Page 44 of A Baron's Disguised Lady
“Do you believe in such things? Fairies and magic, and all that wonder?” Lavinia asked.
In her previous life, there had not been much time for such thoughts. She had always been so busy working for someone else. Now Lavinia had almost too much time on her hands, and such musings often filled her mind. She did not really know what she believed, even as she knew what she was supposedto believe. It was all very confusing, and now she looked up at the bank, picturing the fairy queen sleeping quietly amid the wildflowers.
“I’m not sure. I suppose it’s all possible, isn’t it? Why shouldn’t there be such things. We believe in God. We believe in those things beyond ourselves. Life would be quite dull if it was only a matter of believing those things we saw in front of us,” Archie replied, smiling at her as he spoke.
Lavinia nodded. She was glad to hear him say this. Most men were a closed book when it came to speaking of such things. But grief was often a reason for greater religious devotion, or, at the very least, a questioning of those things one had previously taken for granted.
“I agree. I don’t know for certain about such things, but it’s possible. Just as what we hear in church is possible. Mystery lies all around us. We don’t know everything there is to know… far from it,” Lavinia said, and Archie nodded.
“I’m glad to hear you say so. It seems we both have our doubts, but we’re not closed books, either. My sister was like that. She was curious about the world. I think it’s the quality I admire in her the most. I admire it in you, too. You’re not like other women,” he said, and Lavinia blushed.
Her mother might have said the same thing, though for different reasons. But Lavinia was glad to hear him say so. She did notwant to be like other women, especially the sort of women she had encountered at the assembly ball in Salisbury.
They were the sort of women who were not curious about the world around them, and preferred only to see what was in front of them, expecting a certain sort of life to unfold, one not to be questioned. Certainly one not to be curious about.
“I hope not. I don’t want to be like them, if you mean women like Wilhelmina,” Lavinia said, and Archie nodded.
“Yes, that’s just who I mean. No… you’re not like her. I must admit, at first, I wasn’t sure what you were like. I know I came across as arrogant, even cold, perhaps. But with everything that’s happened… sometimes I fear I’ll just become bitter,” he said, but Lavinia shook her head.
“We’ll find the truth. It’s understandable you feel like that. You want to know the truth about your sister. Anyone would. And until you find it, you won’t be able to let her rest in peace,” she said.
He nodded and smiled. There was an understanding between them. A new depth of understanding, an intimacy they had not known previously. As they made their way back to the house, through the landscape they had explored together, crossing the orchard and the lawns, Lavinia knew she had seen a different side to Archie.
One he revealed only tentatively, hidden as it so often was behind the formal demeanor he portrayed in public. It was as though the gardens, the estate, the very place itself gave rise to a transformation, a glimpse of what he would be like if the mystery of Gwendolene’s death could be discovered, and at last she could rest in peace.
“Thank you, Lavinia, for everything,” Archie said, as they came to the terrace, where the doors into the drawing room stood open, and voices could be heard from inside.
“They’ll be wondering where we’ve been,” Lavinia said, glancing down at her dress, the hem of which was covered in mud.
“Tell them… we’ve been to Titania’s realm,” he said, and Lavinia smiled, wondering what her mother would say to such a thing.
But the dream of Titania’s realm, with its bank of wild thyme, oxlips, and nodding violets was rudely interrupted by a shrill voice cutting over that of their mothers.
“Oh, here he is. Archie, I’ve been waiting for you,” Wilhelmina Tipping said, appearing at the open doors, and beckoning Archie inside.
He stared at her in astonishment, just as his mother’s voice came from inside.
“Come along, Archie, don’t keep us waiting,” she said, and it seemed Archie had no choice but to obey.
With a final glance at Lavinia, who was not about to be instructed by anyone, he followed Wilhelmina inside. Lavinia sighed, glad to think she was nothing like those other women; a fact, it seemed, Archie had recognized, too.
Chapter 15
“Oh, Archie, there you are. We’ve been wondering where you’d gone. Is Lavinia with you?” Archie’s mother asked, as he stepped into the drawing room, following Wilhelmina, who shot a daggering glance at him.
Lavinia now appeared at the door leading onto the terrace, and her mother tutted, exclaiming as to the state of her dress.
“Look at you, Lavinia, you’re covered in mud. What have you been doing? Poor Daisy, she’ll be the one having to clean it, won’t she?” she said, shaking her head.
Archie blushed. He knew they should not have gone unchaperoned. Wilhelmina was eyeing him suspiciously, and even as he had no reason to feel guilty, he suddenly did so, not knowing why he felt as he did. There was nothing to feel guilty about. He did not owe Wilhelmina anything. He was not her beau, nor did he intend to be so. He did not know why she had come. Except to cause trouble…
“We’ve been walking over the estate, mother. You know what it’s like, one path leads to another. We went through the orchard,” Archie replied.
He did not owe anyone an explanation, least of all Wilhelmina, who now stood glaring at him, even as there had been noinvitation to her, or expectation of her arrival. It was as though he and Lavinia had done something wrong, even as they had not…
“Wilhelmina’s here to take tea, Archie,” his mother said, and Archie looked at her in surprise.
“Oh… in the morning?” he said, confused as to why Wilhelmina should have arrived so early.
