Page 21 of A Sense of Injustice
Flora left her to Sandwell’s care and was then at leisure. She wandered downstairs, wondering if Louise would make good on her intention to call or whether, in the cold light of day, she would have had a change of heart. She harboured misgivings in view of Remus’s warning, but since the countess had specifically asked her to try and help the girl, Flora would do whatever she could for her.
Ensconced in the small parlour that overlooked the front drive, the sound of wheels on gravel distracted Flora from her book. She glanced out of the window and saw Louise alighting from her grandmother’s carriage. Flora snatched up the tailored coat that matched her gown, followed Luke’s example by going hatless, and emerged on the front steps to greet her new friend before she had finished ascending them.
‘I saw you arriving,’ she said by way of explanation. ‘Would you like to come in for refreshments or would you prefer to walk? It’s a crisp day and the grounds are so pretty at this time of the year.’
‘Oh, let’s walk, by all means. The trees are magnificent with their rainbow of colours. I loved the London parks in autumn, but that’s not quite the same thing. I would enjoy doing a circuit of the lake.’
‘Then we shall.’
Flora linked her arm through Louise’s and the two of them set off at a leisurely pace. Gardeners raking leaves from the lawns paused in their efforts to doff their caps as the girls passed.
‘You are very fortunate to live here and have all this at your disposal.’ Louise waved her free arm in a wide arc. ‘I envy you in that respect.’
‘And yet I am told you are a lady of fortune who enjoys the freedom to please herself, so one assumes that a country life could be yours. Then again, perhaps you prefer the social hustle and bustle of London society.’
‘I do…well, I did.’ Louise bit her lip. ‘I have never lived anywhere else, so I had nothing to compare it to and had not given the type of thought to my future that you imply.’ She lifted one shoulder. ‘I have been focused upon preparing for presentation since the age of fifteen and suppose I just assumed that I would marry and that my husband would decide upon our living arrangements.’
‘Well of course that is what you thought. You are a lady of fortune and quality and deserve to be admired and pursued. That is what’s expected of you.’ Flora smiled. ‘Unlike me, you do not require paid employment.’
‘But your position here offers you a degree of independence, in its way, that I could never enjoy.’
‘True.’ Flora conceded the point with a tilt of her head. ‘I hadn’t lived anywhere other than Salisbury, within the confines of the cathedral, before taking this position.’ She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ‘Don’t tell anyone, but this is much nicer. I am treated as a member of the family, my opinions are sought and respected, I like and admire the countess very much and my duties are far from arduous. I am very fortunate.’
‘I can quite understand why you are happy here, especially given what you came from.’ Louise clapped a gloved hand over her mouth. ‘Oh, excuse me, that sounded very impolite.’
‘Not in the least.’ Flora smiled, hoping that her own candidness would persuade Louise to set aside the inhibitions she sensed her fighting against. ‘You are actually very astute.’
‘What I meant to imply is that it must have been veryrestricting for a lady of your exuberant nature to be restrained from expressing opinions that might not coincide with the Christian tenets held dear by a stringent father.’
Flora laughed and rolled her eyes. ‘You havenoidea.’
‘I can imagine well enough.’
The ladies had reached the path that skirted the lake and strolled along it at a leisurely pace. Louise exclaimed every so often at some natural delight that Flora had begun to take for granted. A cool breeze rustled through the reeds and rippled the surface of the lake. A curlew stood in the shallows, searching the mud for worms with its long bill. It gave the ladies an imperious stare then took to the skies with a loud clatter of wings and an indignant squawk.
‘There is a bench at the far end of the lake that’s sheltered from the wind,’ Flora said when Louise shivered. ‘We can talk there without fear of interruption.’
‘I hope I am not keeping you from your duties.’
‘Not in the least. The countess is resting and won’t need me for several hours.’
They settled side by side on the bench in the lee of the wind. The absolute solitude of the location always soothed Flora, no matter how troubled her mind. She hoped it would work a similar magic on Louise, who appeared deeply disturbed. Her grey eyes clouded at some recurring memory as she impatiently pushed aside a strand of blonde hair that had escaped from beneath her hat. Flora was content to remain silent, leaving Louise to decide whether she really wanted to confide in her. Despite Remus’s warning, she couldn’t sense even the slightest hint of malevolence about her. If Remus was right—and he usually was—then Louise Pearson was the conduit that brought trouble to Flora’s door, not its root cause.
‘I have been exceedingly foolish,’ Louise said, after the ladies had sat in silence for several minutes.
‘I doubt that very much, but if you want to tell me why you feel that way, I am more than ready to listen.’
Louise half-closed her eyes and sighed. ‘My grandmother says that you have an abundance of good sense. Not only have you managed to win the countess’s respect, but I have heard that your quick-thinking saved the earl from being irrevocably committed to a most unsuitable match.’ Louise smiled. ‘I am in awe of your abilities.’
‘Please don’t be. There is nothing at all remarkable about me. Mrs Pearson must have heard about the earl’s travails and my small part in resolving them from the countess. I wasn’t aware that her ladyship knew anything of the matter.’ Flora chuckled. ‘Not that I ought to be surprised. She is a canny individual, and she misses little.’ Flora turned to Louise and smiled, worried by the anxiety that fuelled her expression. ‘Now, come on. Let me hear it. It cannot possibly be that bad.’
‘You are quite wrong. It’s ten times worse.’ Louise plucked abstractedly at the fabric of her skirts. ‘I don’t know why I thought you could possibly help me. No one can.’ Tears streamed down Louise’s cheeks. ‘I have made the most terrible mess of things.’
‘Just tell me.’ Flora squeezed Louise’s hand, and the gesture appeared to revive her. She rummaged in her stocking purse for a handkerchief, blew her nose and then sat a little straighter. Despite her temporary lack of composure, Flora sensed a strong will at the core of this most engaging young woman and really hoped there would be something she could do to help her, even if it didn’t extend beyond lending a sympathetic ear.
‘I am unaware how much you know about my family’s circumstances and so I will give you the abbreviated version. My mother died giving birth to Marianne,’ she explained, not waiting for Flora to say what she actually did know. ‘Papa was devastated and…well, he was never able to look at Marianne without blaming her for his tragic loss, which was really most unreasonable of him. I mean, he was the one who impregnated Mama, thereby putting her life at risk. Anyway, that’s by the by. He took himself away and Marianne and I were left in the care of our maternal aunt.’ A shadow passed through Louise’s expression at the mention of that lady. Flora stored her reaction away for future consideration. ‘By the time Papa came home again, Marianne was a lively five-year-old, but he still couldn’t abide the sight of her. Grandmamma became involved and offered to take Marianne in. I wanted to come too, but Papa didn’t want to part with me, so naturally I remained in London.’
‘You didn’t see your sister after that?’
