Page 23 of Last Night with the Duke
She made a move to step closer to him before she caught herself, coughed, and cleared her throat, hoping the rising heat she felt in her body wouldn’t travel up to her cheeks and tell on her. What kind of madness had come over her? What in heaven’s name was she doing thinking about kissing the duke?
Exhaling a deep breath, she walked over to the desk, laid Miss Fortescue’s book down, and said again, “Miss Pennywaite wasn’t able to be successful in her duties, but I had another very capable governess waiting for a position, so it all worked out in the end.”
Perhaps it was just her guilty conscience, but with the way his eyes questioned hers, she could have sworn he knew exactly what she’d been thinking before she put the book down.
“At least you gave her a second chance to succeed,” he said.
“Yes. She will do a good job here. I’ve asked her to have weekly reports delivered to me and told her that she could contact me at your house should there be an emergency. Is that acceptable to you?”
“Quite.”
“Thank you. Now, was there something you needed from me today, or did you simply want to make sure I would keep my word and chaperone your sisters?”
“Both. The main reason I’m here is at the behest of my aunt, Lady Evelyn.”
Esmeralda knew about Lady Evelyn the same way she knew about most of the elite few who made up theton—from what she’d gleaned from the social pages and ladies who worked for the agency. When they came in each month to pay their fee, most of them had a morsel or two of gossip about their employers or what they’d heard about others to share as well.
Lady Evelyn was the only sister of the duke’s father. She had been married to an older gentleman who died a few years after they’d wed. She’d never had children and had never remarried. Since the duke’s mother had died shortly after giving birth to the twins, Lady Evelyn had moved into the duke’s house to see to it that the girls were properly brought up as befitting daughters, and now sisters, of a duke.
“My aunt takes her responsibilities for the twins much too seriously at times,” he continued. “She was quite perturbed when I told her that I had hired you without consulting her or anyone and without questioning you in detail about your family.”
Esmeralda’s back arched with indignation. “Was she?”
“She wanted to know if you are related to the Swifts who come from Derbyshire, and Sir Timothy Swift’s family in particular. I had to admit I didn’t ask.”
Esmeralda bristled tightly though she tried to hide it. It shouldn’t bother her that Lady Evelyn wanted to make sure she was from a family reputable enough to be employed by a duke. It was the proper thing to do after all. Still, it rankled. It may be unfair, but ever since Esmeralda’s mother had been disowned by her brother, Viscount Mayeforth, for marrying beneath her, Esmeralda had dislike for the favored few who held the livelihood of so many in their hands. Her mother had lived an impoverished life when, at the very least, she should have lived comfortably with an allowance from the viscount.
“You mean Lady Evelyn wants to make sure I didn’t come from the streets.”
The duke’s blue eyes darkened and one corner of his mouth twitched slightly. “No, Miss Swift. That’s not what she meant.”
Esmeralda wanted to say more but, thinking better of it, gave him a look that conveyed her doubt instead.
He took exception to it by saying, “That never entered her mind. She knows you were properly assessed by Miss Fortescue and that she would have never accepted anyone who wasn’t qualified in all areas.”
Perhaps Esmeralda was being too prickly and should just thank her lucky stars that his aunt was only asking about her father’s family. It was easier to answer questions about the Swift family than her mother’s. So far she’d managed to keep it to herself that her first cousin was Viscount Mayeforth. She wanted it to stay that way. She had no desire to let anyone know she had a connection to that family. And, if he was like his father,hewouldn’t want anyone to know either.
Still, she asked, “Will it be good or bad if I am related to Sir Timothy?”
He folded his arms across his wide chest. “You are a continual challenge, Miss Swift. No matter the direction of our conversation, you manage to find a way to confront me.” His gaze lingered on hers.
“Perhaps that’s because I am provoked first.”
He looked surprised. “That may be in some instances, but in this conversation that wasn’t my intention. However, it will be good if you are related to Sir Timothy.”
“In that case, the man had ten sons by three different wives over a period of thirty-five years. How could I not be related to him? Half of Derbyshire is. He was my father’s grandfather.”
The duke nodded. “And so Aunt Evelyn thought. She’ll be pleased to hear she was right.”
Stiff and on the defensive, Esmeralda asked, “Would she like for me to go for a visit with her so she can make her own assessment of me? I’m quite willing to have her question me at length about any concerns she might have.”
“Take my word for it. My aunt wants nothing more than to look you over from head to toe and test your knowledge on a number of different subjects, but she won’t be receiving you.”
“Oh,” she said, her feelings giving rise again to her previous thoughts of being put in her current place in Society.
He lowered his arms and stepped closer to her. Their eyes held steady. “Not for the reasons you are thinking.”
Esmeralda’s breathing increased. “You don’t know what I am thinking, Your Grace.”
