Page 70 of A Sense of Fate
‘You took Magda Simpson from him?’
Archie shrugged. ‘She pursued me and I was reckless, and probably arrogant too. Conrad got that part right, at least. But that sort of thing happened, I’m afraid. We were privileged young men enjoying ourselves, and if a lady had a change of heart, then a gentleman gave way.’
‘But Conrad was no gentleman and didn’t understand the rules.’
‘Apparently not.’
‘He must have watched you with her. Did you use that vine to avoid detection before?’
‘Once, I think. And yes, if he was watching he would have known. So he chopped it away from the wall—but fortunately for me, it held until I was close enough to the ground to survive the fall.’
‘He warned Magda’s husband, I assume.’ She smiled. ‘Conrad must have been furious when he realised you weren’t dead. He really does seem to resent you, and still wants you gone.’
‘Remarkable, don’t you think, what with me being such an admirable chap.’
‘I could not possibly comment on that.’ Flora shook her head. ‘Are you hungry?’
‘Not for food.’
‘Behave yourself, Archie Felsham.’
‘You provoke me, you strip me of my clothes and then you expect me to behave?’ He sent her a predatory smile that warmed her insides. ‘You really don’t know me very well. Besides, you kissed me in front of half the village. Why did you do that? My impression was that you were attempting to play down our friendship, if only for appearance’s sake. What’s more, I was outside and heard you pretending to be my mistress.’
‘About that…I’ve been thinking.’
‘Have you now?’
‘Oh, Archie, don’t embarrass me and make this any harder than it needs to be. We both know that this…this thing between us can’t go on the way it is. It’s intrusive and needs to be addressed. I know you have been biding your time, waiting to pose a question and now seems as good a time as any to tell you that I am agreeable.’
Archie pushed himself up on one elbow. ‘What question is it that you think I want to ask you?’
‘You’re really going to make me squirm, aren’t you, you irresponsible rogue?’ she cried impatiently.
She pushed him back down again and softly ran her fingers beneath his shirt, touching the scars on his torso.
‘Don’t!’ he swivelled his body to one side. ‘You will be repelled. I’m repelled by the sight myself.’
‘You really don’t understand me at all.’
Ignoring his renewed protests, she pushed his shirt upwards and ran the tips of her fingers along the line of his most prominent scar. ‘I can help you to make these less visible,’ she said in a matter-of-fact tone. ‘They were not well sutured, which is why there is so much scar tissue.’
‘I am told that I landed on a rock garden. Don’t remember much about it, but the priority at the time was for my leg. I don’t think anyone expected me to survive, so stitching up the cuts was hardly important, and was rudimentary at best.’
‘Well, it matters now.’ She dropped her head and ran her lips lightly along the scars to demonstrate her point, wondering if an alien being had taken her over and given her courage that she hadn’t been aware she possessed. Her actions were spontaneous, driven by a combination of instinct and determination to prove to Archie that there was absolutely nothing repellent about scars dishonourably come by.
‘You are remarkable.’ Archie let out a long breath which became a sigh as he stroked the back of her head. ‘No one has ever…’
‘I should hope not. Anyway, Archie, I think this proves that I am willing to become your mistress.’
‘Good God!’ He sat bolt upright and swore when pain gripped him anew. ‘Is that what you think I’ve been waiting to ask you?’
‘What else? And given that it’s what everyone else appears to think, it seems foolish to deny ourselves. I’m curious to know what happens, and the countess assured me that you would be a first-rate teacher,’ she said, blushing furiously.
‘Ah, sweet Flora! What am I to do with you?’
‘Now I’m just plain embarrassed and…’
‘That was not my intention.’
