Page 69 of A Sense of Misgiving
‘It is entirely natural that you should want your share of attention. You deserve it, and you should know that the reasons for its bestowal are entirely genuine. There is nothing spoiled about that.’ He smiled at her, suddenly looking impossibly glamorous and worldly-wise. ‘You will know when your passions are genuinely engaged.’
‘That’s what Flora said when I felt muddled over my feelings for the captain. She seemed to think that if I needed to question what I felt, then I didn’t…well, feel it.’
‘Flora is wise, and you could do much worse than listen to her advice.’ The wind picked up, the heron took to the wing with a loud squawk and it began to drizzle. ‘Come along,’ he said, picking up her supplies and tucking them beneath his arm. ‘We had best get back to the house before the heavens open.’
Chapter Fifteen
Matters in Sussex delayed Luke longer than he had anticipated, and it was four days before he returned to Beranger Court. His mind felt refreshed and the brief change of scenery had helped him see things more clearly. He alighted from the carriage that had been sent to the station to collect him, and immediately noticed Flora standing at the edge of the lake, looking out across its rippling water to the low hills in the distance. She was alone and appeared preoccupied. Romulus soon noticed her too, and barked a greeting as he loped off towards her.
Luke had decided to maintain the boundaries between them in future. It seemed like the best, the only thing that he could do. He had not lost sight of his father’s insistence that he marry a woman from his own class and of impeccable character. He was more acutely aware of his grandmother’s need for Flora, and how much her health and disposition had improved since Flora had been engaged to act as her companion. Luke was not about to upset that particular applecart. Besides, Flora had just come into money of her own and was now a woman of independent means. Perhaps she had her own plans for her future.
Sighing, Luke gave a wry little smile as he tromped off after his dog, accepting that his resolve had not survived long enough for him even to enter his house.
‘Oh, Luke, hello.’ She looked up at him through distracted eyes. ‘I did not realise you were back.’ She bent to greet Romulus.
‘I apologise if we are interrupting your solitary reverie, but Rom saw you and there was no stopping him, I’m afraid.’
‘You are not interrupting. In fact, I’m glad you are here.’ She looked directly at him, her hair windswept. He noticed how pale and preoccupied she appeared. ‘I have discovered what it was that my father didn’t want me or anyone else to know.’
‘I can see you are very distressed.’ He took her elbow in a firm hold. ‘Do you want to sit down?’
‘No, but I do want to tell you what it is. In fact, it would be better if we went back to the house and you read it for yourself.’
‘Whatever you prefer.’
A short time later, Flora joined him in his library and silently handed him a sheaf of papers. She sat beside the fire, staring at the flames, while he absorbed their contents.
‘Ah,’ he said, when he finished. He sat beside her and took her hand in his. ‘Little wonder that you are so distressed. What shall you do?’
‘Confront him, of course.’
‘Do you think that’s sensible?’
‘Absolutely! You will never be comfortable when he continues to have the power to start rumours about your family’s honour. Besides, I cannot abide hypocrisy. But I wanted to discuss the matter with you before I go to him.’
‘When did you uncover this information?’
‘Just last night. I began to think there was nothing to find, then discovered these papers tucked inside the cover of my grandmother’s herbal remedies book.’ She smiled a wan smile. ‘I should have thought to look there immediately.’
She went on to explain about the missing section from the diary that covered the period of her grandfather’s death.
‘I was too slow.’
‘You were emotionally overwrought, but you found what you were supposed to when you were ready to deal with it.’
She shrugged a slender shoulder. ‘Perhaps. But it would have been easier if Grandmamma had entrusted this potentially explosive document to Mr Farthingale’s care, for my attention.’
‘She couldn’t risk her attorney or a nosy clerk reading it, I suppose.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘She knew you would find it in your own time, and you did.’
‘And it has left me with quite a conundrum.’ She sighed. ‘Anyway, I shall go to Salisbury tomorrow and have the matter out with my father.’
‘I shall come with you.’
She smiled. ‘Thank you, but no. I must do this alone. It is beyond time that I cleared the air between us and made my situation plain once and for all.’
‘There must be something I can do.’
‘There is.’ She passed the documents back to him. ‘Keep these safe for me. I shall not take them with me. I don’t suppose my father will resort to physical force to try and take them from me, but he is unpredictable, so I am not taking any chances. Oh,’ she added with a whimsical smile, ‘and if I do not return on the evening train, you have my permission to come and rescue me.’
