Fragrant Flower by Barbara Cartland

England.
    She heard a footstep behind her and knew instinctively without turning her head who was there.
    “You are very elusive, Miss Osmund,” a voice said, and she thought there was a slightly mocking note in it.
    Slowly, because she was shy, she turned to look at him. She could see his face very clearly in the moonlight and she saw that he was looking at her in that strange searching way which had seemed characteristic of him ever since she had known him.
    “Where do you hide yourself?” he asked. “And I would like you to answer that question.”
    “Why should it be of interest to you?” Azalea enquired.
    “Shall I say I am curious about someone who hides behind curtains and can talk Russian?”
    Azalea was suddenly very still.
    “H – how did you – k – know that?” she asked after a moment.
    “Perhaps I should have said that you can sing in Russian.”
    Azalea realised that he must be aware of the times she had spent with the children.
    She did not pretend to misunderstand. Instead she said,
    “It was the only song I knew where the children could join in by clapping their hands.”
    “The stewardesses are full of your praises.”
    “They were very overworked during the storm.”
    “And you are a good sailor?”
    “Apparently – so.”
    “I think perhaps you are a very unusual person, Miss Osmund. What else interests you, besides information on Hong Kong, children who need entertaining and, perhaps the Chinese?”
    Azalea was very still.
    “How did you – learn of – that?”
    “I have ways of finding out what I want to know,” Lord Sheldon replied. Azalea was about to tell him that it was none of his business, when she realised that should he mention to her aunt what she had been doing, she would be in grave trouble. After a moment she said in a very low voice,
    “Please – would you say – nothing to Aunt Emily about this? She would not – approve. She would be very – angry.”
    “You are afraid of her! Why?”
    “My parents are dead. My uncle took me into his – house but they did not – want me.”
    Lord Sheldon rested his arms on the rail and looked out to sea.
    “Is it hard to feel unwanted?” he asked, surprisingly.
    “It is humiliating to be kept out of charity, and not out of affection.”
    Azalea spoke the truth without thinking. Then she thought she had been indiscreet and looked at him apprehensively.
    “You must know that I would never do anything to hurt you,” Lord Sheldon said reassuringly, “but are you not running rather grave risks?”
    Azalea thought he was referring to her Chinese lessons.
    “Papa always thought it most important to be able to converse with people in their own language,” she said. “He could always talk to the Indians in Urdu or in several dialects, with the result that they came to him with their troubles and he was able to help them.”
    “And you want to help the Chinese?” Lord Sheldon asked.
    “I want to learn about them, to understand what they think and feel.”
    Even as she spoke Azalea realised again how indiscreet she had been.
    Had she not heard with her own ears Lord Sheldon’s sentiments regarding natives when he had talked with Captain Widcombe?
    It must be because it was night and he had taken her unawares that she had been so unguarded. Quickly she tried to cover up her mistake.
    “I – I am speaking about – reading,” she said. “It is unlikely I shall have a chance of – talking Chinese except perhaps to – servants.”
    Lord Sheldon looked at her.
    “There is no need for you to be afraid of me,” he said quietly.
    “I am – not!” Azalea replied quickly, and realised that was not the truth.
    She was afraid of him – afraid because he was different from any other man she had ever met, afraid because she told herself she disliked him – and yet he had managed to evoke in her the most wonderful feelings she had ever known.
    “P – please – please,” she said hesitatingly, her eyes very large in her