‘Whatever gave you that idea?’ He took Arthur the two paces to the window and pointed to the garden, not that there was much to see in the fog-shrouded dusk of an October evening.
The baby yawned and flailed his arms, caught the window with a hand and let out a discontented wail. His small body went rigid and his face puckered as if working up to a full blow cry.
‘Now look what you’ve done!’ Flora took the baby from Bunny’s arms and returned him to his cradle, rearranging the covers over him while hushing him gently.
Further along the hall, a door opened and Bunny grabbed Flora’s hand and tugged her past Milly’s door before she appeared. With no time to reach their room without being seen, he pulled her into an alcove halfway along. Squashed together in the corner, Flora giggled and he flapped a hand in a signal for silence just as Milly’s voice drifted along the corridor.
‘I don’t recall leaving this door open. Aww poor Artie. Is that why you woke up?’
‘Artie?’ Flora mouthed at Bunny, who shrugged.
Once Milly had returned to her room, the pair fled back to their bedroom where they collapsed onto the canopied bed, laughing and hushing one another uselessly.
‘In our own house,’ Flora gasped between breaths. ‘How ridiculous we are.’
‘I know, but it was fun, wasn’t it?’ Bunny propped himself on an elbow next to her on the bed. ‘And while we are on the subject of Stanhopes.’ He drew from his pocket the silver egg that swung gently on the end of a fine chain.
‘You kept it?’ She was about to take it from him, but he moved it out of her reach at the last second.
‘Call it a memento. Reid won’t have any use for it now, especially when I have had the photograph replaced with something less – er, controversial. An image of my wife, perhaps?’
‘Sounds interesting. With or without clothes?’
‘Ah, now there’s an idea.’ He sent her a sideways look that sent her blood fizzing through her veins as he returned the object to his pocket. ‘Or was that simply to tease me?’
‘Actually, I was just thinking of whom we might engage to take the photograph.’
‘Hussy!’ He threw his arm around her and hugged her close. ‘Although,’ he whispered into her hair, ‘there’s this place in Soho that claims to be very discreet.’
‘Really?’ She let the idea percolate for a moment. ‘How discreet?’
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Acknowledgements
With grateful thanks to the brilliant team at Aria for all their efforts in making this series possible. To Caroline Ridding for her vision in bringing Flora to life, and Sarah Ritherdon for her enthusiasm for my characters. Jade Craddock and Sue Lamprell for their sharp eyes in straightening out my clumsy narrative. Also to Aria’s art department for the beautiful, eye-catching jackets.
Not forgetting my agent Kate Nash who always had faith in me even when I did not, and whose encouragement and hard work is what has got me this far.
Also I would like to give a special mention to the great writers of the Historical Novel Critique Group, all of whom never fail to keep me on track.
About Anita Davison
Born in London, Anita has always had a penchant for all things historical. She now lives in the beautiful Cotswolds, the backdrop for her Flora Maguire mysteries.
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A Letter from the Author
Dear Reader
I am often asked why I chose to write historical fiction, but I could never imagine writing anything else. Agents and publishers will always tell you to write what you love to read - and as I love historical fiction and cosy mysteries, it seemed natural to combine the two.
I'm fascinated by the past, and enjoy the research part of writing a new story, exploring the events which have changed society's attitudes, especially for women, who were considered incapable of rational thought or opinion.
My character, Flora Maguire encounters some of these early 20th Century events, like the savage reaction to the Women's Suffrage Movement, the innovation of the motorcar, and how it was considered a taboo for women to enter a restaurant without a male escort.
Authors love hearing from their readers, thus if you have the time and inclination, please leave me a review, which only needs to be a sentence or two saying what you liked about the book, share it on social media via my Twitter and Facebook, or pay a visit to my blog. Just follow the links below.
Thank you for reading my book, and by doing so paying me the best compliment a writer can receive.
Anita Davison
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About the Flora Maguire Mysteries
Driven by the secrets of her past, Flora Maguire ventures between the elegant shops and drawing rooms of Edwardian Knightsbridge and Belgravia to the crowded and shabby streets of Whitechapel and Southwark.
In company with her charming partner Bunny Maguire, their adventures bring them into contact with senior policemen, Foreign Office officials, the Salvation Army and the Women’s Suffrage movement in their search for spies and murderers.
Flora transforms from a shy, if outspoken governess to a determined young woman to whom no boundary is prohibited if there is a criminal to be revealed…
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Addictive Fiction
First published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Anita Davison, 2017
The moral right of Anita Davison to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN (E) 9781786690845
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ten Children
The Forgotten Children Page 36