Her aunt insisted she could still find a husband but Mary knew how these things worked. In all likelihood, she’d get passed by. She was four and twenty, after all. No man would want her now. A season would be the exclamation point on the sentence of her life. You weren’t meant for a happily ever after, Mary! Haven’t you learned that yet?
And so instead of another season, she’d accepted an interview for the position of tutor within the home of the Earl of Sinclair.
Her family was mildly appalled. Unlike many girls who’d become orphans, she’d been treated with love and kindness and she’d happily acted as companion to several of her cousins. But she was of age now, and, in her mind, that meant that she ceased to be a burden to them and learned how to care for herself. Besides, she liked being useful. In a life that had been filled with loss, she found real joy in work.
She straightened her shoulders as she approached the front steps. She’d not lose her resolve now. After fixing the ribbons on her bonnet, she raised her hand and lifted the knocker, giving two decisive smacks to the brass plate on the door.
The sound echoed through the house and her insides quivered along with the noise. But she’d gone too far now to back down, so she held her breath as she waited for the door to open.
When her lungs were near bursting, the door swung in, and a tall butler with an amazingly erect back, stared down at her. “Yes?”
Mary swallowed, pressing her hands together. “I’m here for the position of tutor.” The earl’s daughter, as she understood it, had lost her mother some time ago and the earl wished for a woman of society to teach his daughter how to properly behave. As a spinster who had grown up in the house of an earl, she was perfect for such a task.
The butler’s mouth turned down. “I thought you would enter by the kitchen door.” He gave her a long look up and down.
Drat. Her chest tightened. She was no longer a member of the family but a servant. How could she have forgotten that? The look on the butler’s face assured her he was wondering the same. She dropped into a quick curtsy. Here, the butler was above her in station. “Of course. My apologies.”
He gave her a single nod, his expression unchanged. “His lord is expecting you. Follow me.”
Her stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot and she drew in a deep breath to calm it. Mary would not allow her nerves to get the better of her. She had a multitude of family to rely on should this position fall through. She needn’t be worried.
Today felt like the beginning of her new life. One where she was independent and able to care for herself. If she failed, she’d be proving she couldn’t even complete the simple task of providing for her own future. If she couldn’t do that, what could she do exactly? Of what use was she to this world?
The butler started up the stairs and she followed. She’d expected some sort of introduction. When none came, in her usual fashion, she began it herself. “My name is Mary Chase,” she murmured, unsure of what else to say. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I know,” he answered, not looking back. “Should you succeed in this interview, I shall introduce you to the staff.”
She pressed her lips together. Apparently, the man wasn’t going to perform the basic nicety of giving his name without first making certain she would stay. She had the distinct impression he didn’t like her, but why? He didn’t even know her.
They reached the top of the stairs and Mary followed him down a lovely hallway, lined with beautifully polished oak panels and covered in thick carpet that dulled their footsteps until they reached an open door.
The butler stepped inside while she remained in the hall. “Miss Chase is here to see you.”
“Send her in,” a deep male voice replied.
The sound reverberated through her in the most pleasant way. Both strong and capable, she wanted to sigh just hearing those three short words.
The butler turned back to her and waved her forward, with a flick of his hand.
Straightening her back again, she stepped into the room as the butler moved to the side. But she didn’t bother to look at him, instead studying the earl. The first thing she noted was the dark crown of his hair as he bent at the desk, finishing some task with his quill. His hair was a touch overlong, which suited him nicely. Rich brown waves swept back from his forehead and down his neck, nearly brushing the nape of his neck. But his hair was forgotten as she noted the breadth of his shoulders, strength of his arms, and the large capable hands that held the tiny quill.
Then he looked up, smiling at her. Chocolate colored eyes and classically handsome nose and cheeks gave way to a strong jaw and lips…dear Lord, his lips were the most kissable she’d ever encountered. Even more so than her former fiancé Steven’s had been. The thought shocked her and parched her throat. Then air rushed from her lungs as his voice echoed through her again.
“Miss Chase, I presume? It’s a pleasure to meet you. The Duke of Darlington has spoken very highly of your abilities. My daughter is in desperate need of aid.”
Dear Lord, she was in trouble. So very much.
* * *
Lord Colbert Sinclair, or Sin as his friends called him, assessed the woman in front of him, noting that she was far prettier than he’d prefer. In fact, she was stunning. Daring hadn’t mentioned that fact when he’d suggested Mary as a potential tutor.
He’d expected a woman who was older, matronly. She’d have greying hair, with a few wrinkles about the eyes that gave her a kind look. Perhaps she’d be a bit thick in the middle, which would make her excellent for the sort of hugs small girls needed.
The woman before him now embodied none of these attributes. A petite blonde, she had eyes the color of the sky on a clear, bright summer day and the sort of small features that gave her an air of delicate beauty. The last thing he wished for was a woman of beauty in the house.
His first wife had been beautiful. Petite like Mary, she’d brought out every protective instinct Sin possessed. In fact, Mary’s resemblance to Clara was rather alarming. Not in the details, of course, but the build, the hair.
He’d loved his wife dearly and had tried to shield her from this harsh world. That was until he couldn’t protect her. His insides clenched as he mentally pushed the feeling aside. He didn’t need another woman to keep safe. He’d already failed at that task once with his wife and now he had a daughter who worried him constantly. More so of late.
