by Jane Charles
Maximilien Lovell owned a modest estate north of the town of Danby, and it was little wonder the baron was in the market for a wife. Rumors among the ton purported a large inheritance from his mother’s family was being held in a trust until Lovell married and produced an heir. Undoubtedly, the young buck’s grandfather had hoped matrimony and fatherhood would tame him.
“Lovell is eager to marry so he can gain access to a fortune,” Colin said. “He isn’t likely to be selective, but I am certain you are aware of his situation.”
“I heard rumblings to that effect.” There was a twitch at the duke’s temple.
Colin narrowed his gaze. Danby was withholding information. “What is wrong with Miss Halliday?”
“Nothing. As I mentioned earlier, she is a lovely young lady.”
Yet, she required the duke’s assistance to attract a husband. Colin didn’t trust Danby for a moment. “I won’t expose my nieces to a woman of questionable morals or judgment. What are you hiding?”
“Your imagination is running amok, Blackwood.”
The glower Danby aimed at him might have sent another man scrambling for safety, but Colin crossed his arms, holding out for an answer. Like his father and brother before him, he refused to be taken in hand by anyone.
The older man made a sound of disgust deep in his throat. “Meri had her difficulties in London, but nothing of a depraved nature. I won’t stand for you insinuating otherwise.” Danby rounded his desk once more, retrieved a sheet of foolscap from a desk drawer, and grabbed a pot of ink and a quill. “I am changing the conditions of our agreement, and I want it in writing.”
“You cannot go back on your word.”
The duke’s eyebrows lifted as he took his seat. “You did not accept the first offer. Now it has been withdrawn.”
Danby dipped the quill in the inkpot and scrawled something across the paper. Colin’s heart pounded against his ribs when the duke continued writing.
“Tell me what you want. I need that land.” He cringed at the note of desperation underlying his words.
Danby’s quill halted and he glanced up. “Hire Miss Halliday to be your nieces’ governess, and make certain she resigns before Lord Lovell arrives. I estimate you have three weeks at best to convince her that accepting a position in service is a mistake.”
“Three weeks? God’s blood! How am I supposed to make her resign?”
“I’m certain you will think of something—if your sister-in-law doesn’t chase her away the first day. I understand Lady Blackwood has become an expert at running off the help.”
The urge to defend Malcolm’s wife gripped him. Audrey might vex him to no end, but she was family.
Danby returned to writing. “One additional stipulation. Be charming with Miss Halliday. Compliment her. Engage in harmless flirtations. She is bashful by nature, but I expect a bit of attention and flattery on your part will help settle her nerves before she is expected to meet Lord Lovell.”
“You want me teach her how to flirt?”
Danby’s gaze flicked toward the ceiling as if silently appealing for patience. “I want her to become comfortable speaking with a man, and you can assist in the task.”
“That is ridiculous.”
“And yet, it is my price for using the pasture.”
Colin gritted his teeth. He wasn’t one of Danby’s playthings, and he refused to portray the Lothario for anyone. “You know where to find me when you’ve recovered your senses.” With blood simmering in his veins, Colin stalked for the door.
Danby was too slow to catch him. Muttering a string of curses, Colin threw open the door and slammed it into a footman holding a tea service. The servant tripped and everything on the tray tumbled to the marble floor and shattered.
Danby came up behind Colin, clucking his tongue. “William, whatever were you doing lurking outside my study door? I hope you were not eavesdropping.”
The footman looked up with wide, startled eyes from where he was kneeling to gather the broken pieces of china. “No, Your Grace. Mr. Dawson said—”
“That will be all,” Danby snapped. “Have Mrs. Ealey send housemaids to tend to the mess.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Forgive me.”
The butler appeared around the corner of the corridor. Danby nodded an acknowledgment. “Dawson, I expect you will have a talk with this young pup and explain the expectations of this household.”
“I will do as you say, Your Grace. Come along, William.”
