Page 34 of A Sense of Paradise
‘You and Melanie living here will bring this mausoleum back to life, and not before time.’
‘Melanie?’ Flora smiled. ‘Oh yes, she will love it here and the opportunities that will open up for her cannot be overestimated.’
Archie tried not to concern himself when her thoughts turned to the advantages for her sister. If she married him for Melanie’s sake initially, he would just have to dedicate himself to making her see the benefits for herself as well. Archie smiled, never one to back away from a challenge.
‘Well then,’ he said. ‘What’s to be done with this barn of a room?’
‘Very little, actually.’ Flora tapped her forefinger thoughtfully against her lips. She studied the massive white marble mantlepiece and smiled, turning in a circle to regard its twin at the opposite end of the room. ‘They are very ornate. What do the carvings represent?’ she asked, stepping forward to take a closer look.
‘Those are supposed to be the heads of Vefta and Vulcan, I believe,’ Archie replied, pointing to the engraved figures. ‘They symbolise the worship of fire.’
‘Goodness, it’s another world and one that it will take me a while to become accustomed to. However, there is surprisingly little that needs to change in this room, other than the formality. That lovely chandelier will need to be cleaned so that the crystal drops reflect the light. The frescoes on the ceiling are faded in places and will need to be restored carefully.’
‘Formality?’
‘Yes, the arrangement of the furniture, that’s what I mean. It isn’t comfortable, and needs to be broken up into smaller sections that invite intimacy. A gathering of chairs in the centre of the room would fill that vast chasm.’ Archie nodded, attempting to see the room through her eyes. ‘And seating in front of the pianoforte would improve the balance.’
‘It has always been this way.’
‘Then it is beyond time that it was another way. The curtains and cushions are far too heavy and gloomy. They need to be replaced, and the drapes need to be less thick so that more light filters into the room. That in itself will change things dramatically. The wainscoting is lovely but the wallpaper above it needs to be changed for something less—’
‘Gloomy,’ they said together, laughing.
‘I can see things quite clearly when you point it all out to me. I will have someone call with samples of wallpapers and fabrics for you to make a selection from and then put the work in hand at once.’
‘Oh.’ She blinked, seeming a little startled by his need for action.
‘I’m sure it can be managed quickly and efficiently.’
They moved onto the dining parlour and then to his mother’s small sitting room.
‘This is perfect the way it is,’ Flora said, smiling at him. ‘Your mother had exquisite taste and I dare say you feel close to her each time you step into this room.’
Archie flashed a wry smile. ‘I wish I could live up to your high opinion of me, but I seldom cross this particular threshold. At least, I have not had any reason to do so recently. However, if you intend to make it your personal lair then you can depend upon regular visits from me, providing what I hope will be welcome distractions from your duties as mistress of this house.’
Flora smiled and shook her head but for once didn’t have any pithy retorts to throw back at him.
‘Come on.’
He took her hand and they walked slowly towards the winding staircase that dominated the entrance vestibule, with Flora adjusting her pace to make allowances for his disability. She remarked upon all the pictures and ornamentation that they passed, voicing suggestions about alterations in a manner that made her slow pace seem natural. Archie fell a little more in love with her at this latest example of her compassionate nature. She knew how important his masculine pride was to him and didn’t seek to undermine it by drawing unnecessary attention to his lack of mobility.
Servants going about their duties could not have failed to notice their clasped hands, but Flora surprised and delighted him by not snatching hers from his grasp as they slowly ascended the staircase. Presumably she realised that his servants were anticipating the announcement of their engagement, even though Pawson was the only one who officially knew that Flora had accepted him. The fact that Flora was now a frequent visitor to Felsham Hall and was always assured of his complete and undivided attention when she was here would be enough to give him away. Servants had eyes and ears—and overactive imaginations to boot—but they knew better than to utter a word out of turn, in the house and especially not in the villages. He knew he could depend upon Draper to discourage all forms of speculation below stairs.
‘You are walking very well,’ she remarked.
‘I have an incentive to climb these stairs,’ he replied, winking at her.
‘Behave yourself, Archie!’ But there was little conviction behind the scolding, and she still seemed preoccupied.
‘Here.’ He led her along the main wide gallery and stopped in front of a grand set of mahogany studded and ornamentally carved double doors. He thrust them open and ushered her through them ahead of him, following her into the suite of rooms and closing the door against prying eyes. ‘Discussing renovations is not quite how I anticipated our first time alone together in a bedchamber, where there are rather more agreeable ways of passing the time, but I will take what I can get.’
Archie could see from her wide-eyed expression of delight that she’d barely heard him. Instead she wandered around the sitting room that was comfortably and far less formally furnished than the rooms on the ground floor. Archie supposed that had been his mother’s influence. Flora opened the doors to a wide balcony that extended the length of the entire master suite and offered an extensive view over the grounds, right down to the river in which Archie regularly swam. A slight breeze agitated the curls that had escaped from her chignon and blew them across her face. She absently pushed them aside as Archie came up behind her, resting his hands on either side of her waist on the balustrade and failing to resist the urge to press his body against hers.
‘It meets with your approval?’ he asked, touching the back of her neck with his lips.
‘It’s a delight,’ she replied in an awed tone. ‘I don’t deserve anything half as tranquil.’
‘You deserve it and so much more besides,’ he assured her. ‘Come back inside and see the rest of the suite.’
