Chapter Sixteen
It was a beautiful day, Florence thought, tilting her face up to the sunshine as she and Leo cantered through the park, much better than the weather had promised when she’d got out of bed that morning and seen a ridge of towering grey clouds on the horizon.
To her amazement, however, by the time she’d finished her breakfast, the clouds had already moved on, thankfully without depositing a single drop of rain, leaving a swathe of crystal-blue sky behind them.
It was like a metaphor for their marriage, she reflected as they spurred their horses into a gallop.
Stormy at first, becoming brighter over time.
She only hoped the sunshine didn’t fade away, but for today, at least, the forecast seemed good.
Unlike with his tour of the house, Leo actually seemed enthusiastic about showing her the estate.
Their first stop was the site of some half-constructed cottages.
The old ones, about half a mile away, were still lived in, Leo told her, but they were old and damp and unlikely to last another winter.
He’d tried for several years to convince his father to build new ones, to no avail, and after his death Sewell had repeatedly thrown obstacles in the way of finding a builder.
It had taken the threat of Leo’s hiring somebody himself for the steward to finally take action.
The whole saga made her own issues with Mrs Fitch sound comparatively easy.
Now they were on their way to see the new herd, something else that Sewell had tried to obstruct.
If she’d had any doubts about the wisdom of letting both steward and housekeeper go at once, Leo’s many stories about their attempts to thwart even the tiniest change would have convinced her it was for the best. And in case he had any doubts, she also took the opportunity to relay parts of her recent conversation with Jane.
‘Are you saying that, all this time, our tenants have been attending the summer fair under sufferance?’ Leo asked, his expression appalled.
‘I wouldn’t go that far.’ She tried to sound reassuring. ‘Obviously people were happy to attend the picnic and win prizes, but it sounds as though everyone was quite tense, worrying about saying or doing the wrong thing.’
‘Good grief, I thought I was the only one who felt that way.’ He shook his head. ‘Well, this year will be different. If people want dancing, they can dance all night for all I care. And they can behave in whatever manner they wish. There won’t be any repercussions.’
‘That might depend on the behaviour.’ She laughed. ‘I mean, we should probably draw the line at murder and mayhem. But perhaps we should make ourselves scarce in the evening? Then people won’t feel like they’re being watched.’
‘Good idea.’
‘It’s just a pity that I can’t participate in some of the contests too…’ she threw him an arch look ‘…since I’m on such a winning streak with both cards and billiards.’
‘As I recall, we both beat each other at billiards.’
‘Yes, but I won three games and you only won two. Therefore, the overall winner would be me.’ She gave him a superior smile. ‘Don’t feel too bad. I beat my brothers in most games. Oddly enough, they always object too. It must be a male trait.’
‘I don’t object at all. On the contrary, I’m glad to have a new opponent. Clearly, I just need to up my game.’
‘Then would you care for a rematch tonight?’
‘I’d be delighted.’
‘Excellent.’ She smiled and then bit her lip. ‘Although we’ll also need an early night. I want everything to go well tomorrow.’
‘I’m sure it will. And if it doesn’t, it’s only a fair.’
‘But it’s my first fair as the marchioness. I’d like for it to be a success.’ She glanced nervously up at the sky. ‘I just hope the weather stays nice. Those clouds this morning were a little alarming.’
‘Don’t worry. It never rains on fair day.’
She swivelled towards him. ‘Never?’
‘So my father told me. There was some mild alarm in 1784 when a single grey cloud was spotted on the horizon, but other than that, it’s taken place in glorious sunshine for the past eighty-five years.’
‘“A single grey cloud in 1784”?’ She lifted her eyebrows incredulously. ‘Are you making that up?’
‘As strange as it sounds, no.’ He chuckled. ‘So the odds are, it’ll be another beautiful day. And speaking of beautiful…’ he drew rein as they crested a hill ‘…there they are. Red Devons.’
‘Oh, they’re magnificent,’ Florence breathed, sitting back in her saddle as she took in the view of rolling green fields and deep ruby-red cattle. ‘They look like a fine herd.’
‘I’m glad you think so. As I recall, Sewell warned me they might cause ladies to swoon.’
‘To be fair, they are rather large. I suppose they could be a little intimidating for anyone who wasn’t raised around them, although I don’t see why the statement only applies to ladies.
’ She drew in a deep breath and then let it out again slowly.
‘It really is beautiful here. The view from the house is so flat, it still looks strange to me, but this is much better. It makes me feel less homesick.’
‘You’ve been homesick?’ He moved his horse a little closer, his voice edged with concern.
‘A little. My family are so far away.’ She rubbed a hand quickly across her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. ‘I know it sounds odd, considering what I apparently did in order to come here, but I suppose I didn’t appreciate just how much I’d miss them until it was too late.’
‘I’m sorry.’ He rubbed a hand over his chin. ‘I’m also afraid I can’t do anything about the flat views from the house, but maybe I can offer you something else. You said that your farm was near Brampton, did you not? In the middle of the country?’
‘Yes.’
‘In that case, I think I can show you a view your home doesn’t provide.’
‘It’s not a Roman wall, is it?’ She managed a sidelong smile. ‘Because we have one of those.’
‘It’s not a wall.’ He picked up his reins again. ‘Quite the opposite. Follow me.’
‘It’s spectacular.’ Florence stood on the beach, gazing out at the wide expanse of water before twisting her head to take in the white chalk cliffs behind them. ‘I haven’t been to the seaside for years.’
