Page 27 of The Governess and the Brooding Duke
These things would vanish. She was confident of that.
Chapter Six
It had been a long while since he had received visitors. He was not especially in the mood.
He had never been overly fond of his wife’s cousin, but the Earl of Blackwater was family, and he did not feel it appropriate to deny him an audience.
He came with three men West had done business with before—Lord Pelham, who was tall and lean, the Earl of Greyhame, short and bacon-faced, and the Marquis of Tennesborne, who spoke with affected syllables so as to make himself sound more important than he was.
He was glad, or rather he should be, for the reprieve of dealing with Mary.
Miss Smith.
Last night he had come unbearably close to an unforgivable breach of control.
He had nearly reached out and put his thumb on her lip. It had looked petal-soft and enticing. And when she said that he was her master...
The way she had looked at him.
Her breath had quickened, her pulse fluttering in her throat.
She had been untouchable on the surface, but he could see, in every line of her body, that she had desired him.
In the way he desired her.
That the game between them had shifted into something else. It had been there the entire time, but her playing the part of submissive governess had dangerously stoked the fire between them.
How could she possibly know? He was not a man of exacting rules, as some men with his tastes were.
He preferred to give commands to a point, and then allow the rawness of the act to overtake him. It was the only time he could find true release.
It was the only time he allowed himself loose from his chains.
And what he enjoyed was for women who were accustomed to such things to give back as good as they got.
He had never, ever done such things with his wife.
He had been courteous and caring towards her always. Because that was what the act was meant to be between a man and wife.
He had accepted that his days of being allowed release like that were over.
He gritted his teeth.
It did not do to have such fantasies about his children’s governess, especially not when sitting at the dinner table with Jane’s cousin.
‘I heard that you have had difficulty keeping governesses in your employ,’ said the Earl’s wife.
‘I have had trouble finding someone qualified,’ he said.
Because while he could admit that his children’s behaviour was part of the problem, he would not say such a thing in front of these people.
‘And the infant,’ said the Earl. ‘How has he fared with the loss of his mother?’
He felt his muscles tense. ‘As babes do. He is not conscious of the loss.’
And they did not ask for the child’s name, for which he was relieved.
They did not care. They were here because they wished to keep their ties with him. He knew that. He was a convenient stop on the way to Bath and he was valuable for his wealth and connections. Not because they cared for him or his children. Not because they cared for the babe. Not in the least.
