Page 23 of Yours Truly, the Duke
By sheer will, he raised his head. Her breaths were as fast and unsteady as his own. In a low, husky voice he said, “Since you are a proper miss, I wanted to give you a proper wedding kiss before I go.”
An attractive blush stained her cheeks once more andshe slipped out of his arms. Midday sun sparkled in her eyes again as her gaze held steady on his. “That felt very improper, Your Grace.”
He smiled. “It’s best I not show you what an improper kiss is.”
Yet.
CHAPTER 7
DAISY—BEAUTY AND INNOCENCE
—L. H.
Oh! beautiful upon his sight,
Who bears a heart like mine,
Doth shine the soft unconscious light
Of loveliness like thine.
“That’s good to hear, Miss Gladwin,” Fredericka told the robust young woman who’d worn the same rigidly drawn smile since she entered the book room of Paddleton and sat down. “I believe in children being well-disciplined with their manners and lessons. But I also want to make sure they are given opportunity to romp outside and enjoy nature on beautiful days.”
“Oh, I would do that,” the potential new governess answered confidently. “It’s important they learn all about the various trees, plants, herbs, and such that grow on this lovely estate while they take in fresh air. I’ll make certain of that, Your Grace.”
It was exactly what Fredericka wanted to hear. Charles needed to know every inch of the grounds. She had explored parts of the deeper woods with him, but definitely not all of Paddleton’s sizable lands. The girls were never eager to be outside stomping around in the forests ormarshes, be it winter or summer. The wildflower fields were as far as they wanted to go.
While Fredericka found the explorations a relaxing diversion from everyday life, the girls did not. They were content to remain within the tended grounds where there were stone paths to walk, benches to sit on, and well-tended gardens to look at and play in. It was Miss Litchfield’s preference too.
“And poetry?” Fredericka asked Miss Gladwin.
“It’s as necessary as the other studies. Poetry can sustain us when nothing else will. I can put it at the top of my list for reading, writing, and reciting if you would like that?”
“That’s good to hear. A child needs to know a certain amount to be well-rounded in all things.”
“What I don’t know myself,” Miss Gladwin continued, “I’ll find someone who does. The children won’t be lacking in their education on any level with me in charge.”
Yes, that reference toin chargemight be the problem with someone as firm-handed as Miss Gladwin appeared to be. Fredericka couldn’t bring herself to turn off Miss Litchfield no matter who else she hired. The women would have to learn to work together, even if they had very different approaches to teaching a child. However, Fredericka decided to save that to ponder a different day.
She had been very careful during the interviews to make sure Miss Litchfield was busy with the children. Fredericka didn’t want her to know about the possibility of a second governess until the final decision had been made. There had been many people interviewing for various employment opportunities since she became a duchess, so it was unlikely the aging governess suspected Fredericka was looking for an additional one.
“I’ll have Master Charles ready for boarding school when the time comes,” Miss Gladwin assured her. “There won’t be a young man who knows more than he does. The same for the girls, of course. They’ll be ready to manage a household as large as this one, or larger, when it comes time for them to make a match.”
“That’s what I want.” Fredericka rose from her chair. “Thank you, Miss Gladwin. You do sound quite capable. It’s my hope to decide on someone soon. I appreciate you making the journey out here. I’ll be in touch. Mrs. Dryden will show you out.”
After seeing the governess into the hands of the housekeeper, Fredericka walked back into the book room but suddenly couldn’t bear the thought of sitting behind the desk again to go over her notes on all the women. She had conducted four interviews with prospective governesses earlier in the day and completed three yesterday. She never dreamed there would be so many responses when she’d written to the employment agency in London for their help. Apparently, everyone wanted to work for a duchess. It was good to have several choices to consider, but that made it harder to make up one’s mind. They all seemed capable.
But which was best for the children?
Fredericka bypassed the desk and walked over to the window, which looked out over the back lawn. Across the meadow surrounded by trees and dots of woodsy plant growth, it looked as if a storm was brewing in the western sky. Light-gray clouds hovered just above the horizon, and darker ones gathered just above them. They would definitely see rain sometime during the night.
As had happened so often in the four weeks since her marriage, her husband crossed her mind. Why, she didn’t know. There was nothing romantic about his proposal ortheir marriage. Well, almost nothing. There was the second kiss down by the fence. That startlingly tender joining of their lips was impossible to forget.
She must have relived it a thousand times already. That wasn’t the problem. The fact that she wanted to relive it in person a thousand times more was. Their kiss had gathered intensity so quickly and easily, Fredericka felt as if she had been waiting for the experience all her life. She had welcomed the deep passionate desires he’d stirred inside her with open arms and mind. To the duke, at the time, her response must have seemed as if she were ready to delve into all the marriage bed had to offer with no boundaries to stop him. Or her.
It was still so unbelievably hard to consider herself married since she hadn’t heard one word from the duke since he left Paddleton. But—she hadn’t written to him either. One of her fears was that he’d see correspondence from her as a nuisance. He’d made it quite clear he didn’t expect her to be a part of his life for a long time to come. She understood. And what could she say other than to thank him for the new staff, the allowance, and other things she’d already thanked him for?
He was by all accounts a scandalous rake of the highest order. More unbelievable was the way she had so quickly and easily melted into his arms like butter on hot toast when he’d caught her to his chest and kissed her as if leaving her was the furthest thing from his mind. He was so daring and she loved it.
