Page 55 of A Sense of Paradise
‘Don’t look so worried,’ Flora said, slipping elegantly from her sidesaddle as Archie held Amethyst’s head. ‘As you can see, I have not been stoned as a harlot in the village stocks.’
Archie took her gloved hand and kissed the back of it. ‘How can you make so light of such a thing?’
‘How can you allow the ramblings of one man to affect you so profoundly?’
Archie threw back his head and growled. ‘I make no excuse for wanting to keep you safe, and I take it as a personal affront when anyone dares to insult you. But for this damned leg, I would have beaten Baldock to within an inch of his life for his presumptions. Indeed, I still might when I find the miserable cur.’
‘They are not his presumptions but Avery’s. They are designed to agitate you, and they appear to be succeeding.’ Flora smiled and linked her hand through his arm. He looked momentarily surprised by the voluntary gesture, and then delighted by it. ‘But the villagers took my side and Baldock went away disappointed. Indeed, it was nearly Baldock who was put in the stocks and pelted with rotten vegetables.’ Archie looked up with sudden interest at the idea. ‘Don’t you dare,’ Flora continued. ‘The Lyneham residents don’t miss very much, and you can be sure that if you had been spending prolonged periods of time at Fox Hollow it would be known about, remarked upon and I would indeed have been branded as a presumptuous jade.’
Archie sent her a scandalised look and growled, making her smile.
‘You have not been to visit for prolonged periods, and never at night. And you can be sure that anyone in Lyneham who dared to question Beatrice about the reason for the visits you do make would be left in no doubt that they are entirely respectable. And so, even those who dislike one or both of us will find little fuel for their rumour-mongering. I just wish I knew what Avery and my father hope to gain from it.’
‘As do I,’ Archie replied in a tone of subdued menace that made Flora shudder.
‘Well anyway,’ she said, glancing up at the cloudless sky, ‘it is far too nice a day to harbour gloomy thoughts, and if we spend our precious time together attempting to second-guess Avery and my father then they will have won.’
‘I agree. All I will say is that whatever they seek to achieve, they have seriously miscalculated by taking me on. I might be a cripple but my position gives me the sort of strength that they can only dream of.’
Flora glanced up at her handsome marquess’s stern profile and fell a little more in love with an honourable man who did not permit his physical limitations to impinge upon his dominant masculinity or his fierce, aristocratic pride.
‘I am sorry that you had to suffer that indignity yesterday,’ Archie said, as they meandered towards the house. ‘One of Pawson’s men followed Baldock in the hope of being led to his paymaster, but he disappeared into the back streets and our man lost him.’
‘And I am sorry that Mrs Finch’s suggestion did not bear fruit.’
‘Not to worry. It’s only a matter of time before Avery is found. It could happen as soon as today, what with Rochester having the local constabularies on high alert. Strangers tend to stand out, even if they are being reclusive. Especially then. They miscalculated by moving to the country.’
‘When is the man from Harrods due?’ Flora asked when they entered Archie’s library through the open French doors and she stripped off her hat and gloves.
‘Someone has gone to the station to collect him. He will be here within the hour.’ Archie rang the bell. ‘We shall have tea in the meantime, and you can tell me in detail precisely what happened in Lyneham.’ He smiled at her in that intimate manner of his that never failed to turn her insides into mush and reminded her just how fortunate she actually was to have attracted the attention of such a formidably sophisticated man. ‘Really, I cannot let you out of my sight for five minutes without you getting into trouble. Our wedding day cannot arrive quickly enough to satisfy me.’
‘I do not go looking for trouble,’ she replied indignantly. ‘Besides, I imagine you have already heard it all from Mr Pawson.’
Archie grunted. ‘I had to drag it out of him.’
‘Only because he knew you would be furious, and blame him.’
‘I do not blame my subordinates for the behaviour of others.’
Flora sent him a sweet smile that caused Archie to bare his teeth in frustration. ‘If you keep looking at me in that fashion then I give you due warning, I shall not be responsible for my actions.’
Flora arched a brow, enjoying gaining the upper hand for once, and tutted. ‘And shock the poor gentleman from Harrods?’
Archie laughed. ‘Well, there is that. Anyway, how is Eloise behaving? I hope she is not proving to be an inconvenience.’
‘She is mystified about our relationship. I fended off her questions easily enough but I do take exception to her quizzing Melanie in the same fashion.’
‘Damn!’ Archie muttered softly.
Their discussion was interrupted by the arrival of tea things. Flora instinctively poured for them both, causing Archie to smile.
‘What is it?’ she asked, glancing up at him.
‘I like to see you acting as hostess in my house. It looks natural and right.’
‘And my hand didn’t shake,’ she replied, handing him his cup. ‘You see, my lord, you do not intimidate me with your posturing.’
‘I donotposture,’ he protested, laughing.
