Page 53 of A Sense of Paradise
She would not put anything past her father.
Eloise had been sympathetic and full of questions, none of which Flora felt inclined to answer. She had fended them off and made light of the situation, but dinner that evening had been a fraught affair, with Flora remaining distracted and inattentive to the sporadic conversation. She was glad that she had agreed to visit Archie the following day, if only because it would enable her to prevent him from acting injudiciously. And, if she was honest with herself, because she could never have enough of his company. Suddenly her wedding day seemed years rather than weeks away. Archie would usually think matters through before acting rashly, but when it came to protecting Flora’s honour he seemed to lose all sense of proportion.
She retired early, claiming a headache, which was partially true, but what she really craved was seclusion in order to avoid Eloise’s probing questions and judgmental gaze.
Sighing, she prepared herself for bed and sat in her nightgown in front of her mirror, vigorously brushing out her hair. It was still not completely dark, and she had not pulled the curtains closed, preferring to allow fresh air to filter into the room through the open window. She recognised the warbling of a nightjar competing with the sweet sound of a song thrush as twilight descended. Zeus had wandered into the room with her and sat on the window ledge, tail swishing, no doubt waiting for one of the offending songsters to wander close enough to his vantage point.
‘They are not that silly,’ she told the cat, absently running her hand down his smooth back.
She wondered whether to read or simply sit at the window with Zeus, watching darkness descend. She tied her hair back with a ribbon and opted for the latter, aware that she was too distracted to absorb the written word. She had barely time to settle though before someone tapped at her door. Hoping it wasn’t Eloise invading the one room in the house where she was assured of privacy, she bade the caller enter.
‘I hope I am not disturbing you.’ Melanie put her head round the door, looking anxious.
‘If you are then the disturbance is welcome.’ Flora patted the window seat and Melanie took up a position at its opposite end. Zeus lost interest in the birds and settled on Melanie’s lap. ‘What is it, my love? You have been quiet all evening.’
‘Eloise bothers me. I do not know what to make of her.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
Melanie wrinkled her brow. ‘I’m not entirely sure. She asked me all sorts of intrusive questions about your friendship with Lord Felsham when you went out this afternoon. I didn’t see any harm in them, even though it is none of her business, until Remus appeared, setting me on my guard.’ Melanie frowned in confusion. ‘I don’t have the first idea what he was warning me about, though.’
‘Remus can be annoyingly evasive. He came to me as well when Eloise and I were talking, which cannot be a coincidence.’
‘There is nothing untoward about your friendship with the marquess, and I told Eloise so in no uncertain terms, but it didn’t seem to satisfy her and she continued to probe. It got to the point where I couldn’t concentrate upon my sketching and so I took myself inside just to get away from her.’
‘I am sorry our guest spoiled your afternoon.’ Flora took her sister’s hand. ‘Eloise nursed Archie when he arrived in France to stay with his uncle after a long and painful initial recovery period in a sanitorium in Switzerland. But you already know that. Archie didn’t think he would recover and tells me he was in so much pain at the time that part of him didn’t want to. Recover, that is. Only thoughts of leaving his father without a legitimate heir gave him the strength of will to pull through. You will not know that Archie had a brother who died in a boating accident.’
‘No, I did not know that.’ Melanie touched her lips with the fingers of one hand. ‘How very sad.’
‘Quite. Anyway, as to Eloise, she is the daughter of a vineyard manager. Well, it’s Archie’s vineyard now. He inherited it when his uncle died and leaves its management to Eloise’s father, whom he trusts. I think he has a representative in France who calls in to check the books and what have you. I am not entirely sure but I do know that he wouldn’t leave things absolutely on trust. That would be an invitation to be robbed blind.’
Melanie nodded, her eyes wide. ‘Eloise became more to Lord Felsham than a nurse, I suspect.’
‘Did she tell you that?’ Flora asked sharply.
‘No, but I am no longer a child, Flora. I understand something about the destructive force of passion.’
Flora smiled. ‘Yes, darling, I expect you do. Eloise was Archie’s mistress during his convalescence, but I’m afraid she was nothing more to him than a means to an end.’
‘I am sure he did not intentionally take advantage of her.’
Flora waggled one hand from side to side. ‘Well, I suppose he did just a little, but then she was there, very lovely and very available. He assures me that she instigated matters and I know he would not lie about something so important. Had he said nothing at all to justify his behaviour—lied by omission, if you like—then that would have given me pause. They are very open-minded about that sort of thing in France, whereas English society would be shocked and condemn Eloise for her loose morals. Archie would escape censure, which seems unjust, but there you have it. Anyway, he paid her well when he left—’
‘That probably made her feel like a harlot.’
‘Perhaps. But she is convinced, I suspect, that Archie really loved her and would come to realise it once they were separated. When he did not send for her, I expect she saw her brother coming to this country as an excuse to elicit Archie’s help, which he was happy to offer. But that is all he’s prepared to do for her. I think she realises it, even if she isn’t yet ready to accept it, and is becoming a little desperate.’
‘Eloise thinks that you have stolen Lord Felsham’s heart. She cannot understand why, of course, because she is so pretty and thinks that’s all gentlemen care about. I know better, though. Physical beauty is a quirk of nature. I mean no one is born beautiful through their own endeavours, are they? Anyway, beauty fades with the passage of time, but you are lovely inside and out and that will never change. You are brave and caring and willing to put the welfare of others before your own. Lord Felsham has the good sense to recognise those qualities in you.’
Flora smiled and pinched Melanie’s cheek. ‘You are biased, but thank you.’ She paused. ‘You heard about the ruckus in the village this afternoon and probably think there’s some truth behind the rumour.’
‘No!’ Melanie protested hotly. ‘I know you better than that.’
‘Someone connected to Papa, most likely Lord Avery, is attempting to cause trouble for Archie. Anyway, darling, there is something I think I should tell you, but it is a secret and you must promise me faithfully not to reveal it to anyone else until I give you leave.’
Melanie sat forward, her expression earnest. ‘Rest assured that I will not say a word.’
‘Very well then.’ Flora paused and smiled at her sister. ‘How would you like to be related by marriage to a marquess?’
