Page 38 of A Sense of Fate
‘Her father and I have mutual business interests.’ Conrad sat a little straighter. ‘I am engaged as an investment advisor at Coutts.’
‘What is that to do with Miss Latimer?’ Archie asked, allowing the lie regarding Conrad’s employment to go uncontested.
‘Look, Felsham, your association with Miss Latimer has not gone unnoticed in ecclesiastical circles, and as I said before, your reputation precedes you. Everyone in Lyneham is aware that you look after her interests, and you can imagine what impression that gives. For a man in Latimer’s position, it creates a stain upon his character too.’
Archie leaned an elbow on his desk and rubbed his lips with the side of his index finger, disturbed by Conrad’s words since there was an element of truth to them. ‘Be careful,’ Archie warned. ‘You were never a gracious loser, Conrad, but we are no longer reckless youths attempting to steal one another’s thunder. There is nothing you can do to undermine my position, and we have nothing more to say to one another.’ Archie expelled a weary sigh. ‘Go back to Latimer—if indeed he sent you here in the first place—and tell him that if he has anything to say to me then he can make an appointment and say it to me himself.’
‘I can see that the loss of your legs has done nothing to improve your temper or your character,’ Conrad said, standing and glowering at Archie, his face flushed with rage. ‘You are still an arrogant devil, full of your own self-importance.’
‘Sounds to me as though you have been looking at your own reflection a little too long and a little too frequently,’ Archie said with an eloquently casual shrug.
‘I don’t think you have any idea what you have taken on.’ Conrad’s jaw vibrated with anger. ‘Leave her alone, Felsham. She deserves better. There are more powerful forces than you could possibly know opposed to you, and they would crush a cripple like you without breaking sweat if you were to involve yourself in their affairs.’ He looked down at Archie with a cynical sneer. ‘Your wealth and title won’t save you; not a second time.’
‘Pawson, show this gentleman out.’ Archie picked up the letter on the top of his waiting pile of correspondence and pretended to become absorbed with its contents. ‘He is leaving. Give instructions to the gatehouse to ensure he’s not admitted to my grounds again.’
‘With pleasure, my lord.’
‘You have not heard the last of this, Felsham,’ Conrad said, moving towards the door under his own steam before Pawson shoved him in that direction. ‘No, don’t bother to get up.’ He sent Archie a cynical look over his shoulder. ‘Oh of course, excuse me, but you can’t, can you?’
Archie didn’t bother to respond, even though the barb stung. He continued to peruse his letter as though Conrad hadn’t spoken, conscious of Pawson helping his unwelcome visitor from the room with a hard shove in the back.
‘What the devil was that all about?’ Pawson asked as soon as he returned. ‘Did Latimer really send him? And why didn’t you let me throw him out through the window? He had no business speaking to you that way.’
‘It seems he knows how to bear a grudge, whereas I haven’t given him a passing thought all these years, at least until Flora mentioned his name. Did Latimer send him?’ Archie tapped his fingers against the surface of his desk as he considered that possibility. ‘Possibly, but I am more concerned about why he would choose to do so. And more concerned still about his being aware of Flora’s movements yesterday. It implies that he—or someone employed by her father—is keeping watch over her.’
‘I somehow doubt it.’ Pawson flopped down into the chair that Conrad had just vacated, his agile mind better able to consider the matter dispassionately since his feelings were not engaged. ‘The villagers would pick up on that person’s presence and you’d get to hear of it.’
Archie ran his quill repeatedly through his fingers. ‘He did make one fair point, though.’
‘About your interest in Flora being misinterpreted?’ Pawson grinned. ‘For once, your intentions are not dishonourable, but I suppose he can be forgiven for not having considered that possibility, given the nature of your history with the man.’
Archie sent him a dour look. ‘What are they up to, Pawson, him and Latimer?’
‘We’ll find out soon enough. He will have to pass through Lyneham to get to wherever he’s going, and I’m having him followed.’
‘Good man.’
‘Why lie about his place of employment?’
‘He felt intimidated, I expect, and wanted to exaggerate his own importance. His real purpose was a clumsy attempt to warn me away from Flora. He tried to emphasise the fact that I will have to marry her if I continue to ply her with attention—’
Pawson grinned. ‘And that would be a terrible sacrifice to ask any man to make.’
It would be if Flora thought he was making a noble gesture to save her reputation, and if that situation arose there wasn’t the slightest possibility of her accepting him. Close as Archie was to Pawson though, he was not ready to share his aspirations or fears in that regard.
His thoughts reverted to his preoccupations of earlier that morning regarding the unpalatable sight of his naked body, and he mentally recoiled. Even so, Conrad’s warning had struck home. In attempting to keep Flora safe and ensuring that she enjoyed her strike for independence, hewascompromising her in many respects.
That situation couldn’t endure indefinitely. He would either have to cut her free or take a risk in declaring himself, possibly before she was ready to hear him.
If she ever would be.
‘Pardon, my lord,’ Draper said, entering the room. ‘Will is here from Fox Hollow with an urgent message. I thought you would like to know.’
Archie shared a worried look with Pawson. ‘Show him in at once, Draper.’
Will, who was married to Flora’s cook Beatrice, had been appointed to the position by Archie. Her servants were loyal to Archie and Flora equally, but unbeknown to Flora they were also charged with keeping Archie abreast of any problems created by her sometimes reckless determination to live her life by her own unorthodox standards. Will had never called in person before to report on her activities, contenting himself with meeting Pawson during his regular visits to the village to keep him informed, which meant that something important must have occurred to bring him here today.
Will entered the room, looking windswept and out of breath.