The poor sap William scrambled to pick up the larger pieces, then rose to hurry after his superior. Danby’s behavior with the servant. The mysterious appearance of the butler. Everything reeked of Machiavellian designs only Danby was privy to. Perhaps Colin was nothing but a source of entertainment to the duke, and he had no real plans to allow Blackwood sheep on the land.
He jabbed a finger in Danby’s direction. “You truly are a devil-hearted blackguard with the morals of a—”
“Your Grace, has someone been injured?”
Colin whipped his head around to locate the owner of the lyrical, feminine voice and lost all thought of what he’d been saying. It belonged to a most stunning young woman with eyes the loveliest shade of brown—warm umber ringed with a dark cocoa. They sparkled with curiosity as she exited a room across from the duke’s study.
“I heard a commotion.” She held Colin enthralled as she came forward to lay a delicate hand on Danby’s arm, her pink bow mouth curving into a frown. “Is everything all right?”
The duke’s stern face softened. “There was a minor accident, Meredith, but no one was hurt.” Danby held up his hand. “Stay where you are, Felicity. There are shards everywhere.”
A more mature version of the lady on Danby’s arm froze in the doorway and offered a patient smile for the curmudgeon. She passed a hand over her round midsection. “Thank you for the warning, Your Grace. I haven’t seen my feet for weeks now, and I’d just as soon not ruin my best slippers.”
The younger woman laughed, the sound warming Colin’s heart, and his determination to storm from Danby Castle began to crumble. He found himself smiling, too.
The lady in the doorway could only be Julian Beckford’s wife, which meant this charming vision in front of him must be her sister. He hadn’t considered that Miss Halliday might be beautiful. He cleared his throat, drawing the duke’s attention. When Danby said nothing, Colin raised his eyebrows in anticipation of an introduction.
The duke gave a slight nod. “Ladies, please allow me to present Lord Blackwood, our neighbor to the west. The earl was just leaving.”
Miss Halliday dropped into a low curtsey. “My lord.”
Colin stepped forward to urge her up, but he jerked his hand back when Danby made a pleased humming sound. “That isn’t necessary, Miss Halliday,” Colin said.
Her lashes flickered as she looked up and pink washed over her ivory cheeks. “Y-you know who I a-am?”
Danby tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow as if offering his protection. “I spoke of you in the study, Meri.”
“Oh!” Her complexion changed to crimson, but she was smiling again. “Forgive me, Lord Blackwood. For a moment, I thought we might have met in London during the Season.”
It was far from flattering that she wouldn’t recall having made Colin’s acquaintance. He certainly wouldn’t have forgotten her. “The duke reported you are interested in a governess position,” he said, “and since he is aware we are in need of one at Blackwood Castle, he highly recommended you.”
Miss Halliday and her sister gasped at the same time.
“Is that true, Your Grace?” Mrs. Beckford asked with a small furrowing of her brow. “I am uncertain I can manage without Meri. She is of great comfort to me at this stage of my pregnancy.”
When Miss Halliday’s face fell, Colin experienced the ache of her disappointment. He didn’t comprehend her desire to take a service position, but clearly it was important to her. “Blackwood Castle is not far, Mrs. Beckford. Your sister
would have leave to visit whenever she is not teaching the children.”
“Do you not want to interview me first, my lord?” Miss Halliday asked.
He smiled with as much detachment as he could feign. “I’m certain that is unnecessary after such high praise from His Grace.”
The Duke of Danby ignored Mrs. Beckford’s disapproving frown, and graciously accepted Miss Halliday’s gratitude.
“I expect you tomorrow at eleven.” Colin refrained from bowing over her hand, reasoning an employer would not extend such courtesy to the governess. “I will send a carriage to collect you at a quarter ‘til.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Colin met the duke’s triumphant stare. “Once you have the contract drawn up, you may send it to Blackwood Castle for my signature.”
“Your word is sufficient, sir, and you have mine.”
