Page 54 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding
‘After the accident it was all hushed up and we did not think it necessary,’ explained Aunt Farnleigh. ‘No one remembers it now and we knew it would only upset you.’
‘But Lord Whilton knows of it,’ said Flora. ‘You told him.’
‘Of course.’ Uncle Farnleigh nodded. He walked over to take up his favourite stance, before the fireplace. ‘Having asked permission to pay his addresses, it was only right to tell him.’
‘But it was not right to tell me.’
‘We wanted to protect you,’ said her aunt. ‘It would only have caused you distress to know the truth,whereas it would be quite wrong not to inform a prospective husband.’
Flora suppressed her anger. She knew it was the way of her world, to protect the weaker sex from unpleasant truths. A sudden thought occurred to her and she looked up.
‘Were there otherprospective husbands, then?’ She did not miss the look exchanged between her aunt and uncle and she went on. ‘I can think of at least two gentlemen who showed a decided partiality for me, but they suddenly changed their minds. Did you tell them the sordid details, too?’
‘No, no, my love,’ exclaimed her aunt, close to tears again. ‘Never any details. Your uncle was always most discreet. He onlyhintedat some past scandal. Lord Whilton was told the same, but he made his own enquiries and insisted upon being told the whole. And you must see, it makes it particularly gratifying that he was still prepared to offer for you, even after he learned your true circumstances.’
Flora fought back a sharp retort to that. What good would it do now?
‘That is why you have been protective of me,’ she muttered. ‘Why we have lived quietly in Whilton all these years. It was always important that I should not attract attention or cause a scandal. You were afraid someone might remember the rumours and began to ask questions.’
‘My love, you know that every woman needs to be careful of her reputation,’ said her aunt. ‘We love you like a daughter. We should have been just as watchful, whatever your history.’
Flora nodded. A lot of things made sense now: the excessive care the Farnleighs took of her, why she had never gone to London for her come out. She rose and shook out her skirts.
‘I am going to walk in the garden. I need a little fresh air.’
‘Would you like me to come with you?’
‘Thank you, Aunt, but no. I shall be better on my own. I promise I shall not leave the gardens.’
After all, where could I go now?
‘Yes, yes, of course my dear,’ said her uncle. ‘This has been a great shock to you, I can see that. However, I think it is for the best that you know everything before you marry. I wanted to tell you myself, but His Lordship was against it.’
She nodded, recalling how she had walked in upon their conversation and her aunt had passed it off as a discussion about a servant. If it hadn’t all been so tragic she might have laughed. How absurd to think Quentin would ever show concern for a lowly scullery maid!
‘Lord Whilton has warned me he will make all this public if I cry off.’
‘Good heavens!’ Mrs Farnleigh clapped her handsover her mouth and turned her frightened eyes upon her husband.
‘Surely you would not change your mind at this late stage!’ he said to Flora.
‘Uncle, he is trying to coerce me into marrying him!’
‘No, no, I am sure you misunderstand. The man loves you. He is desperate to have you for his wife, that is all.’
She gave a bitter laugh. ‘He is desperate to put my family crest into his coat of arms!’
‘Well…well, what of that? A man wants to be proud of his wife.’
‘Grandfather Warenne believed it was all a fabrication, did he not, Aunt?’ Flora looked towards Mrs Farnleigh. ‘That is what Papa always said. There is no coat of arms in any of the early family portraits.’
‘When the crest was attributed to your family is not important,’ her uncle replied. ‘You are entitled to use it.’
‘But that’s the point,’ said Flora. ‘Quentin believes in all this antiquated nonsense. He wants a brood mare. He is marrying me in order to have an heir.’
‘Of course he wants an heir,’ retorted Aunt Farnleigh. She flushed a little. ‘We talked of all this, Flora, how it is a wife’s duty…’
‘Yes, but then I was not being coerced into marriage!’
