The Lady Is Innocent (The Star Elite Series) (17 page)

Jamie snorted. “I have been so damned busy with what’s been going on at
Melvedere, Cecily and everything else that I forgot about this place. It has been mothballed for years. I don’t have any use for the place now and aren’t likely to have in the future.”

“That’s what I want to talk to you abou
t.” Pie replied taking the proffered brandy from Jamie with a smile of thanks.

Jamie sat down and watched his friend patiently. Whatever it was that Pie wanted to know, or ask, Jamie knew that it had something to do with
Florrie. He didn’t need to glance over his shoulder to know that Florrie was walking past the window with Harriett. The look of adoration on Pie’s face was clear to see. Jamie knew what the man was going through because he had been through similar with his new wife.

He waited for a minute or two; long enough for
Florrie to have moved passed the window and coughed to recapture Pie’s attention. He lifted his brows and grinned when Pie smiled sheepishly at him.

“Go on then, what do you have to a
sk me?” Jamie wondered what he was going to say to his best friend and colleague if the man asked for permission to ask Florrie for her hand in marriage. Jamie wasn’t her guardian, and had no influence over Florrie’s decisions. Still, with the determined look on Pie’s face, there was something he needed Jamie’s advice on and, after the worry of the past few days, Jamie knew that there was little he would deny his friend.

The following day, Florrie wandered aimlessly around the gardens, but her attention was focused firmly on the man inside the house. It was shocking to see how quickly he had begun to make a recovery from his ordeal at the hands of the Frenchman. From the dark colouring of his skin it was evident that he must be in considerable discomfort, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the way he had tucked in to the ham pie, eggs, bacon, toast and cheese at breakfast. The amount of food he had tucked away had been amazing but had reaffirmed to everyone that he was getting better. She had struggled not to stare at him across the table while she had choked down her own meagre feast.

She had only seen Pie at breakfast yest
erday. Sometime after his meeting with Jamie, he had gone back to bed to sleep and had partaken of dinner on a tray in his room with Archie and Simon. A part of her longed to be able to sit and share a meal with him too, but she daren’t go to his room. He had already made his feelings clear. She wasn’t going to force herself on him; not when he was recovering and especially after what had happened.

She wandered back into the main hall and sighed at the chaos that immediately surrounded her.
Today was the day of Portia and Archie’s wedding. Maids were running up and down the stairs, fetching and carrying things as everyone prepared for the wedding that was due to be held in only a few short hours. She had learned at breakfast that Pie had handed over his groomsman duties over to Simon, purely because he didn’t think he could stand upright for as long as was needed for the service. Florrie could only sympathise with him.

Taking a breath, she stood back as yet another maid scurried past and briefly wondered whether she should offer to help, or find a nice quiet corner somewhere to wait until it was time to go. The decision was taken out of her hands.

“Ready?” Pie whispered directly into her ear.

Despite his injuries, Pie was determined to make the short trip to the church and attend the service along with everyone else. He was looking forward to being able to escort
Florrie down the aisle. Although she didn’t know it yet, it would be a dry-run for their own big day. He only hoped that he could persuade her to stick around long enough to allow the day to happen.

His conversation with Jamie had gone better than he had hoped and Jamie had almost eagerly taken on arranging the legalities of Pie’s suggestion. All was going well – for now at least.

Next, all he had to do was try and get a few moments alone with Florrie.

Florrie
jumped and spun around. She was immediately swamped with love that was so strong, she visibly trembled with the need to reach out and touch him. “I didn’t hear you creep up on me.”

Pie smiled
gently at her. “I am afraid that I have to leave a little earlier than everyone else,” he explained, holding out his arm to her. “I wondered if you would care to walk with me. I am not sure that I can make it on my own.”

Florrie
stared at him for a moment and felt a wave of guilt sweep through her. It firmly quashed any objection she might have made.

After all he wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for her
, she mused. Walking with him to the church was the least she could do. It would seem churlish if she refused. She took his arm but glanced at him doubtfully.

