by Olivia Drake
“You might ask your papa that question. It was he who sent her away. He didn’t want the dear old woman in this house.”
Sophy kicked the leg of the table. “Papa’s mean, I hate him.”
“Here now,” Lord Norwood said gruffly. “Stop that racket at once.”
“Such a rag-mannered child,” his wife added in distaste. “Since your mama was a perfect angel, I daresay the bad temper comes from your papa’s side of the family.”
That only made the girl angrier. She struck the table so hard that the tea tray might have slid off the polished surface had not Lord Norwood bestirred himself to catch it. Then she threw herself onto the floor and burst into tears.
Tessa had witnessed quite enough. Leaving her chair, she marched toward the group. “I’m afraid Lady Sophy must return to the nursery. She’s already missed her luncheon and it is nearly time for her nap.”
“Don’t want no nap!” the girl wailed, pounding the carpet with her fists.
“Well!” said Lady Norwood as she arose in self-righteous indignation. “I do hope you will teach the child proper grammar along with manners, Miss Johns. This behavior is the outside of enough!”
Tessa didn’t bother to correct the mangled name. She unclenched her teeth long enough to say in cold civility, “Good day, milady, milord.”
As the pair trotted out of the drawing room, muttering about insolent servants, she turned her attention to Sophy, who was still actively engaged in a tantrum, kicking and sobbing and writhing on the floor.
Her skirts pooling around her, she knelt to gently rub the girl’s back. The poor child was trembling and crying, and Tessa couldn’t blame her. How could anyone treat their granddaughter with such callous disregard? And to walk out while she was weeping!
At least now Tessa had a better understanding of the appalling household in which Sophy had grown up. Meeting the Norwoods had left Tessa in a state of simmering anger. It was easy to see how Sophy had been influenced into hating her father. The Norwoods had encouraged just that.
All Sophy wanted was to be loved by her grandparents, but they were too selfish to see beyond their aristocratic noses. They had overindulged her with sweets, compared her unfavorably with their daughter, and thrust her away instead of kissing her.
“There, there, dearie. I’m sorry you’re so unhappy. You’ll feel better in a few moments. Come, let’s go upstairs, and I’ll read you a book.”
Sophy lifted her head, her face stained with tears. She scrubbed her sleeve across her eyes and gave one last hiccupping sob. “Two-two books?”
“Yes, my clever little monkey,” Tessa said with a tender smile. “Two books it is, then. But only if you come straightaway without making a fuss.”
The girl clambered to her feet and placed her small hand in Tessa’s. Aside from a few sniffles, she was calm enough to let herself be led upstairs to the nursery. The outburst appeared to have sapped her of energy, though, and she submitted to Lolly’s fussing over her having missed luncheon and let Winnie change her out of the jam-smeared pinafore. Then, much to Tessa’s delight when she sat down in the rocking chair to read to the girl, Sophy climbed into her lap instead of sitting on the floor as she usually did.
With that small body snuggled against her, Tessa felt a sweet rush of love. She knew she shouldn’t encourage such closeness. Carlin had not yet said how long she’d be permitted to stay, and if she was forced to leave here soon, she oughtn’t be fostering dependency in the girl. Yet it crushed her heart to imagine pushing Sophy away as her grandparents had done.
Sophy must not have the same unhappy childhood Tessa herself had known. All children deserved to be loved unconditionally. Now more than ever, she was determined not to abandon the precious little girl.
* * *
Shortly after supper that evening, Tessa received a note from Carlin requesting her presence in his study at her earliest convenience. The brevity of the message gave her no clue as to why. Was this the moment she had feared, then? Now that he’d had time to reflect upon her lies, had he decided to dismiss her from his employ?
She fervently hoped not.
Nonetheless, she welcomed the opportunity to talk. Having not seen the duke since the robbery, she needed to tell him what she’d learned about Lord Haviland. She also wanted to discuss Lord and Lady Norwood and to ask what might be done to protect Lady Sophy from their noxious influence.
