Chapter Nine
‘That was…’ Florence stopped on the pavement outside the Wadlows’ house, unable to finish the sentence, as she stared at Leo.
It was hard to explain quite how his defence of her had made her feel.
Relieved? Grateful? Flabbergasted? It was all three at once and more. ‘I don’t know what, but thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’ He was still frowning, though for once not at her. ‘I’m sorry you didn’t get what you came for.’
‘It’s not your fault. You tried to warn me.’
‘I’m still sorry that they upset you.’
‘Maybe I needed to hear it.’
‘So what now?’ He rubbed a hand across his chin, his voice softening slightly. ‘Is there anyone else you wish to visit?’
She hesitated, feeling a tightness in her chest at the question.
The Wadlows hadn’t just corroborated Leo’s story.
They’d confirmed her worst fears about herself too.
Because all the evidence still pointed towards her.
And unless she wanted to make a complete fool of herself by going all around London, begging members of the ton for some alternative version of events, maybe it was time for her to accept the truth about what she’d done, time to acknowledge her guilt and the fact that there was no way out of this marriage.
She really was the villain, after all. It wasn’t an easy truth to accept.
‘I don’t think so.’ She wrapped her arms around her waist, as if she could somehow shield herself from a sharp pang of self-loathing. ‘I don’t suppose anyone else’s story will be any different. We can leave London as soon as you wish.’
‘Are you certain?’
‘Yes, but first I owe you an apology. It seems you were right about me trapping you. There’s no other feasible explanation.
’ She sucked in a deep breath and then exhaled again slowly.
‘I still don’t know why I did it. I’ve racked my brains, but all I can think is that I acted on impulse and it was a moment of madness.
It’s not an excuse, but I know I never thought of trapping you before that.
If I could go back and change things, or find a way out of this, I’d do it, but I can’t.
All I can do is accept the truth and say how sorry I am. ’
He didn’t answer for a long moment, some new emotion flashing over his face, one she’d never seen there before, something like understanding, before he nodded slowly.
‘Then apology accepted, especially since it’s possible you did me a favour.
I’m not sure I would have liked having the Wadlows as my in-laws. ’
She gave a startled laugh. With his stern, upright demeanour, she hadn’t thought him capable of humour, but now, for the first time in their acquaintance, his eyes held a hint of warmth. ‘You shouldn’t blame them for what they said. They’re disappointed and lashing out. It’s understandable.’
‘But still unacceptable.’ He moved a step closer. ‘I believe that I owe you an apology too. More than one, in fact. Firstly, for what I said about you last night.’
‘Even though it turned out to be true?’
‘I still shouldn’t have said it. Secondly, for not speaking to the Wadlows before our wedding. It was thoughtless of me. I should have found a way to prevent any gossip. Now I’m afraid it’s possible they’ve already spread rumours around town.’
‘I’m certain they have.’ She gave him a wry look. ‘But hopefully you’ve made them think twice about doing so when they return to Cumberland, and that’s more important. I don’t want my parents to suffer because of all this.’
‘Then I’m glad I could help.’ He threw a glance at their waiting carriage and then up at the sky. ‘Shall we take a walk? It’s a pleasant afternoon. It might be calming.’ His lips curved infinitesimally. ‘Certainly more than going home and being interrogated by Cassie.’
‘That’s true.’ She laughed again. ‘A walk sounds nice.’
‘Good.’ He made a gesture to the coachman and then offered an arm.
Florence slipped her hand around his elbow in surprise.
More surprise. It wasn’t the first time he’d offered his arm.
That had been last night, when he’d been forced into it by Cassie.
It had felt strange to touch him, not unpleasant exactly, but…
odd, as if all her nerves had been twitching.
Then he’d offered it again this morning, when he’d escorted her to the Wadlows’, but that had only been a gesture of support, surely?
The fact that he was offering it again now, of his own free will, not to mention suggesting that they spend more time together, was enough to render her momentarily speechless.
