Page 40 of An Accidental Elopement

Nineteen

As it turned out Cecilia had not had to fear meeting her new family the next morning. Neither Millie, Edwina, Hester nor Flint raised an eyebrow when they entered the morning room together the next morning.

“I trust that you are well this morning,” Millie said without a hint of mirth or mock in her voice.

Cecilia quickly turned towards the buffet to hide her blush.

“Yes, quite, thank you,” she murmured as she placed salmon and eggs on her plate. It was well into the morning since they had consummated their marriage thoroughly once more when they woke up. The only thing wrong with her now was a slight soreness between her legs, but she was not ever going to disclose that to her mother-in-law.

Millie asked about their plans for the day as Cecilia sat down next to Archie.

“I need to go into town again today. There is some urgent estate matter that I need to take care of,” Archie told his mother.

Cecilia felt a little foolish for having thought that their night together meant that they would also be spending the day together. Of course, it was not always so.

“Oh, I thought the Cottage ran smoothly. You have always said that it does,” Millie said.

Her plate was empty, and Cecilia suspected that she had finished her meal long ago but had merely stayed to chat with whoever came into the morning room. The devotion that Millie had for her children was very charming. Cecilia was certain that her own parents loved her, but there had also always been a calculation to their love. They knew that their children had to make advantageous marriages to better their social standing. Millie seemed content with whomever her children married as long as they were happy.

Cecilia’s heart swelled at the idea, and she chanced a glance at Archie. Yes, the two of them could make each other happy. She quickly looked away again before his eyes sought hers and they would be caught ogling each other in front of his family.

“Do you need any help?” Flint volunteered at the other side of the table and Cecilia was reminded of their conversation.

“No, it is nothing as serious as that. You should enjoy yourself,” Archie replied with an easy smile.

He had not mentioned this estate business when they had been alone together. Cecilia pinched her thigh beneath the table as she tried to drive her thoughts away from the place they wanted to go. She did not succeed, however. It only took a second for her thoughts to spiral about why he would not tell her and whether he was keeping anything secret from her. After their night together, she could hardly believe that he had the desire nor energy to be with another woman. Then again, her mother had said that men often had more desire than women.

“I could accompany you. If you want company,” Cecilia offered Archie and felt her smile wobble even though she was trying to keep it steady.

But he declined it and shoveled the last of his potatoes into his mouth.

“In fact, I should probably leave now, so that I will not be back too late,” Archie said as he rose. He kissed Cecilia’s forehead, bid the others goodbye, and was out the door the moment after. Cecilia looked at the empty doorway for a moment.

“I would very much like your company, Cecilia,” Edwina said from the other side of the table. “I will be spending much of the morning in the salon upstairs with Neville and it would be lovely with some company.”

Cecilia smiled gratefully and nodded absentmindedly. Her mind was still on Archie’s swift departure.

About fifteen minutes later she left the room to collect her book and needlepoint from her room. Edwina had gone to fetch Neville in the nursery and would join her in the salon. She was headed up the main stairways when she heard someone call her name behind her. She turned to see both Flint and Hester walking into the entrance hall from the hallway leading to the morning room.

She descended the stairs again to meet them in the hallway. Hester ushered them into a drawing room and for a moment the two of them were looking uncomfortably at her. Cecilia began to worry whether they would actually comment on the fact that she and Archie had not been at dinner last night.

“I’m very sorry about what happened yesterday,” Hester began, and Cecilia remembered their conversation.

“Oh, think nothing of it. It was... I was just surprised,” she told them and looked from Hester to Flint. They both wore concerned expressions, and it was evident that they thought she had been hurt deeply by Hester’s words – and Flint’s earlier actions. If she had not had other things on her mind, she might have spent more time on it, but as she had hidden under the covers for a couple of hours, her thoughts had been how Archie found her dispensable, not Flint. “Well, it was not pleasant, which only goes to show that it was a good thing that we did not marry, Flint. Honestly, I would never have thought you so calculating, but you never truly know another, do you?”

“I am sorry, Cecilia,” Flint breathed, and she could tell that he meant it sincerely. “I did care for you. I still do, as a friend. As a sister of sorts even.”

Cecilia nodded and pursed her lips. What Flint had done could not be changed and she was only relieved that they had not married. It would have meant spending her life with a man who thought her expendable. At least Archie had intimated that he did not. He might not love her, but he cared deeply about her. As more than a friend. And his affection certainly was not that of a brother either.

“I don’t want to talk about it again. Luckily our marriage never came to be. The two of you suit each other much better than we would have,” she was speaking to Flint as she said this, but her words were just as much for Hester. She wanted her new sister-in-law to know for certain that she did not have any romantic feelings for Flint.

“So do you and Archie I am astonished to discover,” Flint said.

Cecilia sent him a surprised look, then decided that she did not need to reply. She said she would go find Edwina in the salon. As a kind of olive branch, she added that she would be delighted if Hester would join them.

***

Archie did not return to Great Farleigh Hall until late afternoon. Since it was nearly November, it was already starting to grow dark. He thanked the groom as he handed him the reins to his horse and walked to a side entrance to the estate. He sighed as he sat down in the boot room and pulled off his muddy boots to change into a pair better suited for indoor wear. He sat for a moment with one boot in his hand as he contemplated what to do. He wanted to go straight to his room and haul Cecilia into his bed again. Forget this day had ever happened. At the same time, he wanted to stay far away from her, take a long bath, and hope that at least some of the guilt would be washed away by it.