Regrettably, Sophy was still exhibiting a degree of fretfulness after the visit of her grandparents. At bedtime, she fussed and clung to Tessa. It was past nine when the girl finally dropped off to sleep and Tessa was free to go to her bedchamber to spruce herself up for the meeting.
She had decided that if Carlin meant to sack her, she would not wear a frumpy high-necked gown that served well enough in the nursery. She would primp a little in case he could be swayed to change his mind. Deep down, Tessa knew it was also her attraction to him that influenced her to want to appear at her best. He was an admirable man whose good opinion had come to matter a great deal to her.
With that in mind, she donned her finest gown, a sky-blue muslin that she’d sewn the previous year to wear to the wedding of a friend. The dress might not have been costly by noble standards, but it was the only one in her sparse wardrobe that had the low-cut neckline and puff sleeves popular with ladies of the ton. And since there was no longer any need for concealment, she would leave off the fichu she usually wore to hide her delicate gold pendant.
You are a duke, and I am a governess. And it is no use pretending otherwise.
Despite her admonition to Carlin, Tessa felt a fizz of excitement while pinning her hair into a sleek chignon. It was nighttime, they would be alone, and perhaps he could be enticed into a little indiscretion. Though it was wrong to encourage a man who would never marry her, she could not repress an errant longing for him, no matter what the cost.
For the first time, Tessa had an inkling as to how a woman could set aside her principles and engage in forbidden acts with a man. She had a burning desire to feel Carlin’s hands on her body and his flesh pressed to hers. The dread of being asked to leave his house weighed heavily on her. If she might never see him again after tonight, she mustn’t pass up what could be her last chance to be clasped in his arms.
Would she really succumb if Carlin wanted more than just a kiss?
She draped a cream-colored shawl around her shoulders. There was only one way to find out.
Chapter 13
A short while later, Tessa paused in the partially open doorway and peeked into the study. Carlin was seated at his desk and hadn’t noticed her arrival. His attention was concentrated downward on a book that lay open on the mahogany surface. As was his habit when he was working, he had removed his coat and cravat. Clad in a white linen shirt, he peered through a magnifying glass at the page before him. The light from a branched candelabrum made his hair gleam as black as a raven’s wing.
The house was very quiet. Most of the servants, she knew, would have gone to bed by now. A veil of shadow draped the palatial proportions of the room, creating a cozy aura that was enhanced by the fire burning on the hearth. The scene looked like the perfect place for a romantic tryst.
Tessa drew a deep breath to calm her jittery heartbeat. There was still time for her to turn around and make a silent retreat. It would be wiser to present herself to the duke in the morning sunshine when there were others around to act as a shield against folly.
Her folly, not his.
Just then, Carlin lifted his head. His gaze met hers for a long moment before making a slow downward trek to her hem and back up again, lingering at her bosom and returning to her face. Admiration flashed in his dark eyes.
She was suddenly very glad that she had come.
He set down the magnifying glass and rose to his feet. “You’re looking exceptionally fine, Tessa. Is there a ball here tonight that my aunt failed to inform me about?”
“Even if there was a ball, the governess wouldn’t have be
en invited. But thank you, anyway.” Feeling a little shy under his scrutiny, she strolled to the desk to give herself something to do. “Am I interrupting? You appeared to be very engrossed in that book.”
“It’s your book, the one on heraldry. It arrived from Greyfriars this afternoon. I’ve been looking through it this past hour or so.”
Nothing could have been better designed to capture her attention. Tessa craned her neck to peer across the desk, catching a glimpse of mostly printed text along with a few illustrations. Somewhere in there must be the one nugget of information that would grant her the means to achieve her dreams. Yet any sense of excitement about that prospect seemed to have deserted her.
She forced herself to ask, “Have you identified my father’s coat of arms, then?”
