Brazen Behaviour

Excerpt From: Brazen Behaviour

When Gregory Munroe arrived at Eleanor Argyle’s London home that sunny spring day, she was at her desk, writing an article about her travels in North Africa for a ladies’ journal.

“You have a visitor, Miss Eleanor,” her butler announced.

“Thank you, Charles.” She lifted the note he held out on a silver salver, wondering who it could be. All her friends and acquaintances knew she was preparing to depart for Scotland. She had much to do before the following day, and she had not anticipated any callers.

The note was written in a bold, scrawling hand.

With greetings from your Uncle James and Aunt Frieda, Mr Gregory Munroe requests an audience.

Gregory Munroe? The manager of her uncle’s Scottish estate was here, in London?

Eleanor stared at the card, at first uncomprehending. “He must be in London on business,” she murmured under her breath.

Looking back at Charles, she realised he was standing by waiting for her instructions. “Charles, would you please ask Mary to serve tea for two in the parlour, and tell Mr Munroe that I will be with him shortly.”

Charles nodded and left.

Eleanor sat back in her chair and fanned herself with the announcement card, her thoughts racing. Gregory Munroe. She recalled her previous meeting with him, seven years earlier. He’d been a dark, alluring stranger who had captured her imagination. To him, she was just the eighteen year-old niece of his employer on a visit to the estate in Scotland. She remembered him looking her up and down as he passed, a shadowed look in his eyes as he went about his business. She, however, had entertained an enduring and rather girlish fascination with him that lasted for several months afterward. She had imagined him taking the time to talk with her, so that she could admire his handsome good looks, his fine build and posture. She imagined more, intimacy and passion, even.

That was a long time ago, however.

She had seen and done much since then, travelling with her father. She was no longer the gauche young woman, who could scarcely drag her gaze away from him. In fact, she’d become rather amused by her own foolish attraction to him, as she reflected on it, over the years.