Page 9 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding
Flora did not to join her aunt on a visit to Whilton the next morning, just in case Mr Talacre had not yet left the town, but for the rest of the day she could not settle to anything. She remembered his final words and the look that had brought a blush to her cheeks: she would not put it past the rogue to come to the house before setting off for Gloucester. However, the day passed uneventfully, and it wasn’t until Flora went to bed that she realised how disappointed she was he had not called.
* **
Matt’s casual enquiries in the taproom that first evening turned up little of interest, but fortune favoured him the next day when he ventured out into the town and met Sir Roger Condicote, an old acquaintance. They had met when Matt was in Paris, as aide-de-camp to the Earl of Dallamire, and their meeting again resulted in an invitation to join Sir Roger for a day’s fishing on Friday.
* * *
Matt’s cautious enquiries of the gentlemen in the fishing party elicited the information that Lord Whilton considered himself far superior to his neighbours.
‘Breeding is everything to the fellow,’ said one. ‘He is obsessed with his ancestry.’
‘Aye.’ another said, laughing. ‘Would you believe it? He paid the owner of the other inn on the High Street to change its name from the Golden Lion to the Red Lion. And all because his family originally come from Gascony. That cost him a pretty penny!’
‘And now he’s anxious to improve his bloodline with a good marriage,’ remarked the first.
‘Oh?’
Sir Roger, fishing beside Matt, nodded at an elderly gentleman further along the bank, who was currently reeling in a fair-sized trout. ‘See Farnleigh over there? Whilton is betrothed to his niece. Flora Warenne only has a small dowry, but she can traceher ancestors back to the Conqueror. The Gasks were nothing until one of the Stuart kings created the first Viscount Whilton.’
‘An admirable match on both sides then,’ said Matt.
‘The Farnleighs are delighted.’ Sir Roger replied ‘Flora Warenne is a lovely young woman, Talacre, but she is past her first blush, as they say. I think they despaired of her ever marrying.’
‘Then local bachelors must be blind,’ exclaimed Matt, unable to help himself.
‘Oh, ’tis not for want of interest,’ said the portly man. ‘She’s had several admirers over the years, but it never came to anything. Then Lord Whilton offered for her and she accepted.’
‘Perhaps she had set her heart on a title,’ Matt suggested.
‘I am not so sure about that,’ replied the portly man. ‘She turned him down first time, but her aunt and uncle persuaded her to accept him.’
Matt frowned and was so lost in thought that he did not react quickly enough to the tug on his line and the fish escaped before he could set the hook.
‘And will Whilton make her a good husband?’ he asked, casting his line again.
‘As good as any other great man.’ Sir Roger lowered his voice. ‘I wouldn’t think Farnleigh knows of it, but I heard the Viscount has installed his mistress as housekeeper at Whilton Hall. If it’s true, it’s a damnedshabby thing to do, with his fiancée living so close.’ He glanced up. ‘But enough now. Here comes Farnleigh and it’s not a subject he would want us discussing.’
The gentlemen turned their attention to the fishing and nothing more was said, but when they were all packing up for the day, Matt was surprised to receive an invitation from Mr Farnleigh to come to Birchwood House for dinner. Matt demurred, but Farnleigh brushed aside his reservations.
‘Pho, man, I know Sir Roger and his lady have an engagement, so you can’t dine with them. And if you’ve nothing planned other than to eat alone at the Whilton Arms tonight then you must come. My wife loves nothing better than to entertain. She is forever complaining that I do not bring enough friends back to dine with us. And then there’s Flora, my niece. She will be glad to have someone younger to converse with.’
Matt suspected that Flora would be anything but pleased to see him and was about to refuse, but some demon of mischief got there first.
‘I’d be delighted, sir, if you are sure Mrs Farnleigh will not object?’
‘Not at all, man. Nothing she likes more than to show off her housekeeping skills! We dine at seven on fishing days, Mr Talacre, so you have plenty of time to get back to your rooms and change first.’
CHAPTER FOUR
By Friday morning Flora had heard nothing more of Matt Talacre and that did much to restore her equilibrium. There was no denying she was at fault for speaking with a stranger, and even more so for accompanying him back through the wood, unchaperoned. The man was even more to blame, of course: he should not have been in the gardens in the first place. Still, no harm had been done, the man must have left Whilton by now and she could put him out of her mind.
* * *
It was a shock, therefore, when she entered the drawing room before dinner that evening, to find Mr Matt Talacre conversing with her aunt and uncle. She stopped in the doorway, appalled to realise how pleased she was to see him again. Her heart was beating so hard against her ribs she feared everyone could hear it. This was not right. She had never felt like this at seeing Quentin, had she?
Both gentlemen had risen from their seats, but it was Aunt Farnleigh who greeted her.
‘Ah, here is my niece now,’ she exclaimed, looking flustered but not displeased. ‘Come in, Flora. We have an unexpected guest for dinner tonight.’
