Page 10 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding
‘Unexpected, but not unwelcome,’ declared Uncle Farnleigh, laughing. ‘Flora, my dear, allow me to present Mr Talacre.’
‘Good evening, Miss Warenne.’
Flora stared at Matt Talacre as he reached for her nerveless hand and bowed over it.
‘We met at Sir Roger Condicote’s fishing party today,’ explained her uncle. ‘And when I heard Talacre was at a loose end this evening I suggested he come and take pot luck with us.’
‘Indeed,’ she murmured. Was it mere coincidence that he was here? Perhaps the Fates were conspiring to test her loyalty to her fiancé. Or perhaps Matt Talacre was playing some deep game of his own. She would need to be on her guard.
‘And very pleased we are to have him join us,’ declared Aunt Farnleigh, who prided herself upon keeping a good table. ‘Although I have warned you, Mr Talacre, it will only be our usual fare. Just two courses, I’m afraid, but it includes a fricassee of wild rabbit and a haunch of mutton. As well as the trout and barbel Mr Farnleigh caught today.’
‘Madam, I can think of nothing finer.’
Aunt Farnleigh’s reaction to these words showed quite clearly that she had succumbed to their guest’s undoubted charm. A blush warmed her faded cheek and there was an added spring in her step as she moved off to speak with her husband.
Flora rounded on their guest. ‘What are youdoinghere?’ she hissed.
‘Your uncle was kind enough to invite me,’ he murmured. ‘And as it appeared you hadn’t mentioned our meeting, I thought it best to act as if it had not happened.’
This reasonable explanation robbed Flora of any excuse for her anger, but it did nothing for her temper.
‘I thought you had left Whilton.’
‘I had considered it, but then I bumped into Sir Roger Condicote and his invitation to spend a day fishing was…irresistible.’ His crooked smile appeared. ‘Are you not just a little pleased to see me?’
‘Not in the least!’
‘I did not plan this, Miss Warenne, I promise you. Pray, cry pax with me.’
Flora discovered she was no more impervious to the man’s charm than Aunt Farnleigh, but she was not quite ready to give him a smile just yet. She indicated by a look that he should move with her towards the window, where they would not be overheard.
‘What have you given as your reason for being in Whilton?’
‘That I have business with the Viscount, nothing more.’ He leaned a little closer. ‘So you see, Miss Warenne, your secret is safe with me.’
‘Mysecret! Iwas not the one trespassing.’
He laughed again at that, but as the butler came in at that moment to announce dinner there was no time to utter a rebuke. With an audacious wink he went off to give his arm to Aunt Farnleigh, leaving Flora to accompany her uncle into the dining room.
* * *
Flora could not fault Mr Talacre’s manners at dinner. He was neither too flattering, praising every dish far beyond its merits, nor too reticent, sitting silently and leaving all the work of conversation to others. He conversed easily and intelligently upon every subject that his hosts introduced and initiated several discussions himself.
She found it impossible to dislike the man and when the ladies went off to the drawing room, leaving the gentlemen to enjoy a glass of brandy together, she was not surprised to hear her aunt describe Mr Talacre as a very amiable gentleman.
‘Unmarried, too,’ she continued, ‘which will set a few hearts a-fluttering at Monday’s ball.’
‘Goodness, will he be here for that?’ asked Flora, startled.
‘Why, yes. He is staying until at least Tuesday, because he wants to attend the Antiquarians’ lecture thatevening.’ Aunt Farnleigh’s brow furrowed in concentration. ‘It is something about Grecian sculptures, I think.’
‘Oh, of course,’ said Flora, thinking of the statue of Mars. ‘That makes sense.’
‘It does?’
Flora felt her cheeks grow warm under her aunt’s puzzled glance and hastened to say, ‘I believe these antiquities are of interest to many gentlemen. Only think of the British Museum, buying the Parthenon Sculptures from Lord Elgin.’
Aunt Farnleigh was unconvinced. ‘I must say I cannot see anything of interest in old blocks of carved stone. Very pretty in their way, I am sure, but I believe most of them to be broken beyond repair. Headless gods and goddesses with no arms—why on earth would anyone think that interesting, let alonevaluable?’