The duke shook his head. “I’m afraid I couldn’t recall all the details. Many of these family arms look remarkably similar. That’s why I called you down here, so I could take a closer look at your pendant.” He paused, a hint of firmness to his masculine features. “At least that’s partly the reason.”
Tessa braced herself. Lud, he was going to announce her departure from this house. To forestall him, she said, “I hope you’re referring to Lord and Lady Norwood. They came to call today while you were out.”
“So I heard.” His jaw clenched, though whether at the visit or her mention of it, she didn’t know. “None of the servants could tell me what happened, except that a large number of tarts were consumed, Sophy had a fit of sobbing, and my in-laws left in a huff.”
Tessa bit her lip. Since it was her duty to watch over his daughter, she hoped he didn’t hold her to blame. “That’s a fair summary. However, a few key details have been left out.”
“Ah, I had suspected as much. Come, you must fill me in on what’s missing.” Carlin waved her toward the chaise by the fireplace. “Would you care for a glass of wine?”
“Er … yes, please.”
Seating herself, Tessa hesitated to mention that she’d never tasted wine before. Or any other type of liquor, for that matter. She had never felt inclined to squander her hard-earned coin on ale or gin, as folks in her old neighborhood were wont to do. But apparently ladies often partook of wine, as they’d done at the reception after the lecture. And a part of her did so long to be a lady so that she might win the affections of the duke.
Carlin went to a table that held an array of crystal decanters and filled two glasses, then came to press one into her hand. At the brush of their fingers, a thrill tingled over her skin and she wondered if he felt it, too. But aside from an intense look, the duke gave no indication of it.
As he sat down beside her, she sampled the ruby wine and found it smooth and rich to her tongue. There was so much about his world that remained a tantalizing mystery to her. How lovely it would be to experience it all, to partake in every aspect of his life, to be allowed to enjoy his kisses as she had that one night in the library.
“Now,” he said, “tell me what happened.”
She blinked to chase away the lovely fantasy of him drawing her into his arms again. “Lord and Lady Norwood read about the burglary in the Brighton newspapers, so they returned to London. They said they were afraid that Lady Sophy might have come to harm.”
Carlin swore under his breath. “They spoke of this in front of my daughter?”
“Just a little. I interrupted before Lady Norwood could finish. I knew you wouldn’t want Sophy to be frightened of robbers roaming the house.”
Tessa took another drink of wine to steady her nerves. She must keep in mind that the Norwoods were the parents of Annabelle the Angel, and Carlin might not appreciate hearing too forceful a criticism of them. At the same time, he must be made to recognize how harmful they were to his daughter.
Choosing her words carefully, she reported what had been said during the visit, leaving out certain parts pertaining to Annabelle, except those times when Sophy had been compared unfavorably to her mother. “I don’t mean to be a tattletale, Carlin, but I saw how Sophy was hurt by their careless talk. Yet she also seemed to crave their love and attention.”
“Yes, I noticed her strong attachment to them when I returned from my voyage and went to bring her home.” He stared into the fire a moment as if looking into the past. “Needless to say, she did not wish to leave and fought me every inch of the way.”
It was clear that the memory pained him, and Tessa longed to give him comfort. “In Sophy’s view, she was being wrenched from the only home she’d ever known and sent off with a stranger. It would have been far less alarming to her had she trusted in your love for her. But she had been led to believe that her papa despised her.”
Carlin sprang to his feet and prowled back and forth by the hearth. “Blast Mooney. I told the Norwoods to get rid of that bitter old woman and hire a younger nursemaid.”
Tessa collected her courage. He wouldn’t like what she had to impart, but it needed to be said. “Are you sure it was really Mooney who filled Sophy’s head with lies? After today, I can’t help but think there’s more to the story.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wonder if it’s Lord and Lady Norwood themselves who are to blame. If it was they who turned Sophy against you.”
He aimed a scowl at her. “They’re my daughter’s grandparents. What reason would they have to do so?”
