Page 6 of A Sense of Fate
‘Acquiring psychic powers, are we?’ Archie raised a provocative brow.
‘Spring is a good time to have a wedding, so Violet says,’ Luke remarked in an obvious change of subject.
The supernatural was another sensitive area that caused both men’s thoughts to dwell upon Flora. Archie had confidence in her perceptions, but Luke refused to acknowledge them. Luke’s stubbornness in that regard had prevented him, Archie suspected, from proposing to Flora. Archie had known the first time he saw them together that his friend’s feelings were engaged, but Luke’s closed mind would almost certainly have dissuaded Flora from accepting him, even if he had declared himself.
‘And all of Swindon will turn out to see their earl finally tie the knot,’ Archie predicted, taking a healthy swig of his single malt.
‘Or to throw rotten fruit at us. I have my share of resentful neighbours.’ Luke leaned back in his chair and raised his arms above his head. His large mongrel dog, Romulus, who’d been rescued as a puppy and nursed back to health by Flora, stirred from his slumbers in front of the library fire and briefly flapped his tail. ‘I wish Grandmama could have hung on to see the day. She would have approved of Violet, I am absolutely sure of it.’
‘Your approval is all that signifies. After all, it’s you who will have to face her every day for the rest of your life.’
Luke laughed. ‘Well, looking at her is certainly no hardship.’
‘No,’ Archie agreed. ‘She’s a rare beauty.’
‘I’m a fortunate man.’
And one, Archie thought, who sounded as though he was trying to convince himself of the fact. Violet was suitable in all respects.
But she was not Flora.
Archie was unable to gauge how distressed Flora felt when Luke’s engagement had been announced. She professed to be delighted and showed no outward signs of jealousy. Quite the reverse. Violet Baxter had sought Flora’s friendship, which she had happily offered to her rival for Luke’s affections.
Flora had, Archie reasoned, made her feelings—or lack of them—for Luke apparent when she declined to remain at Beranger Court after the countess’s death and made alternative living arrangements. She didn’t discover Archie’s hand in those arrangements until after she had committed herself to Fox Hollow, but she made her annoyance plain when she discovered that Archie was her landlord and that she had unintentionally accepted a tenancy at a discounted rent. He’d been terrified that pride would prevent her from taking up residence in his cottage when she learned of his machinations. But to his relief she had eventually recovered from what she described as his intolerable interference in her affairs and had gradually come to depend upon him as a neighbour and friend.
Her friendship, for now at least, was enough for Archie. Flora needed time to enjoy her hard won independence from a family that had been reluctant to let her go and still appeared determined to draw her back into its sanctimonious clutches. Archie was equally determined to ensure that they didn’t succeed, and now that she lived so close at hand he was in an ideal position to act as her protector without her being any the wiser. No one called at Fox Hollow without Archie being aware of their identity and the nature of their business.
He suppressed a chuckle, thinking how furious she would be if she discovered that he had appointed himself as her guardian. She would hotly declare that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Archie shook his head, thinking how unworldly she still was in many respects. She had absolutely no idea just what an enticing proposition she projected, or that she would be noticed by those keen to take advantage of her situation. She was known to be unmarried but lived very comfortably and was generous with her time and attention for those less fortunate than herself.
Fortune hunters abounded and Archie had made it his business to ensure that she wasn’t troubled by their attentions. A word or two locally had made it clear to those in positions of authority that she was Archie’s ward. He winced, imagining her reaction if she ever discovered his deliberate perpetuation of that myth. Many would assume she was his mistress, which lamentably was not the case, but Archie couldn’t think of a better way to save her from the unwanted attentions of the unscrupulous. Few who didn’t harbour death wishes would deliberately defy the powerful Marquess of Felsham.
There had to be some advantages to his position.
She had visited his home twice now and taken luncheon alone with him. She joked that her father would have apoplexy if he knew, causing Archie to wonder if she had defied convention simply for that reason. He invented excuses to call at her cottage, and she always seemed pleased to see him. She never spoke of an interest in any other man and seemed content with her hard-won independence. Archie harboured lingering concerns about her return to Salisbury for her sister’s wedding, wishing he could have persuaded her not to go. In the end he hadn’t attempted to talk her out of attending, aware that she had a point to prove to her dictatorial father.
Even so, he was glad that she had decided against staying overnight. His visit to Luke had lasted for a week but just happened to come to an end today, this afternoon.
‘I suppose I had better…’ Archie put his empty glass aside and leaned on his stick in order to pull himself unsteadily to his feet.
‘You’ve left it late,’ Luke remarked. ‘It will be dark soon and it’s raining again. You might as well stay for another night.’
‘I intend to collect Flora from the railway station.’ Luke flexed a brow at the mention of her name. They had both avoided any discussion of her for the majority of the week. ‘She has been to Salisbury to attend her sister’s wedding. I don’t want her to have to change trains alone at this time of day.’
‘I see.’ Luke’s expression was unreadable as he stood and shook Archie’s hand. ‘In that case, send her my best wishes.’ A cloud briefly passed through Luke’s eyes and Archie sensed his regret. ‘Violet and Mary are thinking of calling upon her to discuss plans for the wedding. Mary looks upon her as a member of the family, as do we all.’
‘I shall tell her to expect them.’
‘Safe journey, my friend,’ Luke said, slowing his pace as Archie caned his way into the entrance vestibule.
Pawson, Archie’s man upon whom he depended absolutely and whose discretion was equally assured, helped him into his outdoor garments while Luke’s butler opened the door and offered a stately half-bow. Archie followed Pawson down the steps and hauled himself slowly into his waiting conveyance. Getting into and out of carriages played merry hell with his injured leg, despite the fact that the pain had decreased considerably since Flora had forced her herbal remedies upon him and bullied him into swimming regularly to rebuild the strength in his withered muscles. He’d also had his own steam bath built in the grounds of Felsham Hall, and regular use of that facility was proving to be beneficial.
No one other than Flora could have persuaded him to try her alternative methods. He had been prodded and poked and had heads shaken over him during his ten-year sojourn in France by the best doctors his father’s money could buy, all of whom had told him to be content with being alive.
Alive perhaps, but not living.
There was nothing more that could be done to ease his pain or increase his mobility, or so he had repeatedly been told. But Flora was having none of it. She had, she told him, inherited her grandmother’s gift with the use of herbs and set about proving it. He had agreed, initially at least, in order to placate her. No one else dared to insist, or even talk openly about his disability, for fear of invoking his famous temper. Archie had admired her courage in facing him down and telling him to stop feeling so sorry about a situation he had brought upon himself.
It was at that point, Archie realised looking back, that he had first fallen a little in love with her. She was a determined romp with copper curls and vibrant violet eyes, who had got the better of the curmudgeonly countess and then transferred her forceful determination to Archie’s problems simply because she couldn’t stand to see him suffering when she insisted that she could do something to lessen his pain.