‘As views go, it’s still quite flat, at the moment anyway.’ Leo couldn’t keep the gloating expression off his face. ‘But it’s not bad.’
‘It’s not bad at all.’ She grinned at him. ‘I can’t believe we have the entire beach to ourselves. Shall we paddle?’
‘Paddle?’
‘Yes. It’s such a hot day, it will cool us down.’ She sat down on a rock and pulled her boots off, tossing both them and her stockings aside.
‘Sadly, my valet won’t be very pleased if I get sand in my Hessians.’ He extended a hand to help her up, clearing his throat at the sight of her bare ankles.
‘Ah. Luckily for me, Jane is in such a good mood now that Mrs Fitch has left, I think she’ll forgive me no matter what state I go home in.’ She ran past him down to the water. ‘Pity for you, though!’
‘Mmm.’ He made a sound of assent, though he was somewhat preoccupied with the view again. Both her calves, as well as her ankles, were clearly visible now as she tugged the hem of her skirt up to keep it out of the water.
‘How is it?’ He wrenched his gaze up with an effort.
‘Quite bracing!’ She turned around, hunching her shoulders, though her eyes were sparkling. ‘A little colder than I expected, but very refreshing.’
‘I’ll take your word for it.’
‘This is officially my new favourite place in the world.’ She spread one arm out, twirling around in the shallows.
He smiled, heat radiating through his chest at the words. It felt strangely good to hear her say them. The idea of her being homesick had bothered him more than he would have expected. ‘I should have thought to bring a picnic.’
‘That would have been lovely, although I think Mrs Hotham has enough to do today preparing for the fair.’ She looked over her shoulder at him. ‘By the way, I told her we’d be happy with a light dinner tonight. I hope that’s all right?’
‘Of course. I should have thought of it myself. Look out!’ He sprang forward, catching her around the waist and lifting her backwards as a particularly large wave hurtled towards her.
‘Oh!’ She clamped a hand to her mouth, laughing. ‘Thank you. That would have soaked my dress.’
‘Here.’ He lowered her back down to the sand, his fingers tangled in the folds of her close-fitting riding-habit, though he found himself extremely reluctant to take them away. Instead he tightened his hold, sliding his hands down to her hips.
‘Leo?’ she whispered, her eyes widening as she looked up at him.
‘Florence.’ He murmured her name back, dropping his gaze as a pink flush swept up over her throat and across her cheeks.
She looked—she was—so unutterably perfect, it occurred to him again that she was exactly the kind of wife he might have chosen had he felt himself free to choose.
Whatever anger and resentment he’d once felt towards her had ebbed away completely.
Now, with their breaths mingling, all he felt was an irresistible desire to kiss her.
Slowly he tilted his head, giving her time to pull away if she wanted, bringing his lips towards hers and nudging them gently apart.
She didn’t respond at first, as though she needed a few moments to think, before making a soft sound in the back of her throat and lifting her hands, slipping them over his shoulders, and kissing him back.
He didn’t know how long they stood that way.
He was dimly aware of the sound of the waves lapping on the beach, of the sharp cries of seagulls circling overhead.
He could smell salt on the air and on her skin, could taste it too, along with a sweetness like honey on her tongue.
He could feel his skin tingling and his blood throbbing heavily in his veins, filling him with a new sense of exhilaration as time seemed to slow and stretch.
Their kiss might have lasted for a few seconds or an hour, but by the time they broke apart, both of them panting, he felt as though the whole world had shifted on its axis.
‘Leo,’ she whispered again, pressing a hand to his chest as she opened her eyes to look at him with a half-confused, half-dazed expression. ‘You kissed me.’
‘Yes.’ His voice sounded husky.
‘But you resent me.’
‘I did. Before. Not any longer.’ He swayed forward, pressing his forehead to hers. ‘I’d rather kiss you again, if you have no objection?’
‘No.’ She slid her tongue between her lips in a way that sent a hot pulse straight to his groin. ‘That is, no, I don’t have any objection.’
He hesitated, trying to make sense of the negatives.
‘I mean, I want you to kiss me again,’ she clarified.
‘Ah.’ He breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness.’
He bent his head once more, claiming her lips just as a large wave swept over their feet, soaking them up to their ankles.
‘Oh!’ Florence gave a startled yelp.
‘Damn.’ Leo pulled back to look at her wet skirt. ‘It seems I should have carried you a little further up the beach.’
‘And your poor boots!’ She pointed at them in dismay. ‘If your valet doesn’t like sand, he’s really going to hate salt water.’
‘Come on, we’d better get you back to the house before you catch a chill.’ He bent down, reaching for her sodden hem and wringing it out, before sweeping one arm around her shoulders and the other beneath her knees.
‘Wait! You don’t have to carry me.’ Florence laughed. ‘It’s a wet dress, not a twisted ankle.’
‘Humour me. It was my fault.’
‘How so?’
‘I distracted you.’
She coiled her arms around his neck as he carried her back up the beach, shingle crunching beneath his ruined boots. ‘Actually, I think we may have distracted each other.’
‘And how do you feel about that?’ He tightened his hold on her. ‘As distractions go, I mean?’
‘Well…’ she tipped her head against his shoulder ‘…as distractions go…it was quite enjoyable.’
‘Quite enjoyable?’ He lifted an eyebrow. ‘So you wouldn’t mind being distracted again? Once the fair is out of the way, of course?’
There was a momentary pause before she cupped a hand around the back of his neck and gently touched a thumb to his nape. ‘I think I should like it very much.’