‘Thank you.’ Florence accepted a slice. She wasn’t particularly hungry, but Cassandra’s manner was so kind and sisterly, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. Even if thinking about sisterly behaviour made her think of Amabel again… The pang in her chest dug deeper.
‘Now, tell me.’ Cassie looked serious suddenly. ‘How are you and Leo getting along? I know that things between you were a little awkward at first, but are they any better?’
‘Um…’ She took a bite of cake to hide her expression.
‘Oh, dear.’ Cassie’s face fell. ‘It’s that bad? I was afraid it might be. He was so angry when…well, when he told us the circumstances of your betrothal. I told him not to jump to conclusions, that sometimes there’s more to things than meets the eye, but…’
Florence jerked her head up. ‘You mean, you think I’m innocent?’
‘Oh, I’ve absolutely no idea.’ Cassie lifted her shoulders, as if it didn’t matter either way. ‘All I know is that sometimes people have good reasons for doing bad things. I should know that better than anyone.’ She threw a quick glance at the door. ‘Has Leo told you anything about our upbringing?’
‘No-o.’ Florence knitted her brows. Now that she thought about it, she knew very little at all about her husband.
‘Well, it was perfectly awful.’ Cassie sighed heavily. ‘As I said, our father didn’t have a caring bone in his entire body. Leo and I were summoned to his study every evening for him to lecture us. It was the only time we ever saw him and it wasalways about the same subject, the history of our family and the estate. It was so boring, it was an effort just to stay awake. Even now, when I can’t sleep, I think back to it and then I’m snoring within minutes. Anyway, when he was done, he would test us, and if we got an answer wrong he would send us to bed without any dinner, or worse. And of course, being the son, Leo took the brunt of the questioning.’ She shook her head. ‘Of course, it all had the opposite effect to the one our father intended. We both utterly despise the place now.’
‘You do?’ Florence sat back in surprise. ‘What about your mother? What did she think?’
‘Oh, there wasn’t much she could have done to stop it. Our father never cared for anyone else’s opinions. Then she died of the putrid throat when Leo was six.’
‘I’m so sorry. That’s tragic.’ Florence shook her head sadly. Somehow she’d gone from knowing almost nothing about Leo to knowing a great deal in the space of a minute. Now she couldn’t help but wonder what it must have been like for him to grow up in such a cold environment.
‘It was.’ Cassie sighed again. ‘I was twelve, so I have some memories of her, but Leo was so young, I don’t think he remembers a great deal. Then once he reached ten, Father became obsessed with moulding him into the perfect heir, which in his mind meant being a younger version of himself. He wanted to control everything. To be honest, I was amazed he hadn’t already selected a bride for Leo before he died, but then, his illness was rather sudden. No doubt he would have arranged it otherwise. Anyway, my point is that our father was a very domineering personality, which is why I resolved to escape as soon as I could.’
‘Escape?’
Cassie grinned. ‘When I came to London to stay with my aunt for my first season, I promised myself that I would nevergo back to Rainton, at least not as a resident. I decided to marry before the month was out.’ She laughed. ‘Oh, I know what you’re thinking, that it could all have gone terribly wrong, and you’re right, of course, but I was young and foolish and my life had been so desperately dull. It wasn’t that I had such a high opinion of my charms either. I just knew that my dowry meant I wouldn’t want for suitors. I might have thrown myself away on the very first person who asked me, but luckily I met and fell in love with George. My only regret was leaving Leo behind, but by then he was going to school anyway. Still…’ A shadow of some remembered pain flickered in her eyes before she banished it with a sip of tea. ‘I suppose what I’m trying to say is that if I hadn’t had money, I can only imagine what I might have done to escape. Maybe I would have thought that my only option was to trick somebody into marrying me.’
‘But I didn’t want to escape anything,’ Florence protested. ‘I love my home and I’m very close to my family. That’s why the idea of me trapping Leo doesn’t make any sense.’
‘Well, all I’m saying is that I don’t judge, especially not other women. Our lives are difficult enough, given how little control we’re allowed over them. Besides, I’m old enough to know there’s no point in endlessly raking over the coals. You and Leo are married, which makes us sisters, and I’m determined that we shall get along famously. In fact, I insist upon it, especially when I’m surrounded by so many males. Did Leo tell you, my youngest is a boy too? Edgar. He’s still in the cradle, so he doesn’t treat his uncle like a climbing frame yet, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. Ah, there you are.’ She twisted in her seat as the uncle in question entered the room, one boy on his shoulders, the other clinging to his waist. ‘Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of cake. Have they broken any of your bones yet?’
‘Not yet.’ Leo looked between them, his gaze faintly suspicious. ‘What are the two of you talking about?’
‘The weather,’ Cassie answered placidly. ‘We’re English, after all. We think it might rain later.’
‘Rain?’ He glanced sceptically towards the windows. Sunshine was practically pouring through, drenching the room in golden rays.
‘Yes.’ Florence found herself sharing a quick smile with Cassie. ‘In fact, I think I just heard some thunder.’
‘Well, it all sounds dashed strange to me,’ George, Leo’s brother-in-law, declared as he shunted a red ball into the corner pocket of the billiards table.
‘That’s one word for it,’ Leo agreed, finally beginning to relax after the journey. Two days in a carriage with his wife had been a somewhat strained and uncomfortable experience; strained because, despite her occasional attempts to talk to him, he still couldn’t allow himself to forget what she’d done, uncomfortable because the floral scent emanating from her side of the carriage had been damned distracting. She hadn’t smelt that way on their journeyfromLondon; he would have noticed. The fact that she smelled so enticing now had made him painfully aware that they were alone in a closed carriage. Somehow the scent had heightened his other senses too, causing a sharp, craving sensation every time he’d caught her soft exhalations of breath or cast even the slightest glance towards her. His only respite had come in the coaching inn where they’d spent the night in separate bedrooms.
Thankfully, however, they were here now and he was glad to be back. Despite being only six years his senior, Cassie was in some ways more like a mother than a sister, while George, with his booming voice and open, cheerful manner, was one of his most trusted friends. Until he’d seen them again, he hadn’t realised how much he’d needed to talk.
‘Are you certain she’s not faking her memory loss?’ George asked as a ball ricocheted off the side pocket.
‘I’m certain.’ Leo reached for his own cue. ‘She was unconscious for three days.’
‘Three days?’ George gave a low whistle. ‘It was that serious, then?’
Leo gave a murmur of assent as he leaned over to line up a shot. Yes, it really had been that serious, more than he’d let himself acknowledge at the time. If the branch had hit her any harder, or if she hadn’t been discovered before nightfall… The very idea of it made him shudder now.
‘Of course she’s not faking anything!’ Cassie swept into the room just as his ball slammed into a pocket. ‘Don’t be preposterous.’
‘I just said she wasn’t.’ Leo straightened up, looking at her quizzically. ‘But how are you so certain?’
‘Because she clearly had no idea who I was when she arrived. And if that was a pretence then she’s the best actress I’ve ever come across, and I’ve seen Dorothy Jordan.’
