Risky Rules of a Passionate Governess
A REGENCY ROMANCE NOVEL
HENRIETTA HARDING
Copyright © 2019 by Henrietta Harding
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Table of Contents
Risky Rules of a Passionate Governess
Table of Contents
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Risky Rules of a Passionate Governess
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
What the Wicked Lord Desires
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
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Risky Rules of a Passionate Governess
Introduction
Katherine Chance is a humble lady who adores children. Upon running into the son of Roland de Bowes, the Duke of Easterly, something secret and mysterious stirs within her. She can’t help but sign for the job of governess at Bonhomie, where the Duke’s estate is located. What she didn’t expect though were the intense and inspiring emotions sparked by Lord Garret, the Duke’s handsome brother. Will this sizzling passion cost her position? Or will she find a way to tame her feelings?
Family is the most precious thing for Lord Garret, who is a remarkably serious and proud man. After the death of his sister in law, he came to a conclusion that his brother is unable to take care of the estate. Even though Lord Garret regards Katherine with suspicion when she is hired, as time goes by, he can’t hide his tremendous admiration and desire for her. Will this rigid man lay aside his doubts for a chance to love passionately?
Although Katherine and Lord Garret find themselves madly in love, it only takes one miscommunication for it to be torn apart. Is Lord Garret strong enough to admit to his weaknesses, and keep Katherine at Bonhomie, not as a governess, but as his bride? For Lord Garret de Bowes, it will take admitting to himself that his heart is captured. For Katherine, it means succumbing to the greatest love she has ever known. Will their love overcome society’s expectations? Or will they accept fate and distance themselves forever?
Chapter 1
Lady Katherine Chance walked along the boulevard of Hedge Grove Downs, the only town that she had ever known. She tipped her face up to the sun, so that she could feel the warmth upon her skin. Her younger sister, Elizabeth, was at her side.
“So many people in town today,” Elizabeth said.
“With such exquisite weather, can you blame them?” Katherine asked.
“Is that a new bonnet?”
“I purchased it yesterday,” Katherine replied.
“It’s very becoming on you,” Elizabeth said with a frown.
Katherine turned and looked at her sister, noting the sad expression on her face. It was a new phenomenon since Elizabeth had gotten older. Katherine found that her sister was always remarking that she would never be as pretty as her. Katherine was always trying to tell Elizabeth that she was, indeed, a beauty, but her younger sister was not having it.
They were very similar in appearance, so Katherine didn’t know what all the fuss was about. Katherine was of a middling height, slim build, with brown hair and curious green eyes. Elizabeth was much the same, although her hair was more golden than brown. Naturally, because Elizabeth was younger, she still had a girlish build, whereas Katherine was becoming accustomed to her new, more womanly form.
“Shall we get a lolly?” Katherine asked, knowing that Elizabeth cared for sweets.
“I suppose,” Elizabeth replied coquettishly.
“The sweet shop is right this way,” Katherine said, pointing over to a cobbled street on their right. She smiled to herself. Although Hedge-Grove Downs was not a large town, it still had everything to offer that a girl might want. There were numerous dress shops, milliners, fine markets with local fruit and vegetables, pastry shops, cafes, and of course, the sweet shops. Katherine knew that she was perhaps too old to indulge in her love of sweets, but considering that she was as free as a bird, she may as well do what made her smile.
“Do you think that mum and dad would mind?” Elizabeth asked as they entered the shop, hearing the jingle of the door as they did so.
“Oh, I think that mum and dad wish for us to be happy,” Katherine replied pleasantly.
“Going on a trip to Paris would make me happy. Do you suppose that we should tell them that, so that they can take us?”
“You’re always testing your limits, you little bug,” Katherine said, pinching her sister’s cheek.
“Ouch, that hurts,” Elizabeth said, twisting her nose.
“You’ll get past it.”
