Page 47 of A Sense of Fate
Polly grinned broadly and took herself off to the kitchen.
For her part, Flora admired Melanie’s resilience. She knew from personal experience that the welts to her legs and backside must still sting, making it uncomfortable to sit down. She didn’t even want to think about the pain that her burned hand continued to cause. But Melanie, relieved not to be returning to Salisbury, seemed oblivious to the discomfort as she bounced up and down on her chair and leaned forward, her eyes sparkling, anxious not to miss a word of Flora’s explanation.
Flora tempered the words in question, aware that her father had not given up on Melanie—on either of them—despite what he had said. She was also preoccupied by and very concerned about her father’s assertion that she lived beneath Archie’s protection, and the entire village supposedly knew it. Could it be true or another clumsy attempt by her father to make her obey his call to return to her family? She had felt uncomfortable once or twice recently at direct remarks people had made about her friendship with Archie, but she hadn’t stopped to think why they had been made. Archie owned this cottage and gave her a discounted rent, that much was true, but no one else could possibly be aware of that arrangement. Archie’s generosity had not been extended in the expectation of a reward; he had made that perfectly clear. Flora would not have accepted his terms if there had been any dispute about that fact.
Whenever he visited her, he came in an unmarked carriage which was taken directly to the back of the dwelling. Likewise, when she visited him, the conveyance he sent to collect her didn’t bear the marquess’s crest on the doors and it wasn’t necessary for her to be driven in it through the village to get to Felsham Hall anyway. Her cottage was on the outskirts of the village and there was little passing traffic and no immediate neighbours to report on her activities.
Papa, she concluded, was simply being his usual boorish self, attempting to invoke her guilt because she continued to defy his wishes.
‘Papa decided to let you stay for the time being.’
Melanie’s face fell. ‘Only for the time being?’
‘You will never return to Salisbury unless you want to,’ Flora assured her sister. ‘Now, shall we have some tea and tomorrow morning you can come with me if you like and visit some of the ladies whom I care for.’
‘Oh yes,’ Melanie replied earnestly. ‘I want to repay you in whatever way I can. You are the best sister in the entire world!’
The tea was delivered along with generous slices of Beatrice’s delicious cake. Melanie did it justice, but the confrontation with her father and concerns about the myth of her living beneath Archie’s protection took Flora’s appetite away. The coyness of the expression was a euphemism that could only be interpreted one way. Entering into such a daring liaison was a possibility that hadn’t seriously crossed Flora’s mind.
Until her father planted it there.
Well, that wasn’t strictly true, she conceded, attempting to be fair. She had considered exactly such an arrangement only a day or so before. She sipped at her tea whilst Melanie remained distracted by the cake. She had occasionally wondered, when alone in her bed at night and gripped by pleasantly alien longings as she contemplated her latest exchange with Archie, how it would be to…well, to take things further. She was a little hazy when it came to the mechanics but was perfectly sure that Archie would be well versed in the art of seduction and would prove to be an excellent teacher.
Her cheeks warmed at suchoutréreflections—but one might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, she supposed. Besides, one couldn’t be held to account for one’s private thoughts. She and Archiehadbecome more intimate, albeit not physically, since her removal to Lyneham. She sometimes thought he was biding his time; waiting for her to come to some kind of realisation for herself. Perhaps he did have her in mind as mistress material. How delicious! The possibility didn’t appal her as it would once have done. The countess’s influence had clearly rubbed off on her.
‘How do I do it?’
‘Sorry, darling.’ Melanie’s voice recalled Flora’s attention. ‘I was thinking about something else.’
Melanie frowned. ‘Are you all right, Flora? Did Papa upset you? What did he say precisely? You have turned quite pink and breathless.’
You have absolutely no idea!Flora made a massive effort to displace her salacious thoughts and concentrate upon Melanie’s questions. ‘I am very well, and not at all upset by Papa. I was prepared for him. He is so predictable that I was able to anticipate all the arguments he put up, so please don’t spare him another thought.’ Flora leaned forward and offered her sister a reassuring smile. ‘Now, what was it that you asked me?’
‘It’s about Remus. How do I know when he’s around and more to the point, how can I summon him when I have need of him?’
‘Remus is a bit of a law unto himself, in case you hadn’t already realised it. He comes and goes as he pleases. I have absolutely no idea what else he gets up to.’
‘He warned us that Papa’s visit was imminent.’
‘Yes, he did, and I am impressed that you sensed it. I couldn’t have done so at your age. As to summoning him when you need him, in theory he should be ahead of you, warning you of danger much as he warned us about the dubious pleasure of Papa’s visit.’ She smiled. ‘But with Remus it doesn’t do to make assumptions. All I can tell you is that if you really need him, you should close your eyes, empty your mind of everything else and concentrate upon him alone. That has always worked for me. It will be easier when you have seen his image.’
She gasped. ‘You can see him?’
Flora chuckled. ‘It is not always a prepossessing sight. Remus has a flamboyant style. But yes, I can.’
‘Oh, that will be lovely!’
‘Beware of what you wish for.’ Flora’s expression sobered. ‘Needless to say, Remus is our secret. If Papa knew he would not only consider our beliefs blasphemous but also use them as an excuse to have us locked away.’ Flora waggled her fingers, making Melanie giggle. ‘His daughters hearing the voice of the Devil himself. Only imagine.’
‘I can, all too clearly.’ Melanie grimaced. ‘Don’t worry. I have no intention of telling Papa anything.’ She put her empty cup aside. ‘Is it all right if I go and play with Alice? She is so adorable.’
‘You can do whatever you like, darling. You don’t need my permission, but you should ask Polly. It wouldn’t do to upset her routine.’
Flora smiled as she waved her sister away, proud of her casual acceptance of Remus as part of her life, and resumed a very pleasant daydream that featured Archie and a total disregard for the rules of conduct.
Chapter Eleven
‘Her father put in an appearance yesterday afternoon but left after less than an hour, empty-handed.’