Besides, she was here for a teaching position, not as a candidate for his hand. And to that end, he’d wanted an elderly matron to love Anne, not a woman who was young enough to be her mother. That was essential. Mary, connected in society and beautiful as she was, would likely only be a temporary figure in their lives. He needed someone stable and constant in Anne’s life.
And certainly not a woman so lovely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, my lord,” she murmured, dropping into a curtsy. “Thank you for granting me this interview.”
He grimaced. Daring had left out some key facts. Likely on purpose. But Mary was here now, he might as well conduct the interview. Anne had been a precocious child up to a few months ago. A mad woman had stolen her from his home and since then, his lovely daughter had grown fearful and had retreated into a shell. Or perhaps, he had grown overprotective and pushed her into one. “It is my pleasure.” He gestured toward the chair. “Please. Have a seat.” Either way, he needed the right person to draw her out again. There was a kindness in Mary’s eyes that suited the position and he was tempted to hire her, but something else held him back. What if Anne grew attached to the woman? Just like him, his daughter had suffered loss. He didn’t want to put either of them through that again.
She did as he instructed, her back straight as she stared at a spot on his desk. “Thank you.”
“Tell me. Have you ever tutored a young girl before?”
She nodded. “I’ve lived with my aunt and uncle since I was sixteen. Grace was only nine.” Her hands tightened into a knot on her lap. “Not qui
te as young as your daughter but I can assure you, Grace was a handful.”
Sin smiled. “I’ve met her. I have to agree.” He cleared his throat. “And your education?”
Her gaze was still fixed somewhere below his. “I was a student as Lady Kitteridge’s School of Comportment. My marks were excellent.”
He drew in a long breath. That was excellent news. While he wished for his daughter to regain her confidence, he did not want to sacrifice her future as a lady. Much as he hated to admit it, Mary suited the position well in that regard. “Did you attend a season?”
“One,” she answered, her features tightening.
He cocked his head to the side, assessing her. “Why just one?” With her uncle being an earl, surely she could have had several. Could still decide to rejoin society and find a fitting husband.
“I was engaged to the second son of the Earl of Everly, but he was lost in the Napoleonic Wars four years ago.”
He gripped his quill harder. Bloody hell that was rough. Almost as terrible as his own story. “I’m sorry for your loss. You didn’t see fit to reenter society?”
She shook her head. “No, my lord.”
“And you’re leaving your aunt and uncle’s house because?”
Her eyes rose to his then. They crinkled at the corners in a bit of sadness. He understood it completely. His stomach tightened in understanding and, if he were honest, attraction. Not a feeling he welcomed. “My cousins have all married and no longer need a companion. I can’t justify being a dependent in my uncle’s house if I am not serving a purpose there.”
He straightened, appreciation making his chin tuck back. “Surely, he would continue to support you.”
Her delicate shoulders rose then fell. The curve of them was lovely and his fingers itched to trace their slender shape. “I’m sure he would. But I will not be a burden to my family any more than I’ve already been. I’m perfectly capable of working.”
He blinked. He had to confess, for her small stature she was decidedly determined. He liked that. Honestly, he liked her.
Which was dangerous. She’d be his employee, which meant he needed to remain detached from her. Besides, she looked strikingly like his first wife and that was the type of woman he’d never touch again.
Want to read more? Earl of Sin
Read the entire Lords of Scandal series!
Duke of Daring
Marquess of Malice
Earl of Exile
Viscount of Vice
Baron of Bad
Earl of Sin
About the Author
Tammy Andresen lives with her husband and three children just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up on the Seacoast of Maine, where she spent countless days dreaming up stories in blueberry fields and among the scrub pines that line the coast. Her mother loved to spin a yarn and Tammy filled many hours listening to her mother retell the classics. It was inevitable that at the age of eighteen, she headed off to Simmons College, where she studied English literature and education. She never left Massachusetts but some of her heart still resides in Maine and her family visits often.
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Seeds of Love: Prequel to the Lily in Bloom series
Lily in Bloom
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Hugs!
Other Titles by Tammy
Chronicles of a Bluestocking
Earl of Dryden
Too Wicked to Woo
Too Wicked to Want
Too Wicked to Wed
How to Reform a Rake
Don’t Tell a Duke You Love Him
Meddle in a Marquess’s Affairs
Never Trust an Errant Earl
Never Kiss an Earl at Midnight
Make a Viscount Beg
Wicked Lords of London
Earl of Sussex
My Duke’s Seduction
My Duke’s Deception
My Earl’s Entrapment
My Duke’s Desire
My Wicked Earl
Brethren of Stone
The Duke’s Scottish Lass
Scottish Devil
Wicked Laird
Kilted Sin
Rogue Scot
The Fate of a Highland Rake
A Laird to Love
Christmastide with my Captain
My Enemy, My Earl
Heart of a Highlander
A Scot’s Surrender
A Laird’s Seduction
Taming the Duke’s Heart
Taming a Duke’s Reckless Heart
Taming a Duke’s Wild Rose
Taming a Laird’s Wild Lady
Taming a Rake into a Lord
Taming a Savage Gentleman
Taming a Rogue Earl
Fairfield Fairy Tales
Stealing a Lady’s Heart
Hunting for a Lady’s Heart
Entrapping a Lord’s Love: Coming in February of 2018
American Historical Romance
Lily in Bloom
Midnight Magic
The Golden Rules of Love
Boxsets!!
Taming the Duke’s Heart Books 1-3
American Brides
A Laird to Love
Wicked Lords of London
Baron of Bad: Lords of Scandal Book 5 Page 11