“Are you not going to go in a carriage?” It was an awfully long way for an injured man to go on foot.

Pie shook his head ruefully. “Even if I could get into the carriage, which I doubt, the rocking and swaying will be too uncomfortable, so it is better that I walk. If I take it slowly, I am sure that I can manage it.” He fought to keep the wolfish smile off his face when she tentatively took his arm and waited for him to shuffle into motion.

Pie studiously ignored Hugo
, who rolled his eyes at the spectacle and winked at Jamie who was standing to one side of the front door.

Much to
Pie’s satisfaction, Operation Florrie had begun.

Although he was playing on the severity of his injuries a little, the sight of the long driveway before them made Pie grit his teeth with determination. He was still struggling with the discomfort
in his ribs, but refused to take that wretched laudanum because it made his thoughts too muddled. He was determined to make the walk with Florrie on his arm and, if he had to sit through another wedding, he wanted it to be with Florrie by his side.

A small part of him felt a little guilty for making his injures more debilitating than they were but, if he had to play on her ridiculous feelings of guilt to get her to spend some time with him rather than make plans to return to Norfolk, then he was prepared to roll his sleeves up and shuffle like a geriatric if he needed to. 

He sighed and glanced down at the woman on his arm. It irked him a little that yesterday, while they had spent some time in the same room together, it hadn’t been alone as he wanted. Nearly all of the Star Elite had, at some point, made an appearance in the study while he had been in there, and had seemingly wanted to stay and chat for a while in his room. Unfortunately, their almost determined presence drove Pie to the point that he had started to wonder if they were doing it deliberately to keep him away from Florrie. It was only his during late meeting with his colleagues in the library that he had been assured of their support, and he had accepted their willing help with his plans to ensure that Florrie didn’t stand a chance of getting to Norfolk without one heck of a fight.

This morning, although still feeling slightly stiff and uncomfortable, he was considerably better. Strong enough to be able to at least attempt the walk to the church
, and more determined than ever to begin step two of his attempt to persuade Florrie to remain by his side. Step one had been to get her to walk him to the church.

“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” He murmured, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. Although rain clouds hovered threateningly above,
they hadn’t started to release their watery fury just yet. To Pie, it was wonderful to be out of doors and back in the fresh air again. He hadn’t realised how much he had missed it until now. Was his joy with the day because of the woman on his arm? He wasn’t sure and didn’t want to look at it too closely. It was irrelevant really because there was nowhere else he wanted either of them to be.

“It is
beautiful, and very peaceful.” Florrie studied the rolling green landscape around them and slowed her pace just a little more. They had plenty of time yet before the first carriage was due to arrive at the church. She glanced back at the house, a little disconcerted with how short a distance they had travelled, but she wouldn’t say as much to Pie. It didn’t matter to her if he took the rest of the day to get to the wedding, as long as this man was beside her.

“I love it here,” he sighed, glancing longingly at the lawns surrounding them. If he could persuade
Florrie to stay with him for the rest of her life, they would spend every day walking those gardens when he was at home.

“It really is beautiful,”
Florrie sighed, feeling a pang of bittersweet longing. 

“The house?”
Pie asked hopefully.

“The house
and the area,” Florrie replied honestly. “I like them both, although the house could do with a good clean.”

“I don’t think cleaning is Jamie’s forte,” Pie teased with a smile. It was good to see the shadows had gone from her beautiful chocolate coloured eyes. He wondered whether they sparkled when she laughed and realised that he had never heard her laugh before. It saddened him a little that the circumstances since her arrival at
Crompton had been so stark.

Florrie
smiled and shook her head. “You know what I mean.”

“I do, darling, but it won’t take much
to get it back to its former splendour.”

Florrie
tried not to show her astonishment at the endearment that seemed to flow so easily off his lips. A small part of her was thrilled upon hearing it, but a more cautious part of her warned her not to read too much into it.

