Page 71 of A Sense of Misgiving
‘Go on.’ Flora allowed that particular misconception go unchallenged.
‘He said that he was convalescing with his sister, a Mrs Arnold, who lives close to Beranger Hall. He heard that you were employed there, and had become greatly valued—’
‘Heard how?’
Her father looked disinterested. ‘Does it matter?’
‘If it did not, I should not ask. This conversation is as unpleasant for me as it is for you, Father. Just answer my question, if you please.’
‘I’m not precisely sure. Mrs Arnold, I think, had seen you once or twice in the village with the countess, and with the earl, too.’
Flora nodded. She recalled an occasion when a sudden downpour caught them unawares. Luke and Sam happened to be in the village. Sam took the countess to cover but Luke was in a capricious mood. When Flora fretted about getting the hem of her new gown wet, he swept her into his arms and carried her over the puddles. Everyone else had run for shelter and she thought the gesture had gone unobserved. But her perceptions told her that it had not. Lucy Arnold had seen them, and now that moment of madness had come back to plague them, all because Flora didn’t want to ruin her gown.
Perhaps Papa was in the right of it and vanity was a sin. But the vanity had been hers, so she was unsure why it was Luke who was in danger of paying a heavy price for it. His gallantry had been enough to drive a jealous woman on a crusade to get rid of her by whatever means possible. Or had she simply been planning her revenge, in case her campaign to attract Luke didn’t bear fruit? It was hard to know.
‘I see.’ Flora gathered up her stocking purse and stood. ‘I shall keep my grandmother’s papers somewhere safe. They will not see the light of day and would not have done so anyway, even if I had remained at home, if not for your sake then for that of my mother and sisters. You had no cause to go to such extreme lengths. However, if one word of the rumours regarding the earl’s father gets into the public domain then I will behave as vindictively as you appear capable of doing. Do I make myself clear?’
‘Flora, my dear, there is no need for such animosity.’
‘I beg to differ, Father.’ She glanced at the desk again. ‘Are we in agreement?’
‘We are. I never would have started those rumours and should not have threatened you. I’m truly sorry.’
Flora blinked. She’d never heard her father apologise for anything. He always assumed that he was in the right, even though most of the time he was not.
‘Then we understand one another. Good day to you. We shall not meet again. My best wishes to Mama and girls. I shall not disturb their music practise by intruding upon it.’
*
‘Am I disturbing you?’ Paul put his head around the door to Mary’s sitting room.
Mary looked up and smiled. ‘Not in the least. I was just perfecting the sketch of the heron. I swear I have taken that bird in extreme dislike. It is most inconsiderable of him to have such an awkward body shape.’
Paul laughed, looked over her shoulder and nodded his approval. ‘It is greatly improved by the reshaping of his beak. We cannot all be examples of physical perfection, although that is probably precisely how he seems to other herons.’
‘You look distracted, Paul. Are you feeling quite well? Flora has gone out for the day so I cannot ask her to make up one of her tinctures for you.’
‘I am perfectly well.’ He clasped his hands behind his back and paced the length of the room, looking flustered and most unlike his normal breezy self. ‘I have just been talking with Luke.’
‘Well, that explains your agitation then. My brother can be a tyrant when he’s in a bad mood. But then, no one’s perfect, I suppose.’
‘You are.’
‘Me?’ Mary laughed. ‘Good heavens, hardly.’
Paul swivelled on his heel, then took the seat beside her and her hand in his. Mary was shocked, but felt no need to reclaim her hand. The pleasant tingling sensation that she experienced from the touch of his fingers persuaded her to leave it just where it was. She had been thinking a lot about Paul these past few days. And definitely not in a brotherly sense.
‘We were discussing your difficulty in knowing when a gentleman’s attentions are being bestowed for the right reasons.’ He cleared his throat, looking nervous and unsure of himself. ‘Luke had guessed my secret, you see.’
‘Your secret?’ She blinked at him. ‘What secret?’
‘That I am in love with you, and have been for some considerable time.’
‘Me? You? Love?’ Mary’s words stuttered to a momentary halt. ‘But I don’t understand. Why on earth didn’t you say anything before now?’
Paul gave a self-deprecating shrug. ‘How could I? I am your brother’s paid employee. I am little better than a servant.’
‘Don’t talk such tosh!’ Mary cried impatiently.
