Page 15 of A Sense of Injustice
Luke returned her smile. He looked far too handsome and confident, riding without a hat and with his hair blowing across his intelligent brown eyes. She had been a little in love with him since she had first taken up her position, but it would bring their friendship to an abrupt halt and she would find herself unemployed if she ever permitted her true feelings to show. Luke enjoyed her company simply because he didn’t have to worry about being compromised, Flora knew, and she intended for matters between them to remain on that footing.
‘How do you like Amethyst?’ he asked.
‘I adore him, but you knew that I would. He’s fast but not flighty, and unlike most males he’s also obedient. I like him very much indeed. Thank you, Luke. It was a very thoughtful gesture. I cannot accept him as a gift, of course, but I will look upon him as a loan since I cannot bear to think of him being sent somewhere else to live with someone who might not give him the loving care he so obviously deserves.’
Luke’s smug smile implied that she had played into his hands. ‘We had best turn back,’ he said, sounding reluctant. ‘You deserve a little more rest before you attend to your duties. You cannot have had much sleep.’
‘I shall not wilt for want of a few hours rest,’ she assured him. ‘Besides, your grandmother will sleep late. She won’t need me yet. She never does after a late night. But you’re right. It wouldn’t do for us to be seen.’
‘That isn’t what I meant.’
‘What do you know about Louise Pearson’s circumstances?’ Flora asked as they walked their horses back towards Beranger Court. Onyx had enjoyed his run and was now behaving a little better. But he still occasionally pranced and danced, spooking at shadows and bushes that blew in the wind, seeming to think it was expected of him. ‘Your grandmother and Mrs Pearson are the best of friends but I was unaware that Marianne had an older sister. The countess has never mentioned her to me. It seems curious.’
Luke lifted one shoulder as he removed a hand from the reins to push hair away from his eyes. ‘I was as surprised as you are. I know that Mrs Pearson’s son and daughter-in-law are both dead and I think the elder Miss Pearson has always lived in London with a maternal aunt. The younger girl grew up in her grandmother’s care. Why and when they were separated I couldn’t say. I also don’t know what’s brought the elder girl here all of a sudden. Henry spent a lot of time talking to her last night. Perhaps he will know, if you’re that interested.’
‘It’s not that so much. I don’t want you to accuse me of prying.’
‘Heaven forbid!’ But Luke smiled, making it clear that he was teasing her.
‘Louise wants to be my friend, you see. I got the impression that she’s in trouble—’
‘What sort of trouble?’ He threw back his head and let out a long breath. ‘Ah, your trusty sixth-sense.’ He sounded disappointed in her.
‘Don’t mock, or I won’t talk to you.’
‘Yes you will. You enjoy putting me in my place.’
‘Well, there is that. But since you have raised the subject, you might as well know that my senses were on high alert when I first met her.’ Flora knew better than to mention Remus’s visit. Luke, highly sceptical when it came to her abilities, would have her committed to Bedlam if she admitted to seeing ghosts.Sorry, Remus, she mentally amended,spirit guides. A puff of wind lifted the hair that had escaped her hat. Remus was eavesdropping again and wanted her to know it.
‘I asked her one or two natural questions about her sudden appearance here—how long she intended to stay, that sort of thing. She deflected them all, so I stopped asking. Then, after dinner, she sought me out and asked if she could call on me today.’ Luke flexed a brow. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Good heavens. Why would I?’
‘Well, it’s your house and a servant shouldn’t issue invitations.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. You can invite whomsoever you please. It’s your home too.’
‘Thank you. Anyway, Louise said that she was in urgent need of someone to confide in. I just wanted to make sure that there was nothing untoward in her life that would conflict with the interests of this family. Otherwise I wouldn’t have mentioned anything.’
‘There’s nothing at all to the best of my knowledge. My grandmother would know if there was.’
‘Yes, but I won’t mention anything to her. At least not until I have spoken with Louise. If there is some sort of difficulty, I am fairly sure that Mrs Pearson knows nothing about it.’
‘Ah, quite. No doubt there’s a man involved. She’s had her heart broken and come here to lick her wounds.’
‘Now who’s being fanciful?’
‘If you need any help from me, you have only to ask.’
‘That’s a generous offer.’
They continued for a few minutes in companionable silence. The trees were changing colour with the onset of autumn and they rode beneath a glorious canopy of rich reds, golds and browns. A strong breeze brought dried leaves fluttering to the ground to be trampled underfoot by the horses’ hooves.
‘I love this time of year,’ Flora said, catching a red leaf as it floated down. ‘Soon winter will be upon us. I do hope that your grandmother’s constitution will remain strong. I worry about her failing health. Not that she will ever admit that it’s failing. My potions help, but there is only so much I can do for her. Talking of which, I am going to make something up that I think might help Lord Hardwick. He says that nothing can. He’s as stubborn as your grandmother, but I can be stubborn too and shall insist. It might not help, but he won’t know unless he tries, and it certainly won’t do him any harm.’
‘Are you considering his proposal?’
‘What?’ Flora laughed. ‘What sort of question is that, and why do you look so miserable about the possibility? Ah, lowering the tone, I suppose. Well, don’t worry, of course I am not considering it! Don’t be absurd. But why should you care if I was, other than the fact that it would leave you without a companion for your grandmother. That must be what concerns you, but you don’t need to worry because he wasn’t serious. He was either attempting to be amusing or to embarrass me. He doesn’t know me well enough to understand that’s just the sort of challenge I can’t help meeting head on, so I called his bluff and now he will think twice before pulling that trick again.’