“It will make for a nice house
one day. It is a shame that Jamie doesn’t seem to have much interest in it,” Florrie sighed. It wasn’t an accusation. She was merely stating a fact. It seemed sad that such a large home was to remain cold and empty.

“Is it much bigger than the house you grew up in?”

“I cannot remember my parents’ house at all. I cannot even remember the fire that took their lives, but Tabatha’s house is a little smaller than Crompton. It has six bedrooms as opposed to ten. The grounds are also smaller and there are fewer outbuildings than here.”

“Will you be sad to leave Oxfordshire
?”

Florrie
shook her head. “Not really. It was a house I grew up in, but it has never been a home. I have always considered it to be Tabatha’s house, even when Uncle Archibald was alive.”

“I much prefer the land to the sea. It is much more calming, don’t you think?” Pie began, scanning the horizon thoughtfully while his mind fought to find ways to broach the subjects
he most wanted to discuss with her. He tried to keep the tension out of the arm she was holding but it was difficult. Every sense was tuned to her; every emotion was focused on her reply. It was imperative that he get this right.

“I don’t mind really.”

“Would you prefer to live nearer to the sea though? I mean, you are moving to Norfolk, a coastal county.”

“I am
, but only because my Uncle Silas lives there. Jamie has his life here and doesn’t need a wayward relative on his doorstep. Although I adore Jamie, I grew up feeling closest to my Uncle Silas.”

“He lives in Norfolk
with his wife and children?”

“Yes, with his wife and children.” She briefly explained about the financial arrangements and her upbringing, along with her ownership of the cottage in Norfolk.

Pie felt his heart sink a little at the wistfulness on her face as she talked about the small, single storey building that was overlooking the sea. He wondered if he could persuade her to visit there for their honeymoon, and stay for part of his recovery while the house behind them was readied for their arrival.

He sensed her hesitation and knew
that she had turned her thoughts toward leaving. He hobbled a little and drew to a stop. The morning air had brought a pink tinge to her cheeks that made her look wonderfully fresh and invigorated. The shadows had gone from her eyes leaving her gaze clear and untroubled. But it was the intensity in which she was studying him that thrilled him. She was trying not to show it, but he knew she was worried about him and cared about him. He just didn’t know if the depth of her feelings for him were as strong as his for her.

“Are you alright?” She asked aft
er several moments of silence. She studied his face closely. Although his bruises had already started to change colour, she knew he still hurt a lot from the stiff way he was moving, but at least he was upright. “Do you want to rest for a while?”

Pie shook his head thoughtfully for a moment. He had just a few more yards to go before that could happen. Feeling slightly guilty for the subterfuge
, he waited patiently until they were out of sight of the main house and slowly drew to a halt again, panting a little as though the exertion cost him greatly. They hadn’t yet turned into the small lane that led to the church and, for a few moments at least, were all alone.

“Pie?”

He sensed her worry and hurried to calm her.

“I am fine, just a little tired that’s all.” He took a deep breath, delighted when her thin arm stole around his waist. He leaned on her a little bit and took a moment to breathe in the delicious scent of her. Giving in to temptation he placed a tender kiss on her temple.

“Just let me rest for a minute or two, I will be fine.” He didn’t need to pretend to make his voice deep and husky. The feel of her against him eased
any discomfort he might have felt. It was wonderful to be able to hold her again and more than he had ever expected her to allow him to do.

Florrie
knew it wasn’t right that she should be taking advantage of the situation but she couldn’t draw away. The scent of him teased her nostrils and made her ache for what they had shared. She loved him, more than she had ever loved anyone before and she was so very glad that he had survived this latest battle. The outcome could have been so very different. She quickly closed that thought off and sighed when he kissed her temple and rested his head on hers for a moment. She reluctantly tipped her head back to peer up at him and studied his wonderful green eyes. She couldn’t see any pain in those emerald orbs, merely calm reassurance tempered with a smoky need.

