Free Regan's Pride by Diana Palmer

circumstances. He blamed her for too much, perhaps. She looked very fragile in that big, four-poster bed, and he didn’t like the way he felt after being so savage to her.
    But he put his guilt aside with his working clothes. He showered and changed into a neat pair of white slacks with a striped designer shirt, a linen sport coat and tie. Then, without seeing Coreen again, he drove to the Jacobsville airport to meet Lillian’s flight from Victoria.
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    Coreen was getting more and more depressed. She could hear Ted and his houseguest all the way down the hall, laughing and talking, as if they were old and good friends. Probably they were.
    She didn’t know how she could bear much more of Ted’s reluctant hospitality. If Sandy had been here, it would have been different. She couldn’t expect her best friend to give up her job just to keep Coreen company. Sandy had to travel, which meant that Coreen wouldbe stuck here often with just Ted and Mrs. Bird for company.
    Mrs. Bird had brought her a tray, grumbling about their dinner guest.
    â€œWants her coffee weaker and her salad with dressing on the side,” Mrs. Bird harrumphed, swinging her ample figure around as she placed the tray over Coreen’s lap. “Doesn’t care for beef, because it has cholesterol, and dessert is out of the question.”
    â€œShe must be healthy,” Coreen remarked as she savored the smell of the cheese soup and freshly baked bread she’d been served.
    â€œSkinny as a rail. They say it’s going to be the new fad.” She eyed Coreen critically, seeing the hollows in her cheeks. “Nothing like cheese soup and bread to fatten up little skeletons.”
    â€œI haven’t had much appetite. But this is wonderful,” she said with honest enjoyment, and smiled.
    The housekeeper smiled back. “I made apple pie for dessert with apples I dried myself.”
    Coreen was impressed. “I love apple pie!”
    â€œSo I was told, and with ice cream. You’ll get that, too.” She grinned at Coreen and went back toward the door. “Just set that by the bed and I’ll get it later, after they’ve gone. On their way to a play at the civic center, they said, then he has to take her back to the airport to catch a late flight.”
    â€œIs she nice?” Coreen asked curiously.
    The older woman hesitated, her gray hair stringy from long hours in the kitchen.
    â€œWell, I suppose she is, in her own way. She’s stylish and real smart, and she and Ted have known each other for a long time. Expected them to get married once,she was that crazy about him. But Ted doesn’t want to get married. Broke her heart. They’re friends still, but don’t you think she wouldn’t jump at the chance to marry him.”
    â€œI guess he can be nice when he likes,” Coreen said without committing herself. She started eating her soup.
    â€œNice to some,” Mrs. Bird said, faintly puzzled. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œNo trouble. It’s a pleasure to see people enjoy their food.”
    Coreen finished her lonely meal and put the tray aside. She wished she had something to read, but there wasn’t even a magazine, much less television or a radio. She felt cut off from the world in the pretty antique bedroom.
    The laughter from the other room grated on her nerves. She tried to imagine Ted laughing with her, wanting her company, enjoying conversation like that. He only ever seemed to scowl when he was with her. Lillian must be special to him. She didn’t want to be jealous. She had no right. He laughed again, and Coreen felt the hot sting of tears.
    Her blurred vision cleared on the face of the clock. It was only seven o’clock. She hoped that she could go to sleep, to block out the sound of Ted’s pleasure in the other woman. She turned off her light and closed her eyes with bitter resignation. Incredibly