“And is that why you hired him?”
“I was in France on business, and Hans was nestled into a crate that once carried cabbage. I asked the boy what he was doing there and he said that he didn’t know where else to go. I asked him if he had a skill and he said gardening. The rest is history.”
“I see,” Katherine replied.
He could tell that it warmed her heart, his story. And Lord Garret hadn’t made up one detail. It was the truth of how he met Hans, and from his preliminary examination of the boy’s work, Lord Garret was pleased. The next order of business was to inform Hans in no uncertain terms that Katherine was off limits.
As Lord Garret continued to walk along, Katherine followed behind him. He preferred to have her at his back because his cold aloofness was a comfort for him in such situations.
“I’m told that you’re returning home, to visit your family.”
“Only for one night,” Katherine replied, still following him.
“I regret that it did not happen sooner,” Lord Garret said, his tone businesslike.
“It’s no trouble.”
“I fear that in his enjoyment of having you at Bonhomie, my brother has neglected to give you enough time to yourself.”
“Again, it is no trouble. I enjoy the children so much.”
“But you’re weary,” Lord Garret said, finally stopping his inspection and turning to her.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said, you’re weary. I can see it in your eyes.”
Katherine appeared offended by that. Truly, no woman wants to hear that she has weary eyes, but Lord Garret didn’t have the heart to tell her that it made her no less beautiful. His statement came from a place of concern and not judgement.
“The past week . . . yes.”
“And why haven’t you said anything to the duke? You speak up so effortlessly in my presence, you’re so forward, yet not with my brother.”
“I don’t know. He’s my employer. I didn’t know what to say.”
“Stand up for yourself,” Lord Garret said, moving on to another topiary. “I know that you have it in you.”
Katherine fell silent for a while but continued to follow him on his journey. Off in the distance he could see Hans looking their way, no longer smiling. Yes, the boy would need to be instructed on proper protocol when around Katherine, lest they have a terrible situation on their hands which would undo Lord Garret completely.
“Is it true that you wish to learn Italian?” Katherine finally asked.
“Ha!” Lord Garret replied. “Did you think that I was lying?”
“Well, it just seemed far-fetched to me.”
“There’s nothing far-fetched about it,” Lord Garret assured her. “The deal with the man from Lugano is of the utmost importance. He has property that he wishes to sell, and several buyers are vying for it.”
“Oh,” Katherine replied, and Lord Garret could tell that she was embarrassed that she had even asked.
“You need not feel ashamed, Katherine,” he assured her. “Although, I can see how you might think I’ve only gone to all this trouble to be alone with you.” Lord Garret’s shoulders softened as he had an important realisation. He no longer had to fear what the rest of the family thought of his pull towards Katherine. Perhaps letting his guard down was a sounder plan than cold aloofness. At least, he could take a step into that direction.
“I didn’t think that,” Katherine said softly.
“And in truth,” Lord Garret said, quickly diverting the conversation. “I have always wanted to learn Italian, if you can believe it. I have traveled there much, Florence is my favorite, and I wish to return. Meeting the chap in Switzerland was a fluke, but when I heard you speak Italian at the dinner table, I saw an opportunity that I could not refuse.”
“You’ll find that it’s not a difficult language to learn,” Katherine said, visibly more at ease.
“That’s good, because I’m an impatient student.”
As they continued to walk, Katherine was no longer behind him but walking at his side. Lord Garret found it unbearably pleasurable. Their walk was casual, relaxed, yet still fraught with a tension that Lord Garret could feel keenly.
“We’ll take tea on the veranda,” Lord Garret said.
“That sounds lovely.”
“We can ask for our tea to be iced, rather than hot, if you find that suitable.”
“I do.”
Oh, Lord Garret was in heaven. Such a charmingly domestic conversation with Katherine by his side was all that he could ask for on that sunny afternoon. There were, naturally, many more things that he could ask for, but those would be scandalous in nature.
***
As they were sitting on the veranda, sipping their iced tea from crystal glasses, a thrill trickled up and down Katherine’s body. They were relaxed and poised, at ease with one another in a way that they had never been before. Was this further confirmation that Lord Garret had the same feelings for her as she had for him? Katherine could not be sure.