The sound of clopping hooves
broke them apart and, somewhat awkwardly, Florrie eased herself out of her arms. She mentally chastised herself for behaving so freely with him yet again, and didn’t know whether to be grateful for the arrival of some of the other guests, or not. If the carriage hadn’t arrived when it had, she was fairly certain that she would have encouraged him to kiss her. Now that he hadn’t taken the opportunity she had so readily placed before him, a small part of her stung with hurt that wounded her pride. She also felt ridiculously wanton for encouraging the advances of a man who didn’t want to keep her, and she vowed to get through the service and celebrations afterward without embarrassing herself, or him, any further.

Slowly removing her arm
, she stood back until a more decorous distance was between them and took the arm he held out to her without looking at him. Her cheeks were flaming with embarrassment but she didn’t entirely regret that had just happened. She knew though that it had to be the very last time Pie held her. If only she could convince her heart that it was a good idea to keep her distance, she may get through the rest of the day with some dignity

Pie sat beside her in the congregation and listened to the vows being exchanged. He had managed to walk her two thirds of the way down the aisle, his thoughts firmly locked on their own future wedding. He glanced down at the woman beside him who had fallen silent when they had walked through the door. He wondered what she was thinking about that had made her look so sad.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that they were sitting
in the church at Jamie and Cecily’s wedding. Now they had shared their lives and their bodies, and everything had changed. In such a short space of time, this woman had become an essential part of his life to the point that he knew that if he didn’t tie her to him with everything he had at his disposal, he would spend the rest of his life wondering ‘what if’.

Talking to her, spending time enjoying her
company, was simply wonderful. She had proven to have a warm sense of humour and a love of the outdoors that matched his own need for fresh air and freedom. Although Pie liked to ride, hunt and fish, Florrie loved to garden and enjoy long walks in the open, but there were things they could do outside together. He looked forward to the day when he could teach her how to ride. It would be wonderful to be able to go for a ride with her and enjoy being at home.

He only half listened to the rest of the service as he ran through the changes
Florrie had brought about in his attitude toward life. She had turned everything upside down and his entire perception of the world around him had changed to such a large degree that he doubted that he was still the same person. Although he knew that he was, he wondered just how soft Florrie had made him. Would he be able to go back out and fight with the Star Elite when the time came for him to need to leave her? Somehow, he doubted it. He didn’t relish the prospect of spending his days snatching whatever sleep he could, and his nights immersed in shadows while fighting to stay alive. The prospect of saying at home with Florrie, and creating a home and a family of their own was much more appealing. 

Still, the men of the Star Elite weren’t just colleagues to him, they were his friends. He felt that he had a duty to remain with them and fight alongside them while ever they needed him to be there. He c
ouldn’t just walk away, especially not while the war with the French was still raging.

He knew though that a
decision whether or not to leave the Star Elite didn’t need to be made just yet. There were several weeks to go before he had to make any choice and, hopefully, anything he did decide upon would be with the full approval of his wife. If he had his way, when he did have to leave to start on the next mission, Florrie would be close to Cecily, and they could at least keep each other company until he and Jamie returned.

“Do you want to ride back in the carriage?”
Florrie asked while she escorted him slowly out of the church and across the churchyard. Through the nature of his injuries, he stayed on the edges of the jubilant crowd, and joined Simon, Hugo and Jamie who were laughing at the antics of the children who were throwing flowers and rose petals over anyone who stood still long enough.

“Well, that’s two down,” Jamie sighed, grinning at
Florrie, then Pie. “Only one more to go, for now.”

Pie threw him a pointed look and heaved a sigh of relief when
Florrie didn’t appear to have heard her cousin’s remark. She was busy cuddling Ben, who had just launched himself at her with a big, gummy grin on his face. She nuzzled his neck and was rewarded with a gurgling chortle. Chubby fingers captured her hair but she didn’t appear to mind and instead blew kisses at him while making a popping noise with her lips.