A Christmas Match (Landon House #4) - Rose Pearson Page 0,69

should not be able to if it were me. No, my dear cousin, that is not the subject I wish to discuss. I wish to offer you an apology.”

Sarah was dumbfounded, “What reason could you have for offering me an apology?”

“I am not proud of Mother’s actions earlier. She is my mother and of course, I respect her, but I do not know why she insists on treating you so condescendingly at every turn. You have done nothing to deserve her treatment of you.”

Sarah was relieved that the subject of Mr. Grainger had been supplanted by a subject which vexed her but did not cause her to feel like she would like to run away. She saw that Jane meant what she said, that she was genuinely moved by affection to offer an apology for her own mother’s behavior. Sarah decided to answer as delicately as possible.

“Jane, it is good of you to apologize on behalf of your mother, but it is unnecessary. Your mother has every reason to remind me of my place in your household. It is by her generosity that I have a home to live in and a salary.”

“You are too good, dear Sarah. It vexes me in the utmost to see my mother treat you as if you were a person of no consequence.”

“I am a person of no consequence,” Sarah stated.

“I do not believe it. Just because your mother married for love and was driven from her parents’ house does not make my mother’s treatment of you any less disgraceful.”

“It is a burden I have borne for my entire life. I have learned to live with it.,” Sarah shrugged as she tried to remain calm. If she told the truth, she truly found it a most difficult burden.

She struggled more than she dared say aloud. The circumstances of her birth were not as unfortunate as Mrs. Brookes may have judged them to be. Her mother married a lieutenant with barely enough money to pay for his commission. When he died of fever, he left an insignificant income for Sarah and her mother. Yet, Sarah knew that was not her fault, and neither was it regrettable. It was people like her aunt who reminded her that she was lowly, that she was a woman who was barely more than a servant. When she was alone in the small cottage she shared with her mother, she did not wish for riches or luxuries. It was when she was in the presence of lords and ladies, of wealthy daughters and eligible gentlemen, that she was reminded of her inferior birth.

“I do mind,” Jane stated, firmly. “I mind how you are treated. If I am rude to you in any way, know that I do not mean to be. It has nothing to do with your modest upbringing, but everything to do with my own inability to act in accordance with the slightest of decorum.”

Thinking that Jane was making herself out to be a good deal worse than she truly was, Sarah shook her head. Jane was always polite and somewhat reserved, and the fact that she wanted to apologize for her mother’s lack of respect towards Sarah spoke of her sweetness of character. “I admire your kind heart, Jane. I wish I had the freedom to be more like you in that respect,” Sarah confessed.

“No, you do not. You have no need to. You are the epitome of a lady even if you do not carry the title. With your natural grace and charm, I shall be very surprised if you do not convince a duke to wed you. If you do, where will my mother be? She will have to sit below you at dinner and address you as my lady? What a lark that would be! I pray it happens simply to see the look of astonishment on her face.”

Sarah laughed at her cousin’s suggestions. Jane had a way of always cheering her, of making her feel better.

“That would be humorous, the idea that I will become a duchess. It’s far more possible that I should become the next queen before that happened.”

Jane giggled, “You never can tell, for, after all, it is Christmas and magic is afoot.”

Sarah rolled her eyes, mischievously, knowing that Christmas day itself was still over a month away. “If only there was a way to magically mend my pride in that time, so the sight of Mr. Grainger does not affect me in the slightest,” she said as she gazed