She would catch him glancing at her without saying a word, then he’d look away and smile, gazing off into the garden. The gentle sun overhead shone down on them and Katherine’s bonnet shielded it from her eyes. Just then, Katherine watched as Lord Garret looked down to her bosom.
“You have fixed the gown,” Lord Garret said.
“I fixed it some time ago. On the very day that you complained of it.”
“I was not complaining.”
“Then why did you bother to mention it?” Katherine asked with a smile.
“It was distracting,” Lord Garret said, then proceeded to look at the rest of Katherine’s body. In any other situation Katherine might have felt it incredibly inappropriate, but considering her feelings for Lord Garret, she found it intoxicating. His eyes seemed curious and hungry all at once. How had he the audacity to give Katherine such an inspection? She felt like one of the topiaries that he had been marveling at earlier.
“What I find distracting is your fascination with the rest of my gown,” Katherine finally said. She knew that the statement was incredibly forward, but she delighted in the humor of it. Lord Garret smiled uneasily. “I was only teasing you,” Katherine finally said.
“I find many things about you to be distracting,” Lord Garret said, looking off onto the horizon once more. Katherine felt a flush come to her cheek.
“Of all the places that you have been,” Katherine asked. “Which has been your favorite?”
“It’s a rather good question,” Lord Garret said, considering things. “Ireland.”
“Of all places!” Katherine said with an excited laugh.
“Indeed.”
“Tell me why.”
“The people, I should think.”
“What about them?”
“They’re lively. Energetic. As warm as the sun and as hearty as the earth. They’re diametrically opposed to the British in every way.”
“And you wish for more of that in your life?” Katherine asked, making an assumption.
“I wish for more carefree days, yes. That’s not to say that the Irish are carefree, for they work until they break their backs. But they know how to enjoy life in a way that we don’t.”
“You don’t believe that you can enjoy life here?” Katherine asked, thinking it odd.
“I do not. It’s why I get away as much as I can.”
“But what don’t you find enjoyable about it?”
“Everything,” Lord Garret said, turning towards her. “There’s nothing enjoyable about life here. Yes, the children are happy and healthy, Bonhomie is practically a country castle, and the servants have pleasant dispositions. But in terms of my own happiness, there’s too much at stake and too much that must be cared for. I cannot get these thoughts out of my mind, even when I sleep at night.”
“Even when you dream?”
“Occasionally, I dream of more beautiful things,” Lord Garret said, his gaze boring into her. Katherine looked
away, as the intensity of his eyes was overpowering. Was Lord Garret wishing to convey that he dreamt of her own person? That’s how it seemed. From the way that he looked through her, he could perhaps tell that she had dreamt of him as well.
“I feel as though I could be happy here for the rest of my days,” Katherine finally said.
“Even without a husband?”
“Yes, without a husband.”
“Any news on this man?” Lord Garret went on, his tone becoming dismissive. “The one that you love.”
“He has not made his affections clear,” Katherine replied.
“Rubbish. When a man has affections he makes it clear in one way or another. Men are simple creatures in this regard. It’s the women who make it all bloody complicated.”
“That’s not true in the slightest!” Katherine protested.
“Of course it’s true. I’ve said that it is true and so it’s true,” Lord Garret said in no uncertain terms.
“So sure of yourself,” Katherine replied, shaking her head.
“Yes,” Lord Garret replied flatly.
Silence followed as Katherine and Lord Garret watched Hans in the rose garden, plucking blooms to no doubt bring into the house. Lord Garret became uneasy.
“You could fall in love with Hans,” he suggested cockily.
“What a thing to say,” Katherine replied.
“What? He’s your age. He speaks German, you speak Italian; the two of you could make a delightful fruit cocktail of languages.”
“I barely know him. I just met him.”
“I see the way you look at him.”
“You’re teasing me, that’s what you’re doing. The way that I look at him? I’m watching him pluck roses!” Katherine said humorously. She had to admit to herself that Hans was a rather good looking fellow, but not the kind of man that sparked her desire. Not like the one that was seated beside her.
