Page 8 of A Sense of Injustice
Flora enjoyed Archie Hardwick’s undemanding company and pretended not to notice that he sometimes looked at her for a little longer than might be considered either necessary or polite. She wondered if he might be contemplating the idea of offering her a position as his nurse once the countess was no more. She couldn’t think of any other reason for his prolonged scrutiny. It was just the sort of irregular arrangement would appeal to his quixotic personality and his lack of regard for the established order, but Flora would never agree to it. She might be estranged from her family and its rigid religious standards but she had not forgotten how to behave with propriety. Taking a position in a single gentleman’s household would embarrass them and she was not prepared to go quite that far.
The countess and Mrs Pearson offered up increasingly ribald comments that precluded further intimate conversation between Flora and Lord Hardwick. Upon reflection, Flora decided it was probably just as well. Their dialogue had become a little too personal.
‘You are worse than the pair of them,’ Flora chided when Lord Hardwick deliberately goaded the old ladies into indiscretion. ‘They don’t need any encouragement.’
He flashed the type of puerile smile that had doubtless got him out of all sorts of scrapes in his younger years and offered a shrug. ‘It seems that I can’t help myself.’
Flora smiled and shook her head. ‘You are incorrigible.’
Luke stood and tapped a spoon against the side of his glass, drawing everyone’s attention to him as conversations abruptly broke off. Miss Gregory looked up at him through eyes widened with a combination of adoration and predatory intent. Everyone else simply smiled, waiting to see what he had to say.
‘We are here this evening to celebrate the coming of age of Miss Flora Latimer.’ Several male fists thumped the table in agreement, causing the glassware to jump and the candle flames to flicker. ‘Flora came to us just six months ago to act as my grandmother’s companion.’
‘Not that I need one,’ the countess complained. ‘But as always, no one paid the slightest attention to what I wanted.’
Luke ignored his grandmother’s interruption and continued smoothly on. ‘I think I speak for my brothers and sisters as well as myself when I say that we already can’t remember how we ever managed without her. Flora’s sound common sense and disinclination to be bullied by Grandmamma?’
‘I never bully anyone!’ the countess protested, causing laughter.
‘Well anyway, Grandmamma will never admit it, but she enjoys Flora’s company enormously, as do we all, and she feels a great deal better than she has for years. And so for that, and so many other things besides, we count ourselves fortunate to have her amongst us. Raise your glasses, ladies and gentlemen, if you please, and join me in a toast to Flora. Happy birthday, my dear, and many happy returns.’
To Flora’s embarrassment everyone stood, drank to her health and then applauded. Even Lord Hardwick and the countess pushed themselves to their feet. Flora felt tears of gratitude pricking the backs of her eyes. This was what it must feel like to be loved and cherished by one’s family, she thought, revelling in the alien concept as she smiled and thanked everyone for their kindness. Flora knew that she would never forget the occasion.
‘Now that we’ve got that sentimental nonsense out of the way,’ the countess, still on her feet, said loudly, ‘shall we leave these scoundrels to their port, ladies?’
Lord Hardwick, still also standing, steadied himself with one hand on the table and used the other to pull Flora’s chair back for her. She thanked him, aware that simple gentlemanly gestures that had once been second nature to him now required an effort of will. Flora went to the countess’s side and offered her an arm to lean on as they left the dining room. Miss Gregory, Flora noticed, trailed behind the rest of the ladies and continued to cast looks over her shoulder in Luke’s direction until he was lost from her view. Luke ignored her.
‘Well,’ the countess said, lowering herself into the chair beside the fire that Flora conducted her to, ‘that’s that nonsense over and done with.’
‘It was very kind of you to insist upon it, ma’am,’ Flora said, impulsively kissing her charge’s cheek. ‘I enjoyed myself immensely.’
‘I keep telling you, irritating child, that I am never deliberately kind.’
Flora bit back a smile. ‘Of course you are not.’
‘Go away and talk to someone else. Mrs Pearson and I have matters to discuss that will make you blush to your fingertips.’
‘Then perhaps I should stay,’ Flora replied playfully.
She made sure that the countess and Mrs Pearson both had coffee. As soon as she thought Flora had turned her back, the countess beckoned to a footman who dutifully laced that coffee with liberal amounts of brandy. Flora shook her head and drifted away, only to be accosted by Miss Gregory—the last person she had any desire to converse with.
‘You are very fortunate, Miss Latimer,’ she said in a haughty tone, ‘to have found such an advantageous position.’
‘I count my blessings on a daily basis,’ Flora replied evenly.
‘Whatever shall you do with yourself when the countess dies?’
Flora blinked. ‘I beg your pardon.’
‘I did not mean to sound quite so blunt.’ Flora knew that had been her precise intention and didn’t trust herself to respond. ‘But facts must be faced. You are treated as a member of this family.’ She cast an envious glance at Flora’s gown, which was of better quality and in far better taste than Miss Gregory’s own. ‘However, they will have no need of your services once the countess is gone.’
‘How very kind of you to consider my wellbeing, but rest assured that I shall not starve. Pray excuse me.’
Flora walked away, wishing that Sam had not met the squire and extended the invitation to include his niece. Her presence had spoiled an otherwise perfect day for Flora. Not that she had any right to complain about the guests who were invited to dine at Beranger Court, even when the party was being held in her honour. It was obvious that Miss Gregory felt confused by Flora’s position within the family—she was not the first to have remarked upon such an unorthodox arrangement—and for some obscure reason felt threatened by her. Luke’s warm words of praise had probably made her presume that Flora and Luke were more intimately acquainted than was actually the case.
How delicious!
To be envied by a female who had ideas above her station. If Luke genuinely liked Miss Gregory, then Flora would have gone out of her way to befriend the woman. But Flora had watched them together and could tell from Luke’s reactions that he felt absolutely nothing for her, and likely found her determination to cling irritating.