Although Katherine was the ripe age of 19 and Elizabeth merely 15, they were still too old to be carrying on like schoolgirls, but Katherine reasoned that there was something about being around her younger sister that brought out the child in her. They had always gotten on well, the two of them. Despite the fact that Elizabeth sometimes could be precocious, Katherine found that she enjoyed being in Elizabeth’s company, for her sister was, indeed, her best friend.
Looking around the shop, Katherine closed her eyes and took in the aroma of fresh chocolate, sugar, spices, and fruit. There were candies in every colour of the rainbow, but Katherine would only select one lolly for herself and one for her sister. She was the keeper of the purse, after all.
“Peppermint swirl,” Elizabeth said to the fellow behind the counter.
“And I’ll have the lemon drop, please,” Katherine said. The two of them eagerly waited as the man behind the counter procured their chosen selections, and then proceeded to place them into parchment paper. “Oh, that won’t be necessary. We’ll be enjoying them this very moment.”
“Very well,” the fellow replied with a smile, handing the lollies over the counter. Katherine gave him the required coinage and the two sisters were back on the street in no time.
“I want lemonade,” Elizabeth said.
“Are you truly going to say that with a lolly in your hand?” Katherine said in dismay.
“I like what I like,” Elizabeth replied, lifting her brows as though she were a queen.
It was the kind of lazy afternoon that Katherine had known all of her life. Her father, Lord Dennis Chance, Baron of Glower, was a simple, humble man. Although he was a gentleman with modest means, he did not flaunt his money
nor did he spend it carelessly. Because their home and outlook on life were humble, it allowed the Chance family to enjoy lazy days walking through town, or going out into the countryside that surrounded it.
The Chance home was a five-minute carriage ride from High Street, and a pleasant 30-minute walk. There were plenty of grand homes in the country surrounding Hedge-Grove Downs, but Katherine and Elizabeth did not mingle much with those of the upper echelons. They preferred to keep to themselves, reading books by the fire and putting on little plays at home.
Lady Sybil Chance, Baroness of Glower, was also a very down-to-earth personage, with simple attire and tastes. She was a devoted wife and mother, although from time-to-time she could be prone to fits of nerves; mostly in regards to the future of her daughters. Lady Sybil wished for them to marry well but she knew that, since her husband was a simple Baron, their prospects might not be ideal.
Katherine would try to console her when the nerves took over, expressing to her mother that she was in no hurry to marry, nor did she even have a taste for it. This would, sadly, only make Lady Sybil’s nerves worse, from what Katherine could see.
“How is your treat?” Katherine asked.
“Scrumptious,” Elizabeth replied.
“Shall we walk back home now?”
“It’s such a fine day. Can’t we stay out a bit longer?”
“Mum will be upset if we’re late for tea,” Katherine advised.
“Well, I’ve quite spoiled my appetite already, haven’t I?”
“Yes, you have. As have I.”
Tea was always simple in the Chance household, just as everything else was, but the family would take tea together religiously every day. The fare consisted of light sandwiches, homemade biscuits, and occasionally some cups of soup for dipping. Lady Sybil would make this repast by hand, seeing as there was no cook in the Chance household.
“Let’s walk through the garden,” Katherine finally said, thinking it the perfect opportunity to finish their lollies before venturing home.
“That’s a fine idea,” Elizabeth replied.
Hedge-Grove Downs had a remarkable town garden that was open to all, and in the summer it had some of the most delightful flowers in bloom. It was quite renowned for its rose garden, which was blooming at this time of year. Although it was the perfect season for a stroll in the garden, Katherine found that her favorite time was still autumn, when there would be fewer passers-by on foot. It was during that time that the leaves would fall gently from the trees and leave their yellow, orange, and red stamps upon the ground. Katherine was fond of taking a book in the fall to sit on a bench for the length of an afternoon.
“You’re nearly done with your candy,” Katherine said in shock, looking at her sister.
“It was quite refreshing.”
“Here, finish this,” Katherine said, handing it to Elizabeth.
“Truly?” Elizabeth asked, her eyes wide with wonder.
“Truly. It’s hurting my teeth.”
