Diana felt a bit sick to her stomach. She’d always wanted to please Anne because she loved her so much, but she couldn’t help the way she felt about Tanner.
Her eyes were wet with tears as she looked at Anne. “I wanted him to love me.”
Suddenly Anne was holding her in her arms while Diana cried. She felt guilty about what had happened with Tanner because she’d caused such pain to Anne and David, and Kingsley too, she guessed. And to Tanner. But she couldn’t forget how his kisses and touch had made her feel. Yet she remembered the hatred she’d seen on his face when she’d left and she couldn’t forget that either. Somehow she’d ruined everything.
Anne broke away and held her at arm’s length. “I want you to listen to me. What you felt for Tanner was natural, in a way. You’re a healthy young woman, and I have to admit that Tanner is … a virile man. But he is a great deal older than you and he took advantage of your inexperience. You must believe that when you marry Kingsley, you shall feel those same feelings for him. Be grateful that Kingsley knows you weren’t responsible. He loves you a great deal, Diana. You’re quite lucky Kingsley understands and still wants to marry you.”
“But what if I don’t truly love Kingsley?”
“You do love him,” Anne insisted. “Kingsley is a fine man and the man whom David and I have chosen for you. We’d never do anything to cause you unhappiness. Kingsley will make you happy, just give him the chance.” At that second David and Kingsley entered the room. David beckoned to Anne who instantly rose and followed him into the hall. Kingsley quietly closed the large oak door and came to stand beside her.
He gently wiped away the tears that sparkled like diamonds upon her cheeks. “I hope these tears aren’t for Tanner. They’re wasted upon such an unworthy fellow.”
“I’m very sorry for all that has happened,” Diana began to apologize. “I never meant…”
Kingsley brought her to her feet and enveloped her in his possessive embrace. “I know, my darling. You’re an innocent. Tanner is to blame for all of it.”
“But that isn’t wholly true. I danced with him and I let him kiss me, and everything. Certainly you can’t hold him responsible for what happened.”
“Stop it! I don’t want to hear any more from you in defense of my father’s loutish bastard. As far as I’m concerned, Tanner is totally to blame. You can’t actually think he might have serious intentions where you’re concerned, Diana.”
She didn’t like that. It sounded uncomplimentary, as if Tanner couldn’t be interested in her as a woman. “Why not?” she asked, and stiffened in his arms.
Kingsley laughed a great booming laugh that echoed in the quiet library. “You don’t understand yet. I thought Anne would explain it all to you, but apparently she didn’t. Tanner hates my father and me. Father took a fancy to an Indian girl years ago. He built her a cabin on the edge of the property near the swamp, because he was already married to my mother.”
“Why didn’t Harlan send the girl away?”
“You are an innocent.” Kingsley tweaked her nose, causing Diana to grimace. “He didn’t send her away because men, well, men have needs, needs that proper women know nothing about. Anyway, he couldn’t very well send her away after she became pregnant. Father is an honorable man and felt he had to see to the child’s welfare. But whenever my mother was indisposed or was pregnant, and she was pregnant a number of times but miscarried, father sought out Naomi, who is Tanner’s mother. He took a liking to Tanner, but then I was born. No one can say father didn’t do well by Tanner.”
“He didn’t give Tanner his name, Kingsley.”
“Why should he have?” Kingsley hissed. “I am the heir to Briarhaven, not some bastard my father happened to whelp with a squaw. I find your support of Tanner to be most distasteful and distressing. The man wanted to have
Her eyes were wet with tears as she looked at Anne. “I wanted him to love me.”
Suddenly Anne was holding her in her arms while Diana cried. She felt guilty about what had happened with Tanner because she’d caused such pain to Anne and David, and Kingsley too, she guessed. And to Tanner. But she couldn’t forget how his kisses and touch had made her feel. Yet she remembered the hatred she’d seen on his face when she’d left and she couldn’t forget that either. Somehow she’d ruined everything.
Anne broke away and held her at arm’s length. “I want you to listen to me. What you felt for Tanner was natural, in a way. You’re a healthy young woman, and I have to admit that Tanner is … a virile man. But he is a great deal older than you and he took advantage of your inexperience. You must believe that when you marry Kingsley, you shall feel those same feelings for him. Be grateful that Kingsley knows you weren’t responsible. He loves you a great deal, Diana. You’re quite lucky Kingsley understands and still wants to marry you.”
“But what if I don’t truly love Kingsley?”
“You do love him,” Anne insisted. “Kingsley is a fine man and the man whom David and I have chosen for you. We’d never do anything to cause you unhappiness. Kingsley will make you happy, just give him the chance.” At that second David and Kingsley entered the room. David beckoned to Anne who instantly rose and followed him into the hall. Kingsley quietly closed the large oak door and came to stand beside her.
He gently wiped away the tears that sparkled like diamonds upon her cheeks. “I hope these tears aren’t for Tanner. They’re wasted upon such an unworthy fellow.”
“I’m very sorry for all that has happened,” Diana began to apologize. “I never meant…”
Kingsley brought her to her feet and enveloped her in his possessive embrace. “I know, my darling. You’re an innocent. Tanner is to blame for all of it.”
“But that isn’t wholly true. I danced with him and I let him kiss me, and everything. Certainly you can’t hold him responsible for what happened.”
“Stop it! I don’t want to hear any more from you in defense of my father’s loutish bastard. As far as I’m concerned, Tanner is totally to blame. You can’t actually think he might have serious intentions where you’re concerned, Diana.”
She didn’t like that. It sounded uncomplimentary, as if Tanner couldn’t be interested in her as a woman. “Why not?” she asked, and stiffened in his arms.
Kingsley laughed a great booming laugh that echoed in the quiet library. “You don’t understand yet. I thought Anne would explain it all to you, but apparently she didn’t. Tanner hates my father and me. Father took a fancy to an Indian girl years ago. He built her a cabin on the edge of the property near the swamp, because he was already married to my mother.”
“Why didn’t Harlan send the girl away?”
“You are an innocent.” Kingsley tweaked her nose, causing Diana to grimace. “He didn’t send her away because men, well, men have needs, needs that proper women know nothing about. Anyway, he couldn’t very well send her away after she became pregnant. Father is an honorable man and felt he had to see to the child’s welfare. But whenever my mother was indisposed or was pregnant, and she was pregnant a number of times but miscarried, father sought out Naomi, who is Tanner’s mother. He took a liking to Tanner, but then I was born. No one can say father didn’t do well by Tanner.”
“He didn’t give Tanner his name, Kingsley.”
“Why should he have?” Kingsley hissed. “I am the heir to Briarhaven, not some bastard my father happened to whelp with a squaw. I find your support of Tanner to be most distasteful and distressing. The man wanted to have
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