Web of Love by Mary Balogh Page B

her that anxiety was a pointless luxury.
    They were walking in the park beside the lake. She had met the captain there after he had finished duty for the day. Jennifer and Lady Anne Drummond, Lord Eden and Lieutenant Penworth were watching the swans on the water.
    â€œJennifer has taken it well, hasn’t she?” Captain Simpson said. “I expected that there would be many more tears than there actually have been.”
    â€œI think she was consoled when she knew that Lady Anne and several of her other friends are also going home,” Ellen said. “And I think she is a little frightened, Charlie. She is very young, after all.”
    â€œI don’t know how to thank Lord Amberley enough,” he said. “We scarce know him apart from our connection with Eden. It was exceedingly kind of him to agree to take Jennifer home to England with his own family.”
    â€œI think that has helped Jennifer too,” Ellen said. “The prospect of being able to help the countess and her nurse with those children is very appealing. She adores the baby.”
    â€œI don’t suppose I can persuade you to change your mind and go too?” he asked tentatively.
    â€œAbsolutely not!” Ellen smiled at him. “Save your breath, Charlie.”
    â€œWell,” he said, “I would not be doing my duty as your husband if I didn’t try, lass, but you know I would be quite lost if you went. You see how selfish I am?”
    â€œThen thank heaven for selfishness,” she said fervently, and they both laughed.
    â€œEllen,” he said, glancing ahead to make sure that the other four were out of earshot, “we must talk. Perhaps I should wait until we are quite alone together, but I have more courage in public like this.”
    â€œThe usual talk?” she asked, keeping her tone light.
    â€œYes, and a little more,” he said.
    â€œYou have provided for me and for Jennifer,” she said. “If anything happens to you, I am to go to your sister in London and visit your solicitor or wait for him to call on me there. I understand, Charlie. But I do not need to, for you will be here afterward and we will travel to England together.”
    â€œYes,” he said, patting her hand. “But I have been thinking, Ellen. It never seemed important before, with Jennifer at school. But she is a young lady now and needs to be provided for as well as possible. It’s time I forgot my pride. If you are alone—afterward—I want you to communicate with my father. Will you? Dorothy will help you.”
    â€œOh, Charlie, I could not!” Ellen looked at her husband in dismay. “He has had nothing to do with you all these years. He has not cared about you or about Jennifer.”
    â€œHe is her grandfather,” he said gently. “And your father-in-law. He will not turn his back on you if you appeal to him. We have both been too stubborn. Neither of us willing to make the first move to the other.”
    â€œWell,” she said with determined cheerfulness, “you can go and see him yourself when we return to London, Charlie.”
    â€œPlease, sweetheart?”
    She looked ahead along the path. “For Jennifer?” she said. “Very well, then. You have my promise.”
    â€œThank you,” he said, squeezing her hand. “He is not an ogre, you know. We had a good relationship when I was a boy. I had a happy childhood. But he expected a great deal of me since I was the elder son. Things were strained when I joined the army instead of going to university as he wished—can you imagine me in university, lass? But the break didn’t come until I married Jennifer’s mother.”
    He had never mentioned her before. Ellen continued to stare along the path ahead of her.
    â€œShe was a pretty little thing,” he said. “A foolish unhappy girl when I met her. I wouldn’t mention this, Ellen, except that I must. For when you talk