“Germans make terrible lovers,” Lord Garrick went on.
“And why is that?” Katherine asked, rolling her eyes.
“Because they’re so efficient, as I have pointed out. Does anyone really care to have an efficient lover?”
“What kind of lover should one require?” Katherine asked.
“A wild lover,” Lord Garret said softly, and Katherine’s head began to spin to the point where she felt faint. Had Lord Garret really just given that reply? She was quite sure she’d never forget those words until the end of her days.
“And are you a wild lover?” Katherine asked, trying to make a joke of it to dispel the tension.
Lord Garret turned to meet her eyes once more. “I have been told so, yes.”
There was nothing else that Katherine could possibly say. When she reached over for her iced tea, she felt her hand shake. Katherine was unraveling in Lord Garret’s presence.
Chapter 14
That very evening, as Katherine was in her room, she recalled the events of that afternoon with pleasure. Lord Garret and she had sat on the veranda for some time, drinking in the scenery and gently teasing one another. She had never thought that Lord Garret could be so warm and playful, but seeing his interaction with the children, Katherine did know that it was possible.
She thought of writing to Elizabeth to tell her all about it, but Katherine was much keener on preparing the lesson plan for Lord Garret. She did not know when their lessons would begin, nor had he mentioned it that afternoon. That’s why she wished to be prepared for when it might take place.
They had not supped yet, but she knew that Renee was cooking something humble and rustic again for she could smell it in the kitchen as she passed through, while journeying back to her room. As she looked down at her lesson plan, Katherine reasoned that it was fitting to begin with simple phrases that Lord Garret might use in order to endear himself to the man from Lugano. She was hoping that by the end of the week, she and Garret could carry on simple conversations with what he had learned.
Just then, Sofia entered into Katherine’s room, entirely out of breath.
“Lord Garret wishes to see you in the library,” Sofia said.
“Why are you out of breath?” Katherine asked.
“It seems that it’s urgent. And when Lord Garret says that something is urgent, I run!” Sofia said.
“Heavens.” Katherine folded up her lesson plan and checked in the mirror to make sure that her appearance was all right.
“You look beautiful.”
“Oh, Sofia. You don’t have to say that.”
“It’s true. You get more beautiful by the day.”
Katherine thought that was nonsense, but she was still flattered by the compliment. If it was indeed true that Lord Garret had affections for her, which she was beginning to suspect that he did, then it created a great deal of confusion in Katherine’s mind.
The gentleman was so exceedingly handsome, why on earth should he want to have anything to do with her? Katherine then wondered if Lord Garret was something of a ladies’ man. He did travel around a great deal. Perhaps he had conquests in every port. The thought troubled her.
“Are you nervous?” Sofia asked.
“A tad, yes.”
“Oh, I’d be a right fit of nerves if I was you!”
“Sofia, that’s no help,” Katherine protested.
“It’s true. I’d be quite the mess.”
“Well, I thank you for that encouragement,” Katherine quipped, taking her lesson plan and exiting the room with Sofia following her.
So Lord Garret wished to have his lessons before dinner? It seemed like an odd hour, but Katherine would make do. What’s more, during the meal itself would be a good time to instruct Lord Garret on how to say the names of various dishes and utensils. In fact, everything that surrounded them could become a lesson if he was so inclined. How odd it was going to feel to instruct a man who had so much power over her.
Entering the library, Katherine discovered him standing by the window, looking out upon the setting sun.
“A lovely evening,” Katherine said.
“Say that in Italian,” Lord Garret said, the businesslike quality returning.
“Una bella serata.”
“Una bella serata,” Lord Garret repeated.
“Where do you wish to sit?”
“I prefer to stand. You can sit over there,” Lord Garret said, and Katherine found it all quite amusing. Yes, he wished to remain powerful in the situation, although he kept a little smile of satisfaction on his lips.
“As you wish, your Highness,” Katherine said. She knew not why she was comfortable enough to joke with him in that way, but Lord Garret seemed to enjoy it as well.
“Now, how do you say ‘window?’”
“Finestra.”
“And ‘moon?’”
“Luna.”
Risky Rules of a Passionate Governess Page 15