Entering the garden, a big, delighted smile was painted on Katherine’s face. The smell of roses filled the air and everywhere she turned there were mothers pushing prams, and husbands sitting on benches thinking everything quite dull.
They found a clearing that led to Katherine’s favorite statue, a depiction of Hercules, and she led her sister there. No sooner had they stepped into the clearing than Katherine saw a ball roll in front of them, followed by a young lad who couldn’t have been more than 6 years old.
“Come back!” the boy cried, hurling himself towards it. Just as he was about to grab it, he came careening down to the ground, face-first.
“Oh, no!” Katherine cried, seeing that the boy went down quite hard.
“Ahhh!” the boy began to cry, rolling onto his back so that he was facing the sky, his expression one of agony.
“Is everything all right?” Katherine asked, coming to where the boy lay and kneeling down next to him. She placed her hand upon his forehead to console him.
The boy had his hands to his face whilst he cried, but upon removing them and looking up at Katherine, something stirred within her. Katherine went dumb, unable to speak any further. Something about the boy’s face . . .
“Ho there!” an elderly woman cried, clearly out of breath. “What have you gotten yourself into now?” she asked, and Katherine noted that the old maid had a slight cockney accent.
“Ahhhh!” the boy continued to cry, bringing his hands to his face once more.
“I saw him fall,” Katherine explained, moving back to give the old maid some space. “He was chasing after his ball, and I’m afraid he had the most frightful face-plant.”
“He’s always gettin’ himself into one trouble or another,” the woman said, shaking her head.
“Not again,” Katherine heard a voice say, and looked up to discover a girl no older than 13, by her estimation. She had dark brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
“Yes, it’s happened all over again!” the old maid wailed.
“At least he didn’t run into Hercules,” Katherine heard another voice say, and looked up to find a rather tall, impressive man wearing a high hat. From his apparel and general bearing, Katherine assumed that he was a titled man of some means.
“He could very well have,” the maid said. “And perhaps it would have served him right.”
“Now, now, Rebecca,” the man said to the maid, his tone steady and serious. “It’s important not to say such things.”
“Very well,” the maid said. From the interaction Katherine could tell that the tall man was the one in charge, and most likely this Rebecca’s employer.
“We do apologise for the disturbance,” the man said, and Katherine was taken aback by how impossibly deep his voice was.
“It’s no trouble,” Katherine replied, finally getting up from her kneeling position. “The poor fellow couldn’t help himself. He wanted nothing in the world so much as that ball,” she quipped. The man smiled warmly.
“He’s rather into sport, this one,” the man added, looking down at the boy. “I’m Lord Roland de Bowes, Duke of Easterly. This is my daughter, Lady Constance de Bowes,” Lord Roland said, motioning towards his daughter who gave a curtsy. “And this is Rebecca.”
“How do you do,” Rebecca said with a flourish.
“Such a pleasure to meet you, Lord Roland. I am Lady Katherine Chance, and this is my sister, Lady Elizabeth.”
“I have not heard of the Chance name,” Lord Roland said.
“I’m not surprised,” Katherine replied humorously.
Just then, Katherine looked down at the boy’s face once more and felt every muscle in her body freeze. Something stirred within her chest that she could not describe.
“I almost forgot,” the duke went on. “This is Lord Harry,” he said, picking the boy up into his arms. “Future Duke of Easterly.”
“It’s a mighty fine pleasure to meet you, Lord Harry,” Katherine said, seeing that his eyes were now dry and the tears were gone.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Harry said, before becoming shy and turning his face into his father’s chest.
“Once again, I’m sorry that he gave you a fright,” the duke went on. “I predict that this boy will be giving me frights for the rest of my days.”
“Time will tame him,” Katherine replied warmly.
“I take it that you’re too young to have children of your own,” the duke said.
“I’m not entirely sure that I’m too young, but I do not have children of my own, no. I do wish to have them in the future. I’m a great lover of children,” Katherine replied, then looked to Elizabeth, who had a curious expression upon her face as though she had never heard her sister say such a thing. And it was true, Katherine had never expressed that she was a lover of children, but there was something about that boy . . .
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