Ransom Redeemed by Jayne Fresina

Author:Jayne Fresina
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Historical Romance, Victorian, Historical
Publisher: Twisted E-Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

As the horse took her away from Deverell's house, hooves sloshing wearily through puddles, Mary's insides tumbled through a gamut of emotions. None of which she wanted to identify. She let her body bounce and sway carelessly with every bump, her basket in her lap, her gaze fixed to the cobbled road ahead.

Elizabeth Grosvenor.

Now Lady Elizabeth Stanbury, of course. Wife of George Stanbury— the man once engaged to marry Mary.

In that other lifetime.

It was several years since Mary had seen Elizabeth, but there was a time when they moved in the same social circles, attended the same balls and parties. She would have recognized her anywhere, although Elizabeth had not known who she was, only that there was something familiar. Well, she supposed time had changed her appearance and not for the better. Worries and responsibilities did that to a person, Mary thought grimly, fingers tightening around her basket.

In comparison Elizabeth had looked very well standing on Ransom Deverell's steps. She was older than Mary, but very well preserved, positively glowing with health and contentment. A woman who glided smoothly through life. A woman for whom nothing ever went wrong. A woman who would trample her own grandmother to get a foot up the social ladder.

"I know you, don't I?" spoken in that clipped, cut-glass, aristocratic voice.

Mary was surprised the woman dared admit they had ever known each other.

Blowing out a hefty sigh, she turned her head to watch the light of the street lamps slipping by. There were fewer lights here, of course, for the horses were taking her farther away from the affluent part of town. The stripes of darkness became broader and longer, briefly lit faces sucked away into shadow, until she might as well be the only one out on the road.

Did George know his wife paid visits to Ransom Deverell under cover of darkness?

She imagined Violet's voice then, "Serve him right, the blackguard!"

But it was years since Mary had felt any real anger against George. As she'd said to her sister, she could hardly fault the man for wanting to secure his father's estate and keep his home. Besides, he had forgotten her so easily, set her aside with so little apparent qualm, did that not suggest he could have done the same even if they married?

During their courtship, Mary had never pried too far beneath George Stanbury's fine surface. He was charming and lively, but they had never been alone together, of course. There were always other people there, chaperones and friends to keep them from the "temptation of improper intimacies". The knowledge they had of each other, however many times they were in company, could have been noted on a card no larger than four inches square.

But when her father and brothers encouraged the match, Mary had found herself swept up in the merriment. She agreed to marry him, aware that their engagement must be of some lengthy duration. His father was very ill and George did not think it right to plan a wedding until his health had improved.

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