Page 15 of A Sense of Misgiving
‘Do they know that you are now employed here?’
‘Actually no.’ Flora plucked at her lower lip with her index finger. ‘I had not thought to tell them.’
‘So any correspondence regarding your grandmother’s affairs would have gone to your father’s address?’
She nodded, reaching down to scratch Romulus’s ears. ‘And Papa would not be above opening and reading it, even if it was addressed to me.’
‘Then we shall call and see them tomorrow.’
Flora shook her head. ‘I cannot travel to Salisbury with you unchaperoned. Tongues will wag.’
‘Blast! Of course you can’t.’
‘I would prefer not to go back there at all.’ She shuddered at the prospect. ‘Besides, I would have to explain my absence to her ladyship, and I doubt whether you want her to know the truth. It would not be beneficial for her health. She is still mourning the loss of her son in her own way, and would be upset if even the slightest question was cast over his integrity.’ Flora gave him a sharp look. ‘I assume she heard nothing of the rumours at the time.’
‘Not as far as I am aware. One never quite knows with Grandmamma. Anyway, I am glad that one of us is thinking coherently. And I owe you my thanks.’
‘For thinking of your grandmother’s finer feelings?’ Flora shrugged. ‘No thanks are necessary. Her wellbeing is vitally important to me.’
‘Not just for that, but also for never once asking if my father really did renege on a debt of honour. Most people would not have been able to resist questioning his integrity.’
Flora smiled. ‘You should know by now that I am not most people. I despise being predictable.’ She smoothed down the skirts of her serviceable day gown. ‘I never knew your father, it’s true, but I am well acquainted with his lady mother and all his children, not one of whom has a dishonourable bone in his or her body.’ She shook her head decisively. ‘No. Whatever the reason for the gentleman’s extraordinary claim, I am satisfied that your father’s behaviour was not at fault.’
‘He gave me his assurance that it was not, and I accepted his word. That was almost the last conversation we had.’ He stared off into the distance. ‘I should have been at that house party, you know. It took place just after we sat our finals at Oxford. I had agreed to go, but then the business with Archie happened. We thought our best friend was dead and I was in no mood for being civil to anyone.’ Luke scrubbed a hand down his face. ‘I have often wondered if my sending last minute regrets was the root cause of Redfern’s dissatisfaction.’
‘Redfern being the man who accused your father. Did he happen to have daughters?’
‘Perceptive as ever.’ Luke sent her a droll look. ‘Lucy Redfern and I are of similar age, our paths frequently crossed during our adolescence, and we got along well enough. The Redferns live just the other side of Swindon and our two families have always been intimate. Redfern was a viscount, entirely respectable, and with ambitions for his children to marry well. Perhaps I unwittingly gave Lucy the wrong impression.’
‘You imagine she expected you to propose the moment you graduated?’
‘The possibly has occurred to me in the light of subsequent events, but I can assure you that was not my intention, and I hope I never gave her reason to suppose otherwise.’
‘If she thought you had reached an understanding and shared her expectations with her parents, her mother probably couldn’t help dropping hints to her friends, such is the nature of ambitious mothers everywhere. Your subsequent non-appearance at the house party would have seemed like a public humiliation to a protective father. I can quite see that. But to attempt such an ungentlemanly form of revenge when no assurances had been given...’ Flora sent Luke a look of majestic indignation and shook her head, dislodging more wayward curls in the process. She must look a fright, she thought absently, but if Luke noticed he was too well mannered to remark upon her lack of grooming. ‘Would he really go to such extremes?’
‘Well, there you have me. Lucy married a local gentleman six months later, but her husband has business on the continent and is not often in England. I can’t recall the last time I saw her, but I think she and Mary are friendly.’
‘Well then, it seems we can be of service to one another. If you visit my grandmother’s attorney on my behalf, I will suggest to Mary that she and I visit her friend Lucy…’
‘Mrs Lucy Arnold, as she is now.’
‘Then Mary and I will visit Mrs Arnold and issue her with an invitation to Mary’s birthday party in person. I am sure that Mary would like her to attend, and since it’s such short notice it seems reasonable to hand deliver the invitation.’
‘And you think you will be able to discover something about the circumstances surrounding her father’s death through the employment of your gift?’
‘You see?’ Flora sent him a beaming smile. ‘You managed to make that suggestion without adopting a derogatory tone. I shall make a convert of you yet.’
‘Write me an introductory note to your attorney, minx, and I shall pay a visit to him tomorrow.’
Smiling, Flora sat down at Luke’s desk and wrote the required note.
Chapter Four
Mary sat at the escritoire by the window in her private sitting room. She tapped the quill she held against her chin, thought for a moment and then added a name to the list in front of her. She gave a little start as the door opened, then smiled as Flora entered the room.
‘I hope I am not disturbing you.’
‘Not in the least. I looked for you earlier, but Paul told me you were with Luke.’ Mary tilted her head, disturbed by a sudden gust of wind rattling the window pane. ‘I hope there is nothing wrong with Grandmamma. Well, nothing more than her usual idiosyncrasies. She seemed on excellent form last night.’
