“I think that the Duke of Rossdale has ulterior motives.”
That was it? If that was the case, why hadn’t Flora expressed it earlier? Before Beth had agreed to the job offer? Not that Beth would have changed her mind, but it would have been nice to have Flora’s opinion first.
She snorted and shook her head.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Flora. That isn’t going to happen. He’s just rewarding me for helping his daughter with a job. That’s all.”
“Why just you and not me as well? Not that I’m resentful about it,” Flora went on hurriedly, “But I am concerned that he seems rather focused on you. Maybe he wants more than just a kiss next time you’re alone.”
She really was thinking the worst. Her experience with the duke’s son had tainted her opinion on everyone else. Beth knew that not all men in Society were like that. It wasn’t fair on Lord Rossdale to put him in the same category.
“I’m not a wanton, Flora,” Beth said stiffly. “And Lord Rossdale is a gentleman.”
Flora snorted.
“Just because he’s got a title does not mean that he’s a gentleman, Beth.”
Beth looked over at Tatiana. Her maid was busy putting things away into her wardrobe, looking like she wasn’t paying attention. But Beth knew the woman’s ears were pricked up and taking everything in. This was not something she wanted the servants to be gossiping about. She turned back to Flora.
“You’re very intent on believing that he wants me in his household other than for innocent reasons.”
“Let’s just say I’m beginning to have reservations.”
“You’re beginning to have reservations? I think you’ve had them all along.” Beth huffed and reached for her coat. “Look, our parents want me to go for it. And that’s what I’m doing. The salary he’ll be giving me will more than help us out. You know that. I’m going to be fine.”
“I hope so.” Flora fixed her with a sharp look. “But the first moment you think something is not right you get out of that house. No explanation, just go. I don’t care what you agreed on with the duke, you leave.”
She was still that certain the Duke of Rossdale was going to conduct himself in an unbecoming way? Beth sighed.
“He’s not going to hurt me, Flora.”
Flora scowled and headed for the door.
“It’s not that sort of hurt I’m worried about.”
Chapter 10
Gerard woke up in a good mood. Beth was coming this morning. She was going to be here in his home.
That was not something he should be happy about. He was not bringing her here to be his mistress. The thought of getting a mistress at all didn’t sit well with Gerard. And he wasn’t comfortable at the idea of finding a wife right now. But Gerard didn’t want anyone else to have Beth. Selfish as it was, he wanted Beth to himself until he decided what he wanted to do with her.
Gerard hadn’t realized until late in the night that he was very inexperienced knowing what to do around women. He had been married to Allegra from a very young age, and he had never strayed. Now he was a widow, and his way of reacting to his attraction for Beth Campbell was to make her the governess.
That did not sound logical on any level. But it was too late right now. He had to follow through with what he had done.
Which meant keeping his distance from Beth. Keeping his hands off her. That was going to be easier said than done.
What had he done?
Even with his conflicting thoughts about Beth Campbell, Gerard was still in a good mood as Evans helped him dress and he went downstairs for breakfast. The children ate their breakfast in the nursery, Hermia included, so it was a quiet affair with his mother. As he entered the dining room, Gerard found Amelia already there, seated at her place with her breakfast plate half-full in front of her. Gerard approached her and kissed her cheek.
“Good morning, Mother.”
“Good morning.” Amelia stared up at him as she accepted his kiss. “You’re in a good mood. What’s happened to you?”
“I had a good night’s sleep.” Gerard rounded the table and sat at his place across from his mother. “Did I need something to have happened to me beyond that?”
“With you, always.” Amelia put down her teacup and sat forward. “What have you done?”
“Nothing.”
“Gerard.”
“Really, I haven’t.” Gerard paused as the footman placed his breakfast in front of him. “Just that I’ve managed to hire a new governess, and she’s arriving this morning. That’s pretty much it.”
“A new governess?” Amelia raised her eyebrows. “Another one?”
“Well, the girls need one. You know that.” Gerard picked up his knife and fork. “And she’s shown to be good with children. She’s educated to my satisfaction.”
“Those are the same qualifications that came with all the other girls,” Amelia pointed out. “What’s different about this one?”
Gerard hesitated. He didn’t really know how to answer that. He was still conflicted on what he wanted for himself, and it was certainly not something he could discuss with his mother. What would the dowager duchess think about him bringing a woman he desired into the house as a servant? Nothing that he could repeat. Amelia would be furious at his possible intentions.
