Page 36 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding
Flora placed her fingers on his proffered arm, alarm bells clamouring in her head. She had come to thinkof Matt as a friend, but that last look they had shared frightened her. She was in very great danger of feeling more for the man than was seemly for a woman who was promised to another.
She should not meet with him tomorrow, but she knew with a frightening, exhilarating certainty that she would not cry off. She resolutely silenced the alarm bells. Matt Talacre was a gentleman. She trusted him and they would be walking in a public place. What harm could come of it?
Back in her bedchamber, there was still no sign of Betty. Flora slipped off her pelisse before knocking loudly on the door and calling to her maid. She received a croaky reply and opened the door to find the poor woman with a handkerchief pressed to her mouth and looking decidedly hollow-eyed.
‘Ooh, Miss Flora, I don’t know what’s the matter with me, I ache all over. And I feel so dreadful!’
‘Oh, my goodness!’ Ignoring Betty’s command not to come too close, Flora crossed the room and laid a hand on the maid’s forehead. ‘You have a fever. Perhaps it is all the travelling we have done. No, no, do not try to get up. You must remain in bed and I shall order dinner to be brought up for both of us.’
‘But I must get up.Someonemust attend you.’
‘I am sure they will have a maid who can do that,’ Flora told her. ‘For now, you need to rest. You are in no state to look after anyone.’
Betty was inclined to be tearful, but Flora was adamant. She settled her maid back against the pillows, straightened the covers and went off to find someone to help.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Flora woke to bright sunshine and a feeling of happy anticipation. The hotel maid assigned to wait upon her brought in her breakfast and helped her to dress and then, after checking on Betty to make sure she was no worse, Flora left her room and went downstairs. Yesterday’s doubts had been put to rest. She liked Matt, she felt happy and comfortable in his company—surely there could be no danger in that.
None at all, she decided as she skipped down the stairs. She would enjoy this little break from her dull, predictable life and return to Whilton refreshed. Then she would be ready to take up her role as Quentin’s wife.
Or so she told herself.
* * *
Matt saw her on the stairs just as the long-case clock was chiming eleven. He smiled and touched his hat as she came up to him.
‘Good morning, Miss Warenne. I understand yourmaid is unwell. Nothing serious, I hope?’ He added, when she looked surprised, ‘I make it my business to know what goes on in my hotel.’
‘Yes, of course. I think Betty is exhausted from all the hours we spent in the carriage on Monday and she has contracted a slight chill. However, she does seem a little better this morning, thank you.’
‘I hope my people have been looking after you.’
‘Why, yes. Your manager, Mr Cripps, has been most helpful and supplied me with a maid to take Betty’s place.’ She read a question in his eyes and lifted her chin a little as she went on, ‘She will attend me later, but I think, at six-and-twenty, I do not need a chaperon for a mere stroll with you in a public garden.’
Matt nodded. Her trust in him was gratifying, but misplaced. It was going to be difficult to resist the temptation to flirt with Flora when she was looking particularly lovely. She was wearing a dark green spencer over a cream-coloured muslin gown, embroidered at the hem with acanthus leaves, and perched atop her flaming hair was a jockey cap in the same colour as her spencer. She unfurled her lace parasol and smiled at him.
‘Shall we go, Mr Talacre?’
Silently, Matt offered her his arm. Difficult? It was going to be well-nigh impossible!
* * *
For Flora, the hours flew by. The sun was shining even brighter than yesterday, dappling the tree-lined paths and intensifying the colours of the flowers and foliage in the gardens. Once they had made a full circuit Matt escorted her up to the viewpoint, from where they could look out over Bristol with its gleaming spires. Then he invited her to turn back and admire the view of the pleasure gardens.
‘From here you can see how we are renewing parts of the gardens, replanting flower beds, restoring walls and adding more saplings.’
‘It is quite wonderful,’ she told him, ‘and impressive. To have made so much progress in just a few years.’
‘It is hardly a gentlemanly occupation.’ He grimaced and stripped off a glove. ‘You can see here the results of my labours.’
Flora tightened her grip on the parasol to prevent herself from reaching out and touching the scars and calluses on his hand.
‘No, it is much, much better,’ she said fiercely. ‘You should be very proud of what you are doing here. Not only are you rebuilding the gardens and making them a success, you have given employment to so many former military men.’
She was looking up at him, fire sparking in her eyes. Matt felt as if an iron band was tightening around his chest.
‘Do you really think that, Miss Warenne?’