When Colin found his horse waiting for him outside the castle, he felt he’d been managed quite handily. Interestingly, he no longer cared.
Chapter 4
The next morning Meredith gathered her books from her chambers and headed below stairs to wait in the castle yard. It was earlier than the appointed time to meet the carriage that would carry her to Blackwood Castle, but Meredith was hoping to avoid her sister. Last night they had argued about her acceptance of the governess position, and Meredith didn’t want to revisit their quarrel before meeting her charges. Starting on the right foot was important.
Meredith and Felicity rarely had disagreements, but when they did, neither was quick to admit to being wrong. Mama said they were both too stubborn for their own good—a trait they had inherited from their father. And like Papa, she and Felicity had an innate desire to contribute something worthwhile to the world. If anyone should be able to understand Meredith’s desire to teach, it should be her sister. Felicity’s refusal to see anything through Meredith’s eyes disappointed her.
She swept past her sister’s closed door, noting the chamber was quiet. Felicity was likely still abed, since sleep was a precious commodity at her advanced stage of pregnancy. When Meredith reached the end of the corridor, she raced down the stairs. If the duke caught her running, he’d chastise her for unladylike behavior. But he and Julian were out for a morning ride, and she truly wanted to escape the castle before her sister woke.
Meredith was halfway to the front door when Felicity strolled from the drawing room wearing a blue print cotton day gown fashioned to accommodate her expanding belly.
“There you are,” her sister said. “I was beginning to wonder if you had changed your mind about the governess position.”
Meredith drew to a reluctant halt. She was put out with her sister, but she also loved her a great deal and hated being at odds. “I am on my way to the castle yard to await Lord Blackwood’s carriage. I suppose you are disappointed that I didn’t come to my senses overnight.”
Felicity smiled ruefully. “This morning Julian reminded me of some of the things I said at supper, and I realized I owe you an apology. I would like to blame everything on my pregnancy, but that is the coward’s way.”
The rigidness of Meredith’s spine melted a little, but she hugged the books close to her chest. She wasn’t quite convinced that her sister’s comment was evidence of her acceptance of her decision.
Felicity came closer to place her hand on Meredith’s shoulder. “Please, try to understand that I only wish to see you happy. If our situations were reversed, I believe you would feel the same. You have a home with us as long as you need it, therefore, entering service is unnecessary.”
Meredith swallowed a groan. She should have kept walking and pretended she hadn’t seen her sister. “I haven’t much time. Could we postpone this discussion until later?”
She would be returning to Danby Castle that evening because it was the only way her family would agree to allow her to take the position. No matter how many times Meredith had pointed out that residing under her employer’s roof was not only acceptable, it was expected of a governess, Felicity and Mama had refused to listen. Julian had been quick to agree with them, too.
She suspected everyone except the duke believed she would forget about her unsuccessful Season and return to London next year, but she wouldn’t. The marriage mart was the most unnatural phenomenon she’d ever experienced. How a lady was supposed to decide if she wanted to marry a man after only a few dances baffled the mind. If she had paid attention to her initial reservations and stayed in Bath, she wouldn’t have humiliated herself.
Felicity sighed and turned back toward the drawing room. “We will have approximately ten minutes on the ride to Blackwood Castle to discuss this further. I don’t wish to leave it until this evening.”
“Wait a moment. Are you coming with me?”
Felicity disappeared into the drawing room without answering, but she was back a few moments later with a pair of kid gloves and her bonnet. She stopped in front of a looking glass hanging on the wall and donned her hat. “You can’t go alone. You require a chaperone.”
“I am a governess now. Arriving with a chaperone will appear ridiculous.”
Felicity shrugged as she secured the bonnet’s ribbons beneath her chin, her reflection copying her movements. She spun around to face Meredith with a determined gleam in her eyes. “You are an innocent young lady, and I won’t have the locals spreading gossip about you.”
“What do you think will be said about you for gallivanting around the countryside in your state?”
