Page 8 of A Sense of Paradise
But then, just as the bouquet was about to land in a sea of outstretched hands, a non-existent breeze suddenly sent it off course, inducing disappointed groans. It sailed over the heads of all the scrambling ladies and landed in Flora’s arms. Everyone gasped and then clapped wildly. Only Luke appeared disgruntled.
‘Tell me your Remus had nothing to do with that,’ Archie said in Flora’s ear, as they stood on the driveway with all the other guests and waved the newlyweds off, with Flora still holding Violet’s bouquet.
Archie knew of Flora’s abilities and had even sensed Remus’s presence once or twice, although he couldn’t actually see him. After all he had suffered, he would be a blind fool to close his eyes to the possibility of other forms of life in this universe. Someone had to have been looking over him when he survived such a crushing fall. He sometimes wondered if it had been his penance—a test, for want of a better word, to see if he was worthy of the ultimate prize of Flora.
He would spend the rest of his days proving to the world in general that he was, and to making his marchioness too happy ever to regret taking on an old cripple.
‘Oh, he did, and I shall have words with him. He is the most interfering spirit guide imaginable. I am absolutely sure that his duties do not extend to influencing something so insignificant—’
‘Insignificant?’ Archie pretended to be affronted. ‘I will have you know that becoming my marchioness is hardly an insignificance.’
She smiled up at him. ‘Oh, I am sure it is not, but I dare say I shall be a great disappointment to society in general.’
‘Ha! Society can go hang.’
Archie noticed Lord Baverstock again, in conversation with other gentlemen. They collectively looked over their shoulders at Archie and turned away again as one. Archie felt a chill in the air that had nothing to do with the weather and idly wondered what he had done to earn the gentlemen’s collective disapproval. Perhaps Flora was in the right of it and the stuffy old rogues disapproved of his friendship with her. His chest swelled with indignation. He outranked the damned lot of them and would not be told whom to associate with by them or by anyone else. Flora was highly respectable, although he conceded that her father’s fall from grace would have tarnished her reputation in the eyes of the more socially aware.
Be that as it may, Latimer’s behaviour was not Flora’s fault and he would not allow her to be tainted by association. She was ten times more caring and compassionate than any society lady of his acquaintance, and if this lot were casting judgement then they could go to the devil. He did not need their good opinion. But he would remember the slight the next time one of them came to him cap in hand, which would inevitably happen at some point, at least insofar as those who lived locally and depended upon his largesse were concerned.
‘Well anyway, Archie,’ Flora said, recalling his attention, ‘I am not going to bother to change. If we set out soon, we will be home before dark, if your leg can withstand the journey.’
‘Whatever you wish, my love,’ he said. ‘I am yours to command.’
‘Are you? Then satisfy my curiosity and tell me who the lady outside the church was.’
‘I will. I have no secrets from you, darling.’ He held her gaze, only looking away when he sensed Melanie rapidly approaching them. ‘But rest assured, she is nothing to me. On that you have my word.’
She canted her head and sent him a slow, sensual smile. ‘It has been such a lovely day that I refuse to spoil it by disagreeing with anything you say.’
‘Very sensible, since I never give my word without meaning it.’ They were surrounded by a swell of people and Archie cursed them. Their presence prevented him from taking her in his arms then and there and offering her the reassurance she so richly deserved. Her lack of self-esteem was both becoming and yet frustratingly unnecessary. She would never see in herself what the countess, that most curmudgeonly of women, had seen the moment Flora entered her service. What Luke had seen as well. That unique something that Archie had never found in any of the myriad women he had dallied with in all the years leading up to this moment.
‘I adore you,’ he said, bringing his lips up against the shell of her ear and whispering the words in a provocative tone.
She looked up at him, nodded once and seemed reassured.
‘I must find Polly and let her know we are about to leave. Well,’ she added, ‘if I find your Mr Pawson then I am bound to find Polly too since he is seldom far away from my maid.’
With that she swung back into the house and was swallowed up by the crush of bodies.
Chapter Three
Flora sat beside Archie in his luxurious carriage for the thirty-mile journey back to Lyneham. Melanie sat across from them with Flora’s maid which precluded any conversation of a personal nature between herself and Archie. She was grateful for Melanie’s presence. Her constant chatter about the wedding didn’t seem to require any responses, other than the occasional contribution from Polly, who remarked about the party that had been held below stairs, at which there had been much merrymaking, including dancing.
‘I dare say Pawson gave you a spin,’ Archie said, smiling at her. ‘I hope he did not trample all over your toes. I shall have something to say to him if he did.’
‘Oh no! You must not. He was very graceful.’ Polly blushed scarlet when she appeared to realise that Archie had been teasing and focused her gaze on the carriage’s floor.
Flora gave Archie a nudge. ‘Stop embarrassing the poor girl,’ she hissed.
‘Me?’ He sent Flora a look of innocent incredulity, which made her smile in spite of herself.
As the journey progressed, Flora noticed that Archie couldn’t prevent himself from wincing whenever the carriage hit a rut in the road, jolting him.
‘For goodness sake, Archie,’ she said impatiently, ‘lift your leg onto the opposite seat. Melanie will move over a little and make room for it.’ Melanie smiled and dutifully shuffled across. ‘You have done too much but you needn’t suffer when you do not have to.’
‘Does she boss you about too?’ he asked Polly. But he allowed Flora to lift his leg into an elevated position and she could tell that the relief was almost immediate.
‘Oh no, my lord,’ Polly hastened to assure him. ‘She is very tolerant.’
