Page 75 of The Governess and the Brooding Duke
For some reason, that hit her differently now.
His wife hadn’t been faithful to him, no. But there had been a time when he’d been married to her in truth. They had children together.
The children she cared for.
He was older than her, she knew that. But more than that, he had lived an entire lifetime that she had never known. He had made vows to someone. Had promised himself to her, and he had kept those vows.
And now he was alone.
He was a mountain of a man. She had thought so from the moment she’d met him. And she would have thought that he might prefer to be alone, but now she didn’t think so. She thought he didn’t know how to be with anyone else, and she felt a kinship to that. She had the children that she took care of. But she did not have friends. She did not have family of her own. She knew what it was to be isolated. To be lonely.
And in many ways she used that loneliness as a shield. It protected her. And she felt as if it did much the same thing for him.
They made their way into the house, not speaking. There was a healthy amount of distance between them. An entirely appropriate amount for the master of the house and his children’s governess.
And yet she felt tethered to him. It felt different. And so did she.
When they went into the dining room, the children were nearly through eating.
And they brightened when their father entered.
‘You’re coming with us, Father?’ Michael asked.
‘Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.’
Their excitement was palpable, even though they did not run to hug him. She could feel that they might have. And that some day they would.
The walk was lovely. Though she did not linger behind with him as she had done during the first walk.
She was trying to remember why she was here. Who he was, and what the purpose of their spending time together was.
When they finished the walk, the children were red-cheeked and exuberant.
‘Children,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you go to the nursery and play?’
‘We have more school work to do,’ said Elizabeth.
‘I am pleased that you wish to do it. But I need to meet with Miss Smith.’
‘Okay,’ Elizabeth and Michael said together.
They scampered off before she could question what was happening.
‘Your Grace...’
‘Correct me if I’m wrong, but did you not miss your tea?’
‘I did.’
‘Then you should eat. The children will be fine for a while.’
He rang the bell, and one of the maids entered. ‘Would you please fetch Miss Smith some sandwiches.’
‘Yes, Your Grace,’ the girl said, scampering off.
‘You don’t need to do that. I’m perfectly capable of waiting until dinner.’
‘I do not wish you to be hungry,’ he said.
