A Season for Honour

Chapter 5

'Well?' Katie asked Octavia inquiringly, 'you have been here nearly half an hour, and we have discussed many varied topics, including the weather and my health, but Octavia, you have failed to answer my original question.'

Lady Sommerville, who was ready to give birth to her first child any day now, was lying on a chaise lounge in her day room, looking the very picture of health. On the strict orders issued by the local doctor and taken very seriously by her husband, Katie had not left the grounds of Evesham Hall for about four weeks. Octavia knew that Katie had not been happy about her confinement within the boundaries of the estate, and she had tried to visit her friend nearly every day.

'And what question would that be?' Octavia asked innocently as she sipped at the cup of tea she had just poured for herself.

'Do not play the innocent with me,' Katie said, turning around to look at Octavia. 'It was the first question I asked you this afternoon, and you have avoided answering it by giving me a description of the weather. I really do not give a fig about the weather, there are far more important issues to discuss.'

Octavia looked down at the half-drunk cup of tea and placed it on the side-table next to her chair. 'Katie, I do not think it is appropriate...' Octavia began to say before she was rudely interrupted by her friend.

'Pooh!' Katie said dismissively, 'I think you are hiding something.'

'Katie,' Octavia said indignantly, 'I do not...'

Octavia was interrupted by Katie laughing. 'I think that the lady doth protest too much, methinks,' she said, still laughing.

'Charles likes him,' Octavia said ignoring her friend's comment, 'and that is all that really matters.'

'Ah!' Katie replied, 'but I did not ask you if Charles likes him. Freddie is perfectly capable of telling me information like that. I asked you if you like him?'

'He is nice enough, I suppose,' Octavia said, shrugging her shoulders, 'he is always very polite to me when we discuss Charles' progress.'

'My dearest Octavia,' she said, with a big sigh, 'what am I going to do with you. He is "nice enough!" I have never heard anything quite like it. Remember, I have met the very charming Captain Fallbrook, and have concluded, bearing in mind the many words in the English language at my disposal, that "nice," is not the one I would have chosen to use.'

'Katie,' Octavia said primly, 'I have told you that my opinion of Captain Fallbrook is neither here nor there. It is his ability to teach Charles that is important to me.'

'Are you telling me, Lady Kendall,' Katie then said, sitting up as straight as she could, 'that you have not so much as even looked at Captain Fallbrook?'

'Of course, I have looked at him,' Octavia replied frowning, 'how could I not. He comes to the house every day to teach Charles.'

'Well,' Katie said, 'Do you think that he is handsome?'

'I suppose he is,' Octavia replied, trying to sound calm, but she could not help the faint blush that crept into her cheeks.

'Ha!' Katie explained gleefully, 'you are blushing. Now I know you are being evasive. No one, in their right mind, who has seen Captain Fallbrook in the flesh, would describe him as just handsome. Octavia, he is so much more than handsome, he is gorgeous.' Katie looked at her friend, a hint of triumph in her eyes. 'And, Octavia, I can tell just by looking at you that you have seen it for yourself.'

Octavia looked down and noticed that she was clasping her hands tightly in her lap. It was becoming a habit; a habit she had acquired since the arrival of Captain Fallbrook. Octavia took a deep breath and consciously unclasped her hands and spread them out on her lap, so they were not touching each other.