Chapters (50)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- The Pengarron Sagas
- The Harvey Family Sagas
Oliver left Gereint at a short distance and walked up to her. ‘Rosie, my dear, I was concerned for you. As soon as I was able I excused myself. You have no need to tell me why you were so distressed. It’s all my fault, you would never have been tempted if I had not encouraged you.’
‘I knew exactly what I was doing, Oliver. But it must never happen again. I love Matthias. There was no excuse to stray from him and somehow I must make amends.’
‘I’m so very sorry, Rosie. I’ll keep away from Ker-an-Mor for a long while. If it’s agreeable with Matthias, Shelley can become even more involved with the business side of things. That should make it easier for you.’
‘Thank you, it will make my burden lighter. You haven’t been home for some time. Will you go there now?’
‘Yes. I thought at the Midsummer Night’s ball that I might return there, but Kerensa had already arranged to stay at Tolwithrick and didn’t seem interested in changing her plans. It will, of course, take more than a social event to put things right between us.
‘You know the whole story, Rosie. I felt betrayed by her, but I should not have allowed my jealousy to show in such strength and so publicly. I do understand, from her perspective, that what I did to Kane and Harry is an entirely different matter. It won’t be easy to become reconciled with Kerensa, and that is what I want more than anything. I love her so very much. I can’t bear this loneliness without her. She loves me still, well, a part of me, I hope. She’s distant in so many ways now. I irritate her. She examines and judges everything I do and say. When we first quarrelled, she told me that she saw me as small, and that is exactly how she makes her feel now.’
‘And that doesn’t rest easy with you, does it? You’ve had your own way all your life.’
Only a friend, a confidante, a lover, could say something like that to Sir Oliver Pengarron. ‘Yes, I am desperate to regain her respect.’
‘Oliver, you don’t often listen to anyone, but will you allow me to tread where even an angel would fear to? Me, the woman who’s been closest to you in a certain way, except for Kerensa?’
‘Have your say, Rosie, please do. I need to hear some plain speaking. I thought Kerensa would soon come running back to me, but I treated her with too much disrespect, and now I’m at a loss as to what to do.’
‘It’s very simple. You must understand Kerensa’s feelings for Clem. A first love is a strong love. She didn’t break her pledge to Clem, you came between them.’