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Chapter Four
"Have you ever been put off your travels by your experiences thus far?”
The way the lady laughed and shook her head and lifted one shoulder in half a shrug led Florent to believe she didn’t really know the answer to his question. Or that the answer was complicated. He kept his hand over hers steady and held his tongue hoping she’d elaborate in words rather just in reactions. His patience would be rewarded eventually, he was sure.
For some reason, he was suspicious of her spending time by his side. She was a beautiful woman and far more interesting than any he had ever met, not just because she was considered an eccentric spinster despite not being much older than his sister. He rather thought she had probably been interesting long before that. They had been introduced the one time he had gone to Town for his first sister’s debut. And he had definitely noticed her, even then although she would have probably been much like all the others making their curtsy to the queen that year. He had also never forgotten her despite how chaotic his life had been since.
Even out in the backwaters of Kent County they still got the gossip papers. Lady Alcott loved to stay abreast of the goings on in Town even if she didn’t enjoy going for the Season unless it was necessary. She didn’t want to feel behind when she did get there. So, she always knew the gossip. And she liked nothing more than to share it with her family as though she knew what she was talking about.
Lady Constance sighed. Florent had outwaited her, he was sure.
“Put off would be stating it much too strongly,” she finally said with another tinkle of laughter that sounded like the chime of a bell. Florent liked it and hoped to hear it again even though he thought she might be uncomfortable. He kept a steady pace hoping she would elaborate. She sighed again, lightly.
“I don’t find I like feeling unsettled.” She said it as though she were uttering a deep, dark secret. Florent wanted to laugh but he knew that would end any further confidences.
“I can imagine that can’t be pleasant,” Florent replied mildly, hoping she would go into further detail.
It did prompt another tinkle of laughter from her. “No, not pleasant, you’re right. I don’t suppose you can relate, though, can you?”
Florent finally looked her in the face and offered her a mild smile. “There is very little about my life that isn’t settled,” he agreed with her, although he wasn’t being perfectly truthful. It was almost there but things had been decidedly unsettled for years. He was only now finally seeing the success of his efforts after more time than he had ever expected. He didn’t like feeling unsettled either. He was certain they weren’t speaking about the same type of experience, though, so he didn’t bother to tell her about it. Not that she had asked.
“Does your life feel unsettled because you travel from place to place? Or because you don’t know where you will go next?”
“It’s just so very rootless,” she exclaimed, again as though it were a secret that had been pulled out of her. “And everyone thinks it’s marvelous or scandalous or some other superlative that isn’t really true. I’ve done nothing scandalous except be different from others.” She grew silent at his side for a moment before adding, “It’s not as though I want to be like everyone else. I certainly don’t. But I also don’t wish to feel like a spectacle, either. Like everyone is watching me and analyzing my actions in order to judge them.”
“No, that sounds perfectly dreadful.”
She smiled in appreciation and for a moment Florent’s chest swelled as though he had performed some great feat. It was ridiculous but true. He wished to continue to experience the sensation.
“Tell me about Alcott,” she invited once more, in a softer tone, as though she sincerely wished to know. Again, Florent had the strangest sensation.
“We are trying our hand at cotton for the first time this year.”
“Cotton? I’m clearly not an experienced grower of plants, but won’t that be difficult in this climate?”
Florent grinned over the question. No woman fancied herself a botanist like his mother, thus his and his siblings’ odd names, but he liked that Lady Constance was very frank about her own knowledge or lack thereof. But she was actually well informed. Not that he had discussed the matter with many, but whenever he had ever mentioned his crops to anyone they had invariably smiled and nodded in polite disinterest and carried on to discuss something else. He appreciated that this woman at least had an intelligent question to ask.
“That’s a good question, my lady. We shall soon see. Some have been working to develop hardier seeds so that our wet weather won’t be a problem, but really only trying it will prove the matter one way or the other.”
She frowned slightly. “How risky is it for you?”
Again, Florent was impressed with her sensible question although it was verging on the over personal. He wasn’t sure he wanted to confide in anyone on the subject, let alone a young lady he was barely acquainted with.
He lifted one shoulder and hoped his smile was slightly mysterious. He might have done what he’d intended, but it did not have the affect he’d hoped for. Constance’s frown deepened despite the light laugh she uttered.
“You either don’t quite know or you don’t want to tell me.” She smiled, revealing she wasn’t in the least offended. “I cannot blame you. It was almost unforgivably rude to ask, wasn’t it? I do apologize. Sometimes I forget that my quest for knowledge isn’t normal.”
Florent laughed with her. “Let’s just say it’s not usual, rather than it’s abnormal. Most wouldn’t even think to ask questions.”
Her frown creased her forehead once more. “That’s just because everyone is so terribly self centered,” she said sadly, making Florent wonder what she had experienced to give her that knowledge. He supposed it might be that no one really cared all that much about her travels.
“Have you met my sister? She likes to ask questions.” Of course, she had, he reminded himself, feeling a little silly. She was too beautiful for him to converse with comfortably. And she was just different enough that he rather hoped Daisy didn’t become attached to her. He couldn’t help thinking Lady Constance wouldn’t be the best influence upon his youngest sister.
“I’ve met a couple of your sisters, as a matter of fact. You do realize one of them is here at the party, don’t you?” She laughed again, the tinkle of bells that sounded so joyful and Florent once more hoped to prolong the moment no matter how unwise it might be to spend too much time with the exotic creature. “But of course, you do, you have already asked if I’ve seen her. Do forgive me, Mr. Alcott. My brain got stuck on our previous topic.”
Florent smiled. She truly was a different sort.
“Ah, there she is now,” Lady Constance surprised him by pointing over her shoulder. Florent quickly turned, losing the grasp he’d had on her hand as she slipped it from the crook of his elbow. How had she known who was coming behind them? Constance Moreland was a fascinating woman.
