Page 51 of A Sense of Fate
Flora had a letter to write and Melanie went into the kitchen, probably in the hope of finding Alice awake and in need of a playmate.
Engrossed with her letter, it took Flora a moment to sense that she was about to have a visit from Archie. She patted her wayward hair in the vague hope of making it look more respectable, then gave up on such a hopeless endeavour and opened the front door herself as the carriage rattled to a halt outside of it.
‘What are you doing here?’ she asked, smiling in spite of the severity of her greeting as Pawson helped Archie from the carriage and he stepped up to her. ‘Come in before you freeze to death.’
‘Good afternoon to you too, Flora,’ Archie said, fixing her with a look of amused forbearance. ‘I could have wished for a warmer welcome, but I will take whatever I can get.’
‘Which is more than you deserve. I am very cross with you, Archie Felsham,’ she said, taking his hat and gloves and helping him to shrug out of his coat.
‘Whatever have I done this time?’ he asked, his expression far too innocent.
‘Come in.’
‘Flora, a strange man has just come into the kitchen and Polly has turned all pink and…oh, sorry…’ Melanie’s headlong rush of both feet and words came to an abrupt halt when she looked up and noticed Archie. How she could have missed him when he appeared to so effortlessly dominate the room with his stark masculinity was a question that defeated Flora.
‘Lord Felsham, may I make my sister Melanie known to you?’
‘Delighted,’ Archie replied, winking at Melanie and making her blush. She recalled her manners and dipped a curtsey.
‘Sit down, Archie. I can see that your leg is paining you. Melanie, ask Beatrice to make us some tea, please. Not that Lord Felsham deserves any, but I suppose we must at least go through the motions of civility.’
Melanie, usually so loquacious, appeared to be struck dumb in the presence of a marquess and a little taken aback by the familiar way in which Flora addressed him. She nodded and scampered off again.
‘She favours you,’ Archie said, smiling as he watched her go.
‘You knew she was here, of course.’
‘Word has reached me.’
‘I’m sure that it did,’ Flora muttered. ‘I’m told the entire village is talking of little else.’
Archie raised a brow. ‘And that surprises you?’
‘No, I suppose it makes for titillating gossip. The daughter of the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral running off in the middle of a snowstorm to join her sister.’
‘I would like to know what I have done to offend you, but first tell me about Melanie.’
Archie’s expression darkened as Flora’s tale unfolded.
‘The poor child,’ he said softly. ‘What sort of a monster is your father?’
‘That is what I asked him when I had the dubious pleasure of a visit from him yesterday.’
Flora paused when Polly came in with the tea things. Flora sent her back to the kitchen straight away so that she could enjoy Pawson’s company and then poured for them both. Their hands briefly touched as he took the cup from her and she felt a strong jolt of awareness surge through her body.
‘Steady.’ He relieved her of the cup in question but held her gaze in a heavy-lidded and seductive manner that further disadvantaged her. The wretched man appeared to know precisely what she had felt and was enjoying the discomfort that she was too inexperienced to hide from him.
‘Stop it!’ She turned away from him, her cheeks burning hot.
‘What did I do now?’
His innocence seemed contrived, but his amusement at her expense was entirely genuine.
‘I presume you were also aware of Papa’s visit yesterday before I enlightened you,’ she said, deciding against answering his question. It would be very unwise to enter into a discussion about her emotional reaction to him when he was in quite such a provocative mood. Or at any other time, for that matter.
‘There isn’t much that goes on around these parts that doesn’t reach my ears.’ He winced as he stretched his bad leg out in front of him. ‘I am supposed to be responsible for law and order in the district.’
‘Mrs Finch has no such responsibilities but she knew all my business too. She is housebound but knew who Melanie was the moment I took her to her cottage this morning. She is delighted with the books, by the way, and is now your greatest advocate.’
