Page 42 of A Sense of Injustice
‘If you are sure, ma’am.’ Flora bobbed a curtsey. ‘I shall see you in the morning. Call me if I am needed,’ she added in an aside to Sandwell,
‘Walk with me,’ Luke said, ‘if you are not too tired.’
‘Not at all. Why should I be?’
‘You were up early.’
‘Ah, Amethyst. Can we go and see him?’
Luke smiled at her enthusiasm. ‘I don’t see why not.’
‘Your grandmother’s strength is waning, Luke,’ Flora said, sighing. ‘She will insist on going down when you entertain. Then she overexerts herself and pays the price. She used to recover quickly. Now, as you just saw for yourself, she does not. I am running out of things I can do to help her.’
‘You do more than enough. I have seen vast improvements in her over recent months, and you must take the credit for that.’
‘Even so, I wish I could do more.’
They strolled side by side towards the stables. Having exhausted the subject of the countess, neither of them felt any particular need to break the comfortable silence that settled between them.
‘I really am remarkably grateful,’ she said when they reached their destination, helping herself to a carrot from the tack room which she fed to Amethyst. ‘No one has ever done anything half as thoughtful or extravagant for me before.’ She patted the horse’s neck. ‘You are very kind.’
‘I hope you enjoy him.’
‘You can be sure that I shall.’
They turned away from the stables and wandered into the pretty wilderness directly behind them. In the spring the expanse of land was awash with colourful wild flowers and had become a favourite haunt of Flora’s.
‘You have heard nothing from your family, I take it,’ Luke said softly.
‘No.’ Flora sighed. ‘And that comes as no great surprise, even if a small part of me had hoped…anyway, they have made their position clear. I no longer have a family.’ She impatiently dashed away an errant tear. ‘I clearly mean little to them and so I have vowed to think of them no more. It is rather liberating in many respects,’ she said, thinking that if she said it often enough then it would start to feel like the truth. ‘I have never fitted in with my father’s views of how a daughter should behave.’
‘You would not have lasted here for five minutes if you had.’
Flora smiled. ‘Very true. Your grandmother would have eaten me alive.’
She was surprised when he took her hand and gently squeezed her fingers. She assumed that he would release it again, having offered reassurance, but he retained possession of it. The simple gesture felt natural and right, even though it was fraught with peril. She found the strength to snatch her hand back.
‘It’s late,’ she said. ‘I should return to the house.’
‘Flora, I—’
‘Yes?’ She glanced up at him. His eyes looked as black as obsidian in the twilight, his expression unfathomable. She had never known him to be anything other than forthright and self-assured, but at that moment he seemed conflicted. ‘What is it?’
He touched her cheek. ‘You’re right,’ he said with a sigh. ‘It’s late.’
They turned together in the direction of the house. ‘When are you riding with Louise?’
‘Tomorrow afternoon. Henry is coming as well.’
‘Actually, he probably won’t be. I have a problem with a property I own on the other side of Wiltshire and I’ve sent him to arbitrate with the tenants. I sense a restlessness in him and thought it prudent to give him a little authority. If he is thinking of spreading his wings, he might as well discover for himself what he will be letting himself in for.’
‘You don’t want him to go and you are looking for ways to discourage him. That’s entirely understandable.’
‘Actually, I won’t try to stop him, but he isn’t as worldly-wise as he thinks he is, and as things stand his tenants would likely run rings around him. That’s my fault, I suppose. I haven’t given him enough decisions to make before now, which is why I am attempting to rectify that situation. Anyway, if Henry isn’t back, I could ride with you.’ He sounded and looked uncharacteristically unsure of himself. ‘I don’t want you venturing out unescorted until this matter has been resolved.’
She smiled. ‘Thank you, but I don’t think your company would do much to reassure Louise. She would feel embarrassed to think…’ Flora waved a hand in the air, trying not to give offence. ‘She knows I have spoken to you about her situation but would be mortified if she thought you’ve actually guessed the full extent of her problem. I don’t want her to think that I have betrayed her confidence, since I have not. Well, not really. Anyway, Cleethorp doesn’t know me and has no reason to do me harm.’
‘He will if you come between him and Louise, which I suspect you wouldn’t be able to help doing, irresponsible female!’
