Page 52 of A Sense of Fate
‘I am glad someone is,’ he replied, regarding her with affectionate amusement over the brim of his teacup. ‘Tell me how you managed to persuade your father not to take Melanie home with him.’
She grinned mischievously. ‘I threatened to expose his cruelty to the bishop.’
Archie chuckled. ‘I am perfectly sure that you did, but I doubt whether that would have deterred him. I don’t know what it is that he holds over the bishop, but presumably your father assumes it’s sufficiently scandalous to make the bishop do whatever he wants.’
‘Ah, but I doubt whether he will. Everyone has their limit.’ She paused. ‘I never explained the reason for the bishop’s capitulation to my father. I promised that I wouldn’t speak of it to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary, but I know I can depend upon your discretion and I think you need to be made aware.’
‘You don’t even have to ask. Anything you tell me will remain a secret between us.’
‘I know. You infuriate and confuse me, Archie, but you are also very good to me and I sometimes think that I depend upon you a little too much.’ She paused and Archie didn’t attempt to interrupt her as she struggled with her conscience, trying to decide if the current situation would justify her breaking the bishop’s confidence. ‘His grace’s nephew, the man whom my father and the bishop both wanted me to marry…’
Archie scowled. ‘That scoundrel Yardley.’
‘Yes.’ She looked away from him. ‘Papa overheard a private conversation that the bishop had with his lawyers.’ She inhaled deeply. ‘It seems that the bishop was not always the paragon of virtue that he is nowadays—’
‘Which of us can lay claim to such a distinction?’ he asked with a self-deprecating shrug.
‘Certainly not you,’ Flora replied with asperity. ‘Anyway, the bishop in his younger days, was led into the most extreme form of temptation. Suffice it to say that Yardley isn’t his nephew.’ Flora paused. ‘He is his son.’
‘Good heavens!’ Archie’s brows disappeared beneath his hairline. ‘Does Yardley know?’
‘No one does, other than the bishop my father, me—and now you.’
‘And you think that your father used that information to force the bishop into giving him the deanship.’
‘I do. But I also think that capitulation didn’t sit comfortably with the bishop. Everyone has to face up to their youthful indiscretions at some point or another.’
‘True,’ Archie agreed with a jaundiced glance down at his broken body.
‘The bishop is now tussling with his conscience, and I suspect that he will allow the truth to come out rather than be coerced into doing Papa’s will for a second time. That is why I threatened to go to him. Papa is now aware that I am a party to the bishop’s secret and he realises that it would be a miscalculation to depend upon further higher ecclesiastical support.’ She grinned mischievously. ‘Two can play at manipulation.’
‘Your father was angry?’
‘He was absolutely furious. I have never seen him in a greater rage, which is saying something. But that is beside the point. What he said, and implied about you, is the reason why I am so cross with you.’
A flicker of unease passed through Archie’s expression. ‘What did he imply precisely?’
‘I think you already know.’ She fixed him with an implacable look. ‘He insists the entire village is aware that I live beneath your protection.’ She puffed out her chest to emphasise her disapproval but soon realised it had been a mistake when Archie’s gaze was drawn to her bosom, lingering there. ‘He called me a jezebel. What have you done, Archie? Is it true? Is that what everyone thinks?’
‘Flora, my love…’
‘I am not your love, Archie Felsham, even if the entire village assumes that I am.’
‘I know how hard you have struggled to procure your independence, and how important it is to you, and I admire your determination to live your life as you see fit. Never doubt it. But what you have failed to take into account is that the world in general, and a small village like Lyneham in particular, isn’t ready for something quite as avant-garde as a single female living alone, without even a companion to lend her existence a degree of respectability.’
‘There is nothing the least bit unrespectable about me!’ Her voice had risen and become a little shrill, indicating the level of her stress. ‘I try very hard to live by the terms of my own moral compass and help others as much as I can, even if I don’t spend half my life on my knees praying for divine guidance. I thought I was getting somewhere; that I had earned the respect of the locals.’ She gave an indignant huff. ‘Now I find that Papa was in the right of it and they all look upon me as a harlot.’
Archie pushed himself awkwardly to his feet, moved to sit beside her and took her hand. She wanted to shake her fingers free, but couldn’t find the strength. The pressure of his uninjured thigh pressing against hers muddied her thinking further. How could she be so angry with him and yet still desire him with every fibre of her being? If this was love, then she could do without it. It was more confusing, restricting and tempting than it had any right to be, and she had no time for its interfering presence in her life.
‘You are more attractive than you realise,’ he said in a deep, persuasive growl that resonated with an earthy vibrancy. ‘That in itself would make you a target for men of low morals who would arrogantly suppose that you could not possibly live without a man to protect your interests.’ She harrumphed but remained silent. ‘Add to that the fact that you live so comfortably and you wouldn’t have known a moment’s peace. Men with pockets to let would be forming a disorderly queue at your door.’
‘Even if what you say is true, Archie, I am still very angry with you. You should have explained, rather than simply assuming that you knew what was best for me.’
‘And you would still have agreed to live here if I had done that, would you?’
She felt the anger drain out of her, which was annoying. If she was to stand the slightest chance of countering his intelligent arguments, she needed to cloak herself in righteous indignation, which would justify more irrational answers. But she couldn’t bring herself to lie.
‘Probably not,’ she conceded.
