The Fire's Center (9 page)

Lucien’s thoughts were running along similar lines to Riona’s, but he believed that he should attack the workhouses, and expose the appalling conditions through articles in the newspapers.

Taking out his writing case, he sat in silence as he drafted a letter to the
Times
reporting on all he had seen, and urging in the strongest possible terms that the government had to do something before it was too late.

While he worked, Riona, exhausted both physically and emotionally after what she had witnessed, drifted off to sleep against his large form.

They hadn’t troubled to stop for luncheon, since both had lost their appetites after the terrible things they had witnessed during the morning. So the coach rolled on to Omagh, with Riona lost in a deep and dreamless sleep with her head on Lucien’s shoulder.

Lucien too, after he had spent his fury in his ten-page diatribe, was weary. He looked down then at Riona, wondering why he had never even noticed her so close beside him.

After stroking the small head resting on his shoulder, he too closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, with one arm wrapped around Riona protectively to prevent her from being badly jolted by the carriage travelling over the pitted roads.

Chapter Six

Still wrapped in each other’s arms, they slumbered on innocently, only waking from their peaceful repose when the coach driver called down, "The Crown and Sceptre, sir," in Omagh.

Lucien looked down at Riona, and found her gazing up at him silently.

"I guess we were both exhausted," Riona said quietly as sat up straight and tried to disengage herself from his arm, now intimately wrapped around her waist.

"I know you were, my dear. You went out like a light."

Lucien smiled down at her gently as he moved his arm, and then gathered up their things from the interior of the coach.

He moved out of the carriage first and then took her hand to help her down, but still being drowsy, and with the rather heavy rain now falling, her small booted foot slipped on the metal step. Lucien caught her just in time before she fell.

Lucien held her close for a fraction of a second before asking, "Are you all right, Riona?"

Then he allowed her to slide down the length of him until her feet were squarely on the ground once more.

"I’m fine, really," she reassured him hastily. But all the same he kept one arm around Riona as he guided her up the slippery outside stairs, and into the warm foyer of the hotel.

"It’s freezing underfoot," he observed to Riona with a shiver, before turning his attention to the landlord waiting behind the desk.

"Yes, you and your lovely wife made it just in time." The elderly man beamed at them both. "It looks like we’re in for some snow. "

Lucien was about to open his mouth to protest at the man’s assumption, when the landlord said, "I’ll get the fire going up in your room, and if you’ll just hand your things over to Sam, he will take them up."

"I’m sorry, sir, there's some mistake. This young lady isn’t my wife, she’s my niece," Lucien suddenly found himself inventing on the spur of the moment.

Riona quashed the startled glance she was about to shoot in Lucien’s direction, and merely smiled demurely

"Sorry, young miss, my mistake." The man beamed without a moment’s hesitation. "But surely a lovely young thing like her must have a husband by now," he laughed, as he ordered their cases to be brought up to two adjoining rooms on the second floor, and asked if they wished to have tea in the parlour before going up, as the rooms weren’t quite ready.

"Er, that would be very nice, so long as you first show us where we can wash."

"There’s a small room under the stairs," the landlord replied, taking their cloaks, and indicating the way for Riona.

She looked hesitantly at Lucien, who merely nodded and said, "You go first, my dear. I’ll wait for you here," and proceeded to give orders for baths and the evening meal and breakfast the following morning, without so much as a second glance in her direction.

Honestly, he could be so moody,
she reflected as she scrubbed her face and hands vigorously, and then tidied her hair. After all, it was an honest mistake on the part of the landlord.

But of course, to be mistaken for her husband or lover could never be anything other than repellent to a man of his class, she concluded a trifle angrily as she put the finish touches to her coiffure, and stepped back out into the foyer.

Lucien escorted her to the table nearest the fire, and after seating her, said, "I shall be back in a moment, my dear."

While he washed, she discussed the various choices on the bill of fare with the serving maid, and in the end decided she would have tea and toast.

But when Lucien arrived a few moments later, he insisted on adding some slices of meat pie, and several scones to her order.

When the girl had gone to inform the kitchen of their desires, Lucien answered Riona’s questioning glance with, "Well, after all, you had no luncheon, and supper won’t be until about nine. You might as well have something substantial now, and then go upstairs to rest."