“There is nothing improper about calling on the neighbors, and I expect everyone will commend me for protecting my younger sister’s reputation.”
“You are impossible,” Meredith mumbled and stalked for the front door. Felicity followed her outside.
“I am completely impossible,” she chirped happily. “I almost pity you for having such an impossibly caring sister.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. It was hard to argue when her sister agreed with her. She found Felicity’s knack for playfully twisting another’s words amusing—most of the time.
“I’d planned to practice my elocution in the carriage,” Meredith said, “but it will feel awkward now. Making a good impression is important.”
“I am certain you have no cause for worry. Lord Blackwood seemed satisfied by the duke’s personal recommendation.”
Meredith was more concerned with impressing the earl’s wife. Danby had been tightlipped about his neighbors at dinner last night, forcing Meredith to send her lady’s maid on a mission to learn everything she could about the residents at Blackwood Castle. What she’d learned did not put her at ease.
Reportedly, Lady Blackwood tossed aside governesses like a debutante discarded ball gowns. There was a chance Meredith wouldn’t make it through the first morning before the countess turned her out, and her stomach had been fluttering with nerves all morning.
“I wish you were more concerned with earning my approval.” Her sister inhaled sharply and held her breath a moment before slowly exhaling.
Meredith frowned. “Are you all right?”
“Of course.” Felicity sounded suspiciously out of breath. “You must know we enjoy having you with us. Julian is no more eager to see you go than I am.”
Felicity and her husband would keep Meredith into her dotage if she would allow it, but her lot in life was not to become pampered and useless. Of that much, she was certain, but she couldn’t deny the twinges of homesickness she experienced when she contemplated separating from her family when they returned to Bath. Her nephew would change so much between visits, and she would miss all the baby’s firsts. A splinter of doubt wedged itself into her heart.
“I am grateful to you and Julian. Truly, I am.” She craned her neck to search for signs of the Blackwood carriage, praying it would hurry before her sister could discover the chink in her armor.
“Take heart,” Meredith said with false cheerfulness. “Perhaps Lord Blackwood will find my qualifications lacking. I could be back within the hour.”
Her qualifications were not really a source of worry. Meredith had always excelled at her lessons. Even before her sister had married Julian and a tutor was hired for her, Meredith’s education had been exemplary. Felicity—having learned medicine at their father’s side when he was still alive—had introduced Meredith to the study of human anatomy, deductive reasoning, and Latin, which was an advantage many ladies were never given. Meredith was as capable of educating a gentleman’s son as she was of teaching his daughters.
Her sister kneaded her lower back with both hands, wincing slightly. “I wouldn’t complain if we were back within the hour.”
Meredith shook her head in disbelief. Despite her sister’s denial, she was not well. She had been grimacing on and off for the last three days. “Felicity, I believe you should go lie down. Remember how bumpy the lane is. You will be miserable even on a short drive.”
“I will be all right.” The tense lines on her forehead said otherwise.
“I do not need a chaperone,” Meredith insisted. “Lady Blackwood will be there, but if I promise to take my maid, will stay you behind?”
“You needn’t worry about—” Felicity squeezed her eyes together and hissed, clutching her stomach.
Meredith slipped her arm around her sister’s waist to assist her back inside the castle. She waved off a footman when he tried to approach, knowing Felicity was too proud to accept his help.
Meredith guided her toward the staircase. “You are returning to your chambers. Perhaps Julian should send for the midwife.”
Felicity leaned against her. “I am not in labor. I had early contractions with Reid, too.”
“I recall you lying down when you had them, so no more arguments.”
They climbed the stairs, and Meredith escorted her sister to her chambers. Once Felicity was in bed with pillows propped behind her back, Meredith sat on the edge of the bed.
“I will send word to Blackwood Castle that I won’t be able to assume my duties until tomorrow.”
Her sister’s face softened, and she captured Meredith’s hand. “Meri, don’t you want to fall in love and marry someday? You love children. Are you willing to forego the chance to become a mother?”
