. Not if his happiness would make the elderly lady’s final days a little more peaceful. That was part of the bargain they had struck. Wesley had kept up his end… she owed the same to him.
She took a seat on a settee and folded her trembling hands in her lap. Shutting her eyes, she tried to regain focus, but her treacherous mind could do only one thing: Take her back again and again, to the night before. To the feel of Wesley’s lips burning against hers. To the way her body had reacted so unexpectedly to that sinful touch.
And to Felicity’s assertion that Jane didn’t want her charade with Wesley to be pretend at all.
Her eyes flew open. That was ridiculous.
She was saved from her thoughts when the door to the adjoining bedchamber came open and a maid entered, pushing a wheelchair before her that contained Lady Stanton. Jane came to her feet on shaky knees.
“Good afternoon, my lady,” she managed to croak out.
“Sit, my dear. Please sit.”
Lady Stanton waved Jane back to the chair as the maid set her mistress in place and locked the wheels of the contraption in place. Without question or hesitation, the young woman quickly poured the tea and then inclined her head toward her mistress.
“That will be all, Marianne,” Lady Stanton said with a warm smile. “And will you close the door on your way out? I shall ring if we require any further assistance.”
The maid nodded, then did her ladyship’s bidding, leaving Jane alone with Lady Stanton. But now that she was sitting with her, Jane didn’t feel the knot of worry in her chest… or at least it wasn’t so large and overpowering.
It had been nearly eight months since Lady Stanton had last been out in Society and Jane had almost forgotten what she looked like. She was the picture of the perfect grandmother from every sweet childhood story. Soft and tender with lines on her face that said she smiled often. Her bright green eyes put Jane to mind of Wesley’s eyes.
Why, she wasn’t someone to fear at all! All Jane had to do was reassure the lady that Wesley’s future would be happy and the woman could find peace.
“I hope you don’t mind meeting in my private sitting room,” Lady Stanton asked. “It is difficult for me to move about the house now that the doctors insist upon me staying in my bed during the majority of the
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