"I’m not at all sleepy after that nap in the coach. You don’t have anything to read, do you?"

"On some boring old medical books, but I am sure we can find some newspapers here."

"All the same I would like to have a look at one of your books, if you don’t mind," Riona said sincerely.

"Not at all." Inwardly, he wondered what she would make of them, but decided to humor her.

When the tea arrived, she poured, and added the milk and sugar as he specified.

"Just a drop, and one lump, thank you," he requested.

Riona handed him the steaming cup, and their fingers met at the rim.

 
Lucien looked to see if she were embarrassed by the contact, but she merely met his own gaze inquiringly, and he felt he had to say something to explain why he was staring at her.

"That cream coloured blouse, and hunter green skirt certainly suit you. Do all the things fit?"

She shrugged one shoulder. "I must admit I haven’t tried them all on, since I didn’t have time this morning if we were to be on the road by eleven, but they all seem to be fine. Once again, it was very generous of you."

Lucien tried to make light of her thanks by teasing, "What? You haven’t tried them all on? I would have thought that would be the first thing any woman would do as soon as she got something new to wear. My married friends complain their wives do nothing but primp and preen and visit their milliners and sempstresses all day."

"I prefer a good book myself, when I have any free time, which isn’t often," Riona said a trifle coldly, and then concentrated on chewing her food slowly, trying to eat as much as he could to please him.

He blinked, and then realized once more that he was treating her like an addle-pated woman of his own class, not the resourceful young governess she actually was.
 
"I am sorry, you’re right of course. I suppose you and your sisters make all of your own clothes as well?"

Riona nodded. "We did, when we could afford the cloth. Mr. Woodham did give me a clothing allowance, so I managed to buy some bolts of cloth, enough to clothe everyone in the family."

"It must have been a great sacrifice," Lucien commented. "I know how women like pretty clothes."

"Have you much experience of women then, Dr. Woulfe?" Riona asked a trifle sharply, suddenly feeling an inexplicable pang.

Lucien’s golden eyes mingled with her own for a moment, before he answered honestly, "No, no I suppose I haven’t. I’m not a shy, blushing virgin, make no mistake, but nor am I a man about town either, if you take my meaning."

Riona coloured to the roots of her hair.

Lucien apologized, "I’m sorry if I offended you with my candour."

"Not at all, Dr. Woulfe, it is I who should apologize for asking such a personal question when it's clearly none of my business," Riona said hurriedly as she stood up to leave the table.

"I’m sure our rooms should be ready now, so if you will excuse me..."

Lucien rose himself and attempted to forestall her, but she was already at the door leading to the foyer. "But Riona, you haven’t finished your tea!"

"I've had more than enough, thank you," Riona replied as she headed up the stairs rapidly.

Rather than make a scene chasing after her, Lucien decided to let Riona go, and returned to the table, where he moodily sat gazing out of the window at the flurry of large white fluffy flakes that had begun to tumble down out of the steel-grey sky.

He was angry with himself for having given her such an unguarded reply, and wondered, not for the first time, at the wisdom of bringing her into his house. She was after all very young, only just turned twenty-two, while he was thirty-two, nearly old enough to be her father, he thought with a bitter smile.

But if not his own house, then where? His brother Quentin would no doubt take her in if he asked him to, but he didn’t like owing his brother favours. Nor did he like to have anything more to do with Antoinette than he could possibly help.

Not that she had ever said or done anything improper towards him in the all the years she had been married to his brother, but all the same, every so often, there was a flicker, something in her glance....

But perhaps he was just being fanciful, he decided with an inward shrug. Just as he might be imagining dangers now where there were none.

Riona would be ideal for his clinic once she got started. If he could eventually find her a suitable set of rooms somewhere later on, especially if they located her father in the capital, then all the proprieties would be observed.

But somehow Riona had a rather unsettling habit of growing on a person, Lucien admitted to himself with a sigh, as he gathered up a pile of newspapers from the sideboard, left there for the customers’ use, and took them upstairs to her.

Then he went into his own room to fetch out a book on fevers he had been struggling to read himself, and tapped on her door.

"Come in!" she called as she proceeded to take her purple and gold wrap out of her valise.

"I just thought I would bring you those things to read as I promised."

"Oh, thank you, that’s very kind," she murmured shyly as she took the things he offered and placed them on the table by the hearth.