His mother sat back and picked up a piece of toast, still frowning at her son.
“I do hope you know what you’re doing, Gerard. Hermia’s not going to like this.”
“Hermia already knows about the new governess.”
“Oh, really?” Amelia grunted. “I wondered what the shouting was about last night.”
Gerard had decided it was best to let Hermia know before Beth turned up. And it happened earlier than he anticipated when Hermia confronted him after dinner. She had suspected something. Gerard had told her the truth, and Hermia hadn’t taken it well. She had screamed at him, calling him all sorts of names. Gerard was surprised his ears hadn’t burned off.
Hermia was becoming a woman, but she certainly wasn’t acting like one.
“Hermia is staying in her lessons until she can behave appropriately for her age.”
“I hope you haven’t told her that already. Because I’m sure she’ll be as good as gold immediately to make you change your mind.”
Gerard snorted.
“I’ve told her why she’s staying in her lessons. Hermia is just refusing to cooperate.”
Amelia munched her toast. Her mouth twitched in a wry smile.
“She’s just as stubborn as you, all right.”
“It’s not going to make me back down, Mother,” Gerard said shortly. “I want her to behave like a lady with becoming conduct, and she’ll stay in her lessons like a child until she realizes that.”
“Two stubborn people in one argument?” Amelia chuckled. “This is going to be interesting.”
“You’re not helping, Mother.”
“I’m not meant to be helping. She’s my granddaughter, but she’s your daughter.” Amelia was still smiling as she picked up her knife and fork. “And much more like you than you care to admit.”
Gerard had no response to that.
#
Beth picked up the chalk and the slates from the desks and carried them to the front. Rosamund’s writing was a little shaky, and some of the letters were round the wrong way, but she was trying. Isabel’s writing was very neat for her age. Very pretty.
Hermia’s was short and spiky. With words that made Beth raise her eyebrows. It was nothing different than the things Hermia had said to her all morning so far.
Beth had dealt with difficult people before – Flora certainly came under the title of difficult – but Hermia was something else. She was already on the offensive, very combative with her attitude. She didn’t get up to introduce herself when Lord Rossdale brought Beth into the schoolroom, simply sitting at the window staring out into the gardens. It wasn’t until Lord Rossdale ordered her to acknowledge Beth that Hermia said anything. And it was sim
ple:
“Don’t expect me to listen. I don’t follow orders from people like you.”
This was going to be a challenge.
For now, Beth needed to find her feet. She wanted to know where the children were with their education. Hermia was older, so she would be learning something different to Isabel and Rosamund. Beth had spent most of the evening remembering and revising what she had learned at each age. Then she made notes, lots of them. That should be easy enough to follow, once she knew what each girl could do.
Rosamund was the easiest. She was a sweet little thing and very eager to learn. Already, her reading was very good, and she could speak clearly when she read to Beth. Her numbers were impressive as well, something that surprised Beth. Rosamund was only six, but very bright. Her writing needed a bit of work, especially with her spelling, but that was appropriate for a girl of her age.
Isabel was simply enough. She looked very out of place compared to her sisters. Long red hair and bright green eyes, a combination that Beth didn’t often see. Easygoing, quiet but pleasant, she told Beth everything she had learned and what she had been learning when the last governess had been teaching them. They had all been learning to speak French; Isabel was starting to read more complicated books, and she was starting to learn about Shakespeare. Beth could do that; she had loved learning about the Shakespeare plays when she was younger. It wouldn’t be difficult to find something to challenge the ten-year-old.
Hermia was something else. She refused to talk at all. She wouldn’t even sit at her desk. Beth had tried to figure out what Hermia was learning, even talking in French to see what she knew. Hermia had responded back with words that were certainly not becoming of an Englishwoman, never mind a Frenchwoman.
After a while, Beth gave up. If she was going to behave like this and not work with her, Beth was going to start her at the beginning. Hermia would have to learn right from the beginning until she told Beth what she had actually been learning. Hermia had protested, but Beth was firm, sending her to her desk and writing out the phrases she put up on the board.
Not that Hermia had copied the phrases, now Beth was looking at her slate. Beth was glad she hadn’t given the fifteen-year-old an inkwell and pen; the ink would more than likely end up all over her, and Beth didn’t want to think what she would do with the pen.
That girl was going to be a challenge. She was going to try and make Beth break. Beth would be happy to take on the challenge if it meant working with Isabel and Rosamund. Those two were sweet children, so eager to learn whatever they could. Beth could work with that. Hermia would have to put up with her decisions.