And that was before she remembered the way his fingers had skimmed across her lower back earlier, sending a skitter of sensation all the way down to her toes. Honestly, she wasn’t sure how many more surprises she could take in one day…
‘Tell me about your family,’ he said abruptly as they started off down the street.
‘My family?’ She gave him a sidelong look. ‘Haven’t I told you about them before?’
‘No. I didn’t ask before.’
‘Then you don’t have to now. I appreciate you trying to take my mind off what just happened, but I’m happy to walk in silence.’
‘But I’d like to know.’ His arm tightened against hers. ‘It seems like I ought to, especially now that you’ve met mine.’
‘Very well, then.’ She paused, wondering where to begin.
It occurred to her that this was the first time she’d felt even remotely comfortable in his company, as if some of the tension between them had finally dissipated.
His usual forbidding expression had softened into something almost sympathetic.
That was one thing to thank the Wadlows for, she supposed… ‘Well, I have five brothers.’
His step faltered. ‘Five?’
‘Samuel, Thomas, Ellis, Cyrus and Jude. Two older, three younger.’
‘You’re the only girl?’
She nodded. ‘I think that’s part of the reason Amabel and I were always so close. We were neighbours and she only had brothers too. We used to pretend we were sisters.’
‘And your home is in Cumberland?’
‘Yes. We have fifty acres, east of Brampton. The terrain is quite wild and rugged, with a cold wind a lot of the time, but it’s very beautiful. I miss it. I miss them all.’ She felt a lump in her throat. ‘I was horribly homesick when I left, but it was only supposed to be for ten weeks.’
‘Then you didn’t anticipate finding a husband in London?’
‘No.’ She felt a pulse of anger at the question.
‘I told you, I didn’t come to London to find a husband.
My parents have land, but they’re not wealthy and my dowry, as you presumably already know, was not large.
My sole purpose was to be a companion for Amabel.
She was afraid that she was too old to be a debutante, so she brought me for moral support. ’
‘And you didn’t consider the possibility of a love match?’
‘Not with one of the ton, no.’ She snorted.
‘I was well aware of my position and I certainly knew better than to let any foolish romantic notions go to my…’ She stopped, her whole body tensing as a new and horrifying thought suddenly occurred to her.
What if he was asking because he’d wanted a love match?
He’d never given any overt sign of a romantic attachment to Amabel, but maybe she’d simply misread him, assuming he didn’t have feelings because he didn’t put them on display.
That would explain why he’d been so angry with her for what had happened, because she’d come between him and the woman he loved!
‘Is something the matter?’ Obviously, she’d tensed too much, because now he was looking at her with a concerned expression, she realised.
‘Were you in love with Amabel?’ she asked, pulling her arm away from his. ‘I didn’t think of it before, but hearing about her marriage last night… It must have upset you too.’ She stopped and pressed her hands to her cheeks. ‘This is all such a mess. If I’d known, I’m sure I would never—’
‘Florence,’ he interrupted, reaching for her hands and pulling them gently away from her face, ‘it wasn’t a love match.
Miss Wadlow had many exemplary qualities and I thought she would make an exemplary marchioness, but my heart isn’t broken, if that’s what you’re worried about.
I wish her every happiness with Major Vaughan. ’
‘Truly?’ She pinched her brows suspiciously. ‘You’re not just saying that?’
‘I never just say things. I would have thought you’d learnt that by now.’ His lips quirked as he offered his arm again. ‘Shall we continue?’
‘Um…yes.’ Her feet started to move while her mind continued to spin.
What was happening? Not only had he defended her reputation and offered her not one, but two apologies, but he’d also voluntarily asked her to walk with him, and he hadn’t been in love with Amabel!
That was definitely enough surprises to take in for one day.
The moment they got back to Albemarle Street, she was going to need a lie-down.
Leo stared into the distance, admiring the way the sunlight bounced off the red and brown brickwork of the terrace ahead, as he and Florence continued their walk through the streets of Mayfair.
The weather was fine, her gloved hand was resting on his arm, he could smell something floral again and, despite the unpleasantness of their interview with the Wadlows, he felt, for the first time in a long time… content?