Page 16 of The Colonel's Ungovernable Governess
Jocelyn had not realized the effect the officer would have on her. Instinctively, she knew the man’s identity, for Mrs. Darcy and the twins had mentioned Lord Lindale’s brother often; yet, none of them had mentioned the oddly attractive face only inches from hers. The man’s countenance was not conventionally handsome, as was Mr. Darcy’s appearance, whose look of pure adoration for his family was fully displayed upon his features.
No, the officer’s features could obviously change from a quick survey of the situation to that moment of brief contentment in the kiss he had placed on the child’s forehead. Jocelyn thought his sun-dusted features were a pathway to his soul, one she might enjoy exploring. Without considering her actions, she leaned closer to say, “We all have a bet on whether Mr. Darcy will know tears.”
“My cousin can be as hard-nosed as the best of them,” he said in the biting tone she suspected he often used with new recruits, “except when it comes to those who hold his affections. Darcy would be a formidable opponent for any who would be foolish enough to bring harm to his family.”
“And you, Colonel?” she asked. “Would your family know your wrath or your protections?”
Jocelyn was not to know his response, for the twins claimed the man’s attention. “Will you stay for a while?” Victoria asked just as Vincent made a request. “May . . . I view . . . your sword?”
Jocelyn sighed internally, as the man turned first to Victoria to say, “I plan to be here, at least a sennight, though I will be out some days visiting the neighboring shires,” and then to the boy, “I promise to permit you to hold the sword later, but you are not to do so without supervision. The sword is a weapon of war, not a toy for the schoolroom. Understand.”
“Yes, sir,” Vincent said dutifully, but a bit of his ego knew deflation.
“Show the colonel your hand,” she instructed the child.
“What is this?” the colonel asked as Vincent extended his bandaged hand for the man’s inspection.
“A horse . . . sir,” Vincent explained, “was attacking . . . a rail. I assisted . . . in tilting him.”
The colonel examined the bandage. “That was quite brave of you,” he told the child, though a slight frown marked his forehead. “Were you alone?”
“No, sir,” the boy answered. “Mr. Jessie . . . and . . . Miss Lambert. Tied the horse’s . . . legs.”
The frown remained when he asked, “I am assuming you are Miss Lambert?”
Mrs. Darcy answered for Jocelyn. “This is my friend, Miss Rose Lambert, Colonel. I apologize for not performing a proper introduction as the joy of Bennet’s first steps and your arrival had us all too excited.”
The colonel smiled upon the lady, his admiration for the woman fully on display, and, like it or not, a scowl formed on Jocelyn’s forehead. “Lord Vincent was telling me of his escapade with the horse.”
“Yes,” Mrs. Darcy continued as she placed her son in Mr. Darcy’s waiting arms. “If not for Rose’s quick thinking, the horse would likely have known a severe injury. Miss Lambert fetched lunge lines to hobble the horse long enough for it to know calm. We are all quite proud of Lord Vincent’s participation and the way he supported her.”
The boy smiled widely, and the colonel rightly followed Mrs. Darcy’s lead. “As am I, Lord Vincent,” he announced. “Although I admit, if I had viewed this venture, I might have known an apoplexy.” He turned to Jocelyn. “Thank you, Miss Lambert, for protecting both my nephew and my brother’s prize horses.”
Mr. Darcy stood and reached a hand down to his wife while still cuddling his son, who babbled “pa...pa” again, much to the delight of the child’s father. The boy could already say “mama,” thanks to Darcy’s coaching the lad to do so. “I agree with my cousin. Your actions were exemplary, Miss Lambert. Yours, as well, Lord Vincent.”
Jocelyn noticed how Vincent beamed with pride. Tears thought to mist the boy’s eyes, but he swallowed them. “Thank you, sir. You, as well, Colonel.”
Mrs. Darcy slid her arm about Mr. Darcy’s waist and snuggled into the man’s side, while the colonel rose with complete grace and reached a hand down to Jocelyn as the child’s latest accomplishment was evidently “in the book,” so to speak.
When Jocelyn accepted his hand, she recognized her mistake immediately. The colonel was a handsome, while rugged-looking, man. He possessed thick chestnut-colored hair that shone with deep copper highlights. His skin was tanned from spending hours in the sun, and his large brown eyes, set off by dark arched brows, sparked with a bit of a “question,” for he had obviously experienced the same “zing” of recognition as she when their bare hands had touched. A small scowl appeared and escaped within a matter of seconds.
His nose had a Roman arch, likely from some sort of confrontation, and his lips were large, with slightly-noticeable smile lines on each side. He was tall and boxy shouldered, which were quite wide. She imagined he could, quite literally, shoulder a world of trouble on them. He possessed a strong muscular body that rippled with power when he moved. She thought being held by him would make any woman feel precious and protected, which was something Jocelyn had not experienced since she was young.
“It is near time for a midday meal,” Mrs. Darcy announced. Rose admired the woman’s easy take control manner of operating in such situations. She could learn much from the woman, for the lady was rarely flummoxed by anything or anyone. “We should each refresh our clothing. Rose, might I impose upon you to oversee the children?”
“We may eat with you?” Victoria inquired. The girl appeared to be quite excited.
“I hold no objection,” Mrs. Darcy stated, obviously leading the way.
“None from me,” Mr. Darcy agreed.
The colonel looked as if he wished to comment, but he said, “It would be good to spend time with the children.”
With that, Jocelyn bobbed a curtsey and caught the children’s hands. “Let us dress for a welcome for your uncle,” she encouraged as they all three charged the steps together.
* * *
Edward waited until the woman and the twins had disappeared before saying, “This is the woman of whom you wrote to Darcy?”