“I can’t say, it was just the way they spoke about you, Carlin.” Refusing to be intimidated by that ducal stare, Tessa kept her gaze steady on him. “When Sophy asked about Mooney today, they said it was your fault that she’d been forced into retirement and that you’d refused to have her in your house. Then your daughter cried out that you were mean, and that she hated you. Lady Norwood didn’t correct her. Instead she told Sophy that her bad temper had come from your side of the family.”
“That can’t be true.”
He looked genuinely startled and she hastened to add, “It is indeed true. I clearly heard every word. That was when I put a stop to the visit.”
Carlin raked his fingers through his hair. “Good God. They always seemed to me to be just silly fribbles. It was Mooney who openly resented me.”
“How so?”
“As an old family retainer, she was given more latitude to speak her mind than most servants. She made plain her disapproval of my courtship. She thought Annabelle deserved a title, and at the time, I was a mere mister.”
Tessa was of the opinion that too much emphasis was placed on noble monikers. “Then I daresay Annabelle must have loved you more than a title.”
He flicked her a slight frown as he continued to pace. “Mooney also never missed a chance to complain that I was luring Annabelle from her home at too tender an age. My late wife, you see, made her bows at seventeen. Since I myself was a stripling of two-and-twenty, that didn’t seem too young to me. I was drawn to her beauty, and we wed just after her eighteenth birthday.”
Yet it was Lord and Lady Norwood who had allowed their daughter to enter society when she was barely out of the schoolroom, Tessa reasoned. Judging by their actions today, they must have been the sort of parents who had given in to Annabelle’s every whim and then blamed Carlin for it all. “Well, it seems to me that they might have put a stop to Mooney’s criticisms. The fact that they didn’t only suggests that they agreed with her.”
His brows drew together in a considering look. “Perhaps.”
Tessa hoped to hear more, but he didn’t offer any further insight. He tossed a few more coals onto the fire and used the iron poker to stir the flames. Then he resumed his seat, swirled the wine in his glass, and stared down into its dark red depths. He looked like a man who was still tormented by his past.
She yearned to put her arms around him. But she didn’t have that right and besides, the matter of his in-laws had yet to be resolved in a manner that protected Sophy. “I might add, the visit with her grandparents caused your daughter to slip back into her old habits, at least temporarily. It was a very upsetting experience for he
r, and there was little I could do since they’d ordered me to be silent.”
“Did they, by God? As I’ve placed Sophy under your care, they should have allowed you to comfort her.”
His fiery glare warmed Tessa. “Well, I’m just a servant, after all,” she said demurely. “That’s why I wanted to suggest that Lady Sophy not be permitted to visit with the Norwoods without you being present.”
“You’re right, of course. I shall instruct Roebuck to turn them away whenever I am out.” Then Carlin’s wrathful expression lightened, and he aimed a crooked smile at her. “It seems I am once again in your debt, Tessa. Had I not been out chasing miscreants today, I’d have been home to deal with the ones on my own doorstep.”
She sipped her wine to hide the dizzying effect that his smile had on her. It wasn’t just that his praise pleased her. It was the fact that unlike other aristocrats, Carlin did not hold himself above the rest of humanity. He was not too proud to admit when he was wrong, or too arrogant to heed the advice of an underling. His fairness was one of the traits that made him so very appealing. She could always count on him to listen, even when he’d suspected her of theft and had learned how she’d lied about her background. In fact, Tessa found him to be far less dangerous a man when he was angry than when he was gazing at her with tender admiration.
At times like this she felt in dire peril of losing her heart.
Flustered, she cast about for another way to make herself so useful to him that he would never let her go. “Speaking of miscreants, I’ve discovered something of interest about Lord Haviland.”
“Oh? Tell me.”
“Yesterday, I had a talk with Avis—Miss Knightley. It seems she and Lord Haviland met some ten years ago when she was living in Sussex with her late father, the local vicar. The earl attempted to court her, but she knew he was a rake and would have nothing to do with him.”