She wouldn’t be chasing her out of here that easily. Not when Beth had a monetary incentive as well as an incentive in Lord Rossdale’s other children.
That sounded bad, doing all this for money. But Beth was determined to make the most of it and earn her money. Hermia was going to fight her on this. Beth wouldn’t let her win.
At least they were having lunch now in the nursery. Their nursery maids would be keeping an eye on them while Beth sorted out the schoolroom before having her own lunch in the kitchen. Mrs Rainesway, the cook, had promised to have it ready for her shortly.
Beth couldn’t wait. She was hungry.
“May I come in?”
Beth gasped and spun around. The Dowager Duchess of Rossdale was standing in the doorway. She was dressed in a beautiful dress of pale blue that accentuated her figure, her hair done up in a French plait twisted around the crown of her head. Beth had met her briefly when she first came in, and she had been fascinated. Lady Rossdale was a beautiful woman. Very graceful, serene-like.
Beth had a feeling that wasn’t the case, but she wasn’t about to push it. She put the slates on the desk and dropped into a curtsy, lowering her eyes to the floor.
“Your Grace. Of course, you can come in.” She rose, keeping her eyes on the floor. “Forgive me, Your Grace. I didn’t realize you were there.”
“You weren’t meant to.” There was a slight trace of amusement in the woman’s voice. “You can look at me, you know. I’m not going to turn you into stone.”
Beth felt her face getting warm. She glanced up and saw the dowager duchess smiling at her. That made Beth relax a little. Not much, but enough.
Lady Rossdale approached Beth’s desk and surveyed the slates and scattered papers.
“I see you’ve been productive this morning.”
“I have.” Beth smiled. “You have some very bright granddaughters, Your Grace.”
“How are they getting on?”
“Isabel and Rosamund are so eager to learn. It’s really refreshing. I don’t have any problems with them at all.”
“I see.” Lady Rossdale arched a perfectly curved eyebrow. “I notice you didn’t mention Hermia.”
Beth sighed. How could she put this without upsetting the older woman?
“She’s been ... a little stubborn.” That was an understatement. “I understand that some people don’t like change, but she’s going about it quite badly. She’s a bright girl, very bright, and she knows exactly what is being taught.”
“She just chooses not to learn.”
Beth nodded. She grimaced as she remembered the conversation earlier in French.
“I don’t know which of her governesses taught her French, but the responses I got from her when I was attempting to see if she knew the language were less than ladylike.”
Lady Rossdale chuckled.
“You’ll have to blame my daughter-in-law for that, I’m afraid. She was a lovely woman, but she liked to be ... creative with her learning at times. Due to the current war with France, most people don’t want to acknowledge anything French in case they’re seen as allied with them, which makes insulting those she disliked in a foreign language more amusing.”
“Or more dangerous, depending on who she does it to,” Beth murmured. That would certainly explain a few things. “Your daughter-in-law sounds like a real character.”
“She was.” Lady Rossdale sighed. “It’s been almost a year-and-a-half since she died, and it’s still hard to take in.”
“I understand, Your Grace.” Beth folded her hands in front of her, resisting the urge to fidget. “When you lose someone who’s very much loved, it leaves a hollow feeling inside. It takes time to make your peace with it. Some people struggle with it more than others.”
The dowager duchess peered at her curiously.
“Have you lost someone close to you?”
“My grandmother. I was sixteen.” Beth swallowed back the hard lump in her throat. She hadn’t thought about her paternal grandmother in a while. “And she was a strong, healthy woman, which made her death all the more shocking.”
Lady Rossdale nodded.
“That was the same thing people said about my parents. Pneumonia took Mother shortly after I married my husband. Father passed away a few weeks later. He just wasted away. Some people said he died of a broken heart.”
“Is that even possible?”
“If it is, it means my son isn’t long for this world.” Lady Rossdale grunted. “He adored Allegra. That boy of mine would do anything for her.”
Beth didn’t respond to that. There wasn’t really anything she could say to it. From what she was aware of, Lord and Lady Rossdale had been the perfect couple. Married young and strong as a pair. When the duchess had died, the duke had gone to pieces. After hearing the story of what happened from his mouth, Beth could understand why. She would be the same if someone she loved had died in her arms like that.
What A Wicked Duke Demands (Historical Regency Romance) Page 14