Page 34 of A Season for Scandal

Her words and the easy way she uttered them made me start. I knew she was only saying them because she thought there was a chance I might be marrying and moving away – prior to this, I wondered if my family had ever entertained the idea that I might leave one day. I certainly hadn’t, but the idea suddenly struck me forcefully. It hadn’t been something to consider with Simon – an arrangement that had been made precisely so everything would stay exactly the same.

But things were different now, weren’t they? I wasn’t marrying Simon, so whatweremy plans? After my engagement was broken off, I hadn’t even considered leaving, hadn’t thought about anything changing. But what if I didn’t stay? Could I really do something else? Did Iwantto? The questions left me breathless, as if the ground in front of me had sharply dropped away, the safe path to the future vanished.

Perhaps joining the Aviary had been the first step into the unknown. I hadn’t thought about it at the time, but in signing up, hadn’t I started a journey of my own – one that had nothing to do with my family, with the business? Had I joined because Iwantedsomething else?

The questions flew through my brain, so rapidly, so overwhelming that I felt my legs tremble.

“The last thing I would want to do is come between Miss Bloom and her family, or your business,” Oliver said suddenly and with startling sincerity. “I greatly admire what you have built here.”

“Your father was in factories, I understand?” Grandfather asked.

“He was.” Oliver’s brow crinkled. “Though he and I had very different priorities when it came to the wellbeing of our employees.”

Grandfather’s gaze sharpened at this. “I have heard stories about the working conditions in some of those factories that were deeply upsetting.”

“That is putting it politely.” Oliver smiled tightly. “I believe I have a responsibility to drastically improve the conditions beyond the threadbare legal requirements. Everyone has a right to safety and dignity in work. And I owe our workers a debt – without them, there would be no business.” He hesitated here. “My godmother speaks very highly of Bloom’s; she told me a little about some of the women you employ.”

I lifted my eyes in surprise at this.

“We are proud to have many talented women working for us,” Grandfather said easily. “As you say, without them, Bloom’s would not be what it is.”

“Still,” I said, thinking suddenly of those women, remembering that it wasn’t only my family who depended on me, “do you really think you’ll be able to manage this week? I have gone over things with Suzy and Scout and I’ve written detailed instructions but perhaps…”

“We’ll manage,” Grandfather said, with a steel I hadn’t heard in his voice for a long time.

“Let’s have some tea, shall we?” Mother asked brightly. “We’re all desperate to get to know Mari’s young man.”

“Wonderful,” Mrs Finch said. I hoped I was the only one who saw the small kick she aimed at Oliver’s ankle.

“Wonderful,” he repeated mechanically, his teeth bared in something I thought was supposed to resemble a smile, but only made him look like he had indigestion.

“Gosh, he really issohandsome,” Daisy murmured dreamily.

“Why don’t you invite Mari for a walk in the park?” Mrs Finch asked some time later, after Oliver had been subjected to my family’s inquisition and had made passable efforts at answering their questions politely.

“Yes!” he gasped, seizing on the opportunity with more enthusiasm than I had previously seen him exhibit. “Miss Bloom? Would you walk with me?”

“Of course,” I said, getting to my feet. “If that’s all right with you, Mother?”

“Yes, yes,” Mother agreed at once. “It’s a lovely day. You young people should enjoy yourselves.”

“I shall be just behind you,” Mrs Finch said, playing the mindful chaperone. “After I take my leave of your family, Miss Bloom.” Here she and my mother shared a conspiratorial twinkle at allowing the two young lovers some privacy to whisper sweet nothings to one another.

Oliver leaped to his feet and strode for the door with an urgency that I hoped everyone put down to ardour.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Daisy said to me with a wink.

When we reached the street, Oliver took a breath that sounded like a drowning man coming up for air.

“My God,” he said weakly.

“You did well.” I smiled, reaching out to lay my hand on his arm.

It was a thoughtless gesture, but as the moment stretched out between us, I felt colour rush to my cheeks. He looked down at my fingers, and just as I was about to pull them away, he covered them with his own, pulling my hand through to the crook of his elbow.

Without another word, we set off in the direction of the park, and I tried to ignore how nice it felt to stand so close to him, to feel the hard muscle of his forearm under my hand. After all, I reasoned, my family might glance out of the window and it wouldn’t do for the two of us to look like strangers.

“I don’t know how we are possibly going to keep this act up for several days,” Oliver huffed.