Page 26 of A Sense of Paradise
Flora inclined her head. ‘It’s the sort of advice that my father is very good at dispensing but not so good at following. Archie—Lord Felsham—destroyed his career and Papa will not forgive him. Not ever. He is plotting something that will orchestrate Lord Felsham’s fall from grace and re-establish himself as a force to be reckoned with at Cathedral Close.’ Flora ground her jaw. ‘We are as yet unsure precisely what he intends.’ Flora stood, compelling Lord Riley to do likewise. ‘Go and see Lord Felsham. He will explain things better than I can.’
It was only after the two detectives had thanked her and taken their leave that it occurred to Flora that Archie might somehow be implicated in Yardley’s murder. Not because he had committed it, obviously, but because someone had made it appear as though he might have. And her father had tried to warn her.
She had been left with the impression of an astute mind behind Lord Riley’s charming manner. He missed little and had probably known of her friendship with Archie before calling upon her. He definitely knew that Yardley had proposed to her—the bishop himself had told him. But did he also know that Archie had rescued her from his unwanted advances? That would leave Yardley bearing Archie a grudge, not the other way around. She very much doubted whether Archie had spared Yardley a passing thought since the incident. Besides, how would a man of Archie’s physical limitations overcome the able-bodied Yardley? And why would he?
Lord Riley could only be thinking along those lines if he was aware of Archie’s attachment to Flora and his fierce protectiveness when it came to keeping her safe. She thought of her father and anger swirled through her when it occurred to her that he must have somehow put that thought into Lord Riley’s head.
Chapter Seven
‘She never fails to surprise me,’ Archie said to Pawson later that day, after he’d seen Flora and Eloise off on their respective ways to Lyneham and Fox Hollow and followed Flora’s advice by spending an hour in his steam room. His flexibility had already improved as much as it was ever likely to as a consequence and he was free of pain, at least for the moment.
‘Because she offered your former mistress hospitality?’ Pawson flexed a brow. ‘Why does that surprise you? You know very well that she possesses more Christian charity than most of those hypocrites who pontificate from the pulpit Sunday after interminable Sunday.Do as I say, not as I do.Makes me sick to my stomach. Flora, on the other hand, doesn’t feel the need to shout about her compassion, she just quietly gets on with doing good for the disadvantaged.’ Pawson grinned. ‘Besides, perhaps she wants to know where Eloise is?’
‘What on earth do you mean by that?’
Pawson rolled his eyes. ‘For a man of the world you can sometimes be remarkably dim-witted. Then again, perhaps you underestimate your own effect on the fairer sex. An effect that goes beyond your wealth and title, for reasons that are quite beyond my comprehension.’
‘Steady.’
‘What I mean to say, guv’nor, is that Flora feels…well, not exactly threatened by Eloise, but wary of your former attachment to her.’
Archie shook his head. ‘But I explained…I gave her my assurance.’
‘Which won’t be enough to satisfy someone with such low self-esteem. You need to blame her father for that. He never allowed her true nature to blossom, and always tried to suppress her spirit, so it’s to her credit that she managed to break away from him.’
‘She will be here on her own tomorrow. I will give her further reassurance.’
Pawson chuckled. ‘I don’t doubt it.’
‘Anyway, we need to find Avery and restore Maurice to Eloise, then they can both go home and we can try to find out what the devil Avery thinks he’s playing at and warn him off.’ Archie paused to reflect. ‘I need you to go into the village and see what sort of trouble Baldock is stirring up and, more to the point, who’s putting him up to it.’
‘He wouldn’t take the chance on his own account, is what I assume you’re thinking. Types like him never do, and he couldn’t afford the time anyway. He needs to work to feed his family. I heard he’s been taken on as a labourer on a big farm near Lyneham, so how he finds the time to bad-mouth you and stir up unrest is a bit of a mystery.’
‘He will have been shouting his mouth off about unfair treatment when he was evicted from this estate, conveniently overlooking the fact that he was the architect of his own demise. A disgruntled former tenant would make an easy target for anyone hanging around in the district looking for a way to discredit me.’
‘I’ll talk to Thompson at the Cat. Not much goes on in his tavern that he doesn’t know about, and strangers stand out like eunuchs in a brothel.’
‘Right. That’s as good a place as any to start.’ Archie grinned. ‘The Cat as in the tavern, not the local cathouse.’
‘Like you give me enough time to enjoy myself in either establishment.’ Pawson put on a disgruntled look. ‘How will you find out where Avery is?’
‘Not sure.’ Archie rubbed his chin as he considered that question. ‘It might be necessary for us to go to London for a few days and cross-question the servants left behind at his abode.’
‘I can try and bribe ’em. All depends how loyal they are.’
‘If Avery treats them as shabbily as I suspect he does then I dare say they will be susceptible.’
‘Well, you don’t need to go up to town yourself. I can deal with the matter. You’re betting off staying here and not making the effort.’
‘There is no effort that’s too great when it comes to protecting my name, and more importantly any attempts to harm Flora.’
‘I understand.’
‘Anyway…Yes, what is it, Draper.’
‘Two detectives from Scotland Yard are desirous of an interview, my lord.’
‘Detectives?’ Archie shared a bemused look with Pawson as he took a card from the salver that Draper proffered. ‘Ah, Lord Riley.’ His expression cleared. ‘Show them in, Draper, and arrange refreshments. This might be the answer to our problems and save you a trip to London,’ he told Pawson while they waited. ‘Rochester could probably be persuaded to put in hand discreet enquiries in an official capacity and find out where Avery’s hiding himself. I have no idea why they are here, but I dare say Rochester will oblige me. His father and mine were close acquaintances.’
