conversation in the garden last night, Elizabeth worried that indiscretion was exactly what the duke had in mind. If only the idea wasn’t so tempting.
If Viscountess Grumsby had any notion of the thoughts Elizabeth harbored toward her brother, she’d be cast out without reference. And while being a governess was not a life of luxury, Elizabeth was content, at least for now. The Grumsby children were sweet-natured and eager to learn and explore. The lord and lady of the house treated her kindly. Her own family had, thus far, left her alone. Eventually, Elizabeth figured, she would come up with a more permanent solution for her future. In the meantime, her governess’s work provided just the haven she needed.
Elizabeth sighed and closed the door to the nursery. She’d just turned the children over to their nurse for a midday meal and rest. The Grumsbys’ guests were gone on an afternoon outing. She could relax.
“I thought I’d never find you alone.”
Elizabeth gasped and turned. Her heart gave a little thud. There, on the stair landing, stood the man she’d just been trying to forget.
“Your Grace.”
“You can be quite evasive, Miss Medford.”
He sounded amused.
Elizabeth kept her gaze about six inches below his chin, unwilling to see the mocking expression she knew he wore. “I don’t know what you mean, Your Grace. My position here keeps me quite busy.”
“You haven’t been avoiding me?”
To answer she’d have to lie or reveal too much, so Elizabeth kept silent. She dared a quick glance upward. The look in his eyes told her he knew.
“Whatever happened to your promise?”
She lifted her chin. “I don’t believe I actually made that promise.”
“You disappoint me, Elizabeth.”
She disappointed herself as well, for the secret joy she took in his presence. Decorum, she thought once more, but the mental reminder was drowned out by the pounding of her heart, which had doubled in pace when he stepped near.
“Well,” he said with a slow smile, “it appears you have a temporary reprieve from your many duties. Perhaps you will humor me with a stroll in the garden?”
“I’ve just recently come in from the garden,” she replied, trying to keep from sounding peevish.
“I see. Well, perhaps you’d allow me to show you the library?”
“What are you doing here?” she asked instead.
“I might ask the same of you.”
The deep timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. “You haven’t—” She swallowed and tried again. “You haven’t told anyone what I did?”
“No. Though I do believe I am owed some answers. I am—how shall I say?—concerned, with what I learned last night. To the library, then?”
She was caught. After all, she’d promised, sort of, not to avoid him. He knew her secrets. She needed to keep his good favor. In all the years she’d hoped Alex Bainbridge would seek her out, she’d never imagined it quite this way. The bright side, she told herself, was that she had been meaning to look at the library.
“I would be most pleased,” she acquiesced, trying not to think about what exact answers the lofty duke thought himself entitled to.
He gave her a satisfied grin and offered his arm, as though she were still Miss Medford, the baron’s daughter, and not Miss Medford, governess to the nobility.
Feeling it would be churlish not to accept the gesture, Elizabeth placed her hand in the crook of his arm and allowed him to escort her downstairs and to the library. She already knew its location, of course, and was quite capable of conveying herself there, but for just a moment she chose to forget the past several months, to forget the vaguely threatening note in the duke’s voice or the fact that he’d once rejected her utterly, and allow this fantasy to play itself out.
It was the middle of the day and there were servants about. Surely no harm could come of this.
“Ah, here we are,” Alex said as he led her into a large, well-appointed library.
If Viscountess Grumsby had any notion of the thoughts Elizabeth harbored toward her brother, she’d be cast out without reference. And while being a governess was not a life of luxury, Elizabeth was content, at least for now. The Grumsby children were sweet-natured and eager to learn and explore. The lord and lady of the house treated her kindly. Her own family had, thus far, left her alone. Eventually, Elizabeth figured, she would come up with a more permanent solution for her future. In the meantime, her governess’s work provided just the haven she needed.
Elizabeth sighed and closed the door to the nursery. She’d just turned the children over to their nurse for a midday meal and rest. The Grumsbys’ guests were gone on an afternoon outing. She could relax.
“I thought I’d never find you alone.”
Elizabeth gasped and turned. Her heart gave a little thud. There, on the stair landing, stood the man she’d just been trying to forget.
“Your Grace.”
“You can be quite evasive, Miss Medford.”
He sounded amused.
Elizabeth kept her gaze about six inches below his chin, unwilling to see the mocking expression she knew he wore. “I don’t know what you mean, Your Grace. My position here keeps me quite busy.”
“You haven’t been avoiding me?”
To answer she’d have to lie or reveal too much, so Elizabeth kept silent. She dared a quick glance upward. The look in his eyes told her he knew.
“Whatever happened to your promise?”
She lifted her chin. “I don’t believe I actually made that promise.”
“You disappoint me, Elizabeth.”
She disappointed herself as well, for the secret joy she took in his presence. Decorum, she thought once more, but the mental reminder was drowned out by the pounding of her heart, which had doubled in pace when he stepped near.
“Well,” he said with a slow smile, “it appears you have a temporary reprieve from your many duties. Perhaps you will humor me with a stroll in the garden?”
“I’ve just recently come in from the garden,” she replied, trying to keep from sounding peevish.
“I see. Well, perhaps you’d allow me to show you the library?”
“What are you doing here?” she asked instead.
“I might ask the same of you.”
The deep timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. “You haven’t—” She swallowed and tried again. “You haven’t told anyone what I did?”
“No. Though I do believe I am owed some answers. I am—how shall I say?—concerned, with what I learned last night. To the library, then?”
She was caught. After all, she’d promised, sort of, not to avoid him. He knew her secrets. She needed to keep his good favor. In all the years she’d hoped Alex Bainbridge would seek her out, she’d never imagined it quite this way. The bright side, she told herself, was that she had been meaning to look at the library.
“I would be most pleased,” she acquiesced, trying not to think about what exact answers the lofty duke thought himself entitled to.
He gave her a satisfied grin and offered his arm, as though she were still Miss Medford, the baron’s daughter, and not Miss Medford, governess to the nobility.
Feeling it would be churlish not to accept the gesture, Elizabeth placed her hand in the crook of his arm and allowed him to escort her downstairs and to the library. She already knew its location, of course, and was quite capable of conveying herself there, but for just a moment she chose to forget the past several months, to forget the vaguely threatening note in the duke’s voice or the fact that he’d once rejected her utterly, and allow this fantasy to play itself out.
It was the middle of the day and there were servants about. Surely no harm could come of this.
“Ah, here we are,” Alex said as he led her into a large, well-appointed library.
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