Page 29 of The Moonstone Governess
Daire listened quietly, knowing he had said whatever needed to be said. For him to now press Brenna would only put her off. But he saw that she was listening to Thaddius.
She scowled at Daire.
He sighed. “What do you not like about my offer?”
“All of it,” she grumbled. “Who are you? My fairy godmother?”
He and Thaddius chuckled.
“Brenna, you do realize how foolishly you are behaving, do you not?” Thaddius said, his manner gentle but stern. “You cannot possibly be angry because His Grace is giving you everything you hoped for. Stop protesting. You only sound ridiculous and ungrateful.”
She turned to study Daire once more. “Be honest with me. Why are you being so generous? First with repairs to the manor, and now with the position you are offering me?”
“Stop viewing it as generosity but as the price I know I must pay to get what I want,” he replied. “Believe me, you will more than earn your keep with Matthew. I am the one getting the bargain here.”
“Assuming I accept your offer.”
He nodded. “Do not be so hasty to reject it. There is a good chance you might not be able to get your teaching post back if the headmistress has immediately moved to fill it. More important, we both know who must have advised the headmistress that you were not returning.”
She folded her arms across her chest and frowned at him again. “Who?”
“Must I say it? Are you not thinking the same thing?” He sighed. “Very well—I shall tell you what you already know. It was your underhanded sneak of a beau. I thought I was ruthless, but he puts me to shame. I would never do such a thing to the woman I loved.”
Tears formed in her eyes.
Daire groaned. “We’ll work it out, Brenna. If you still want your position at Oxford, I’ll use my clout to help get it back for you. But I hope you will seriously consider my offer. It is sensible and more than fair… Even if it is coming from me.”
She stood quietly while he withdrew his handkerchief and cupped her chin to dab at the tears now streaming down her cheeks. “I cannot believe Albert would do this to me.”
“I know, little dove.” He should not have called her that in front of Thaddius, but the innkeeper was the most discreet of all the Angels in Moonstone Landing, so hopefully news of the endearment Daire had just called her would not spread throughout the village like wildfire. “What he did to you was harsh, even for my jaded sensibilities.”
“I am better now. Thank you.”
“Are you certain?” Pain still filled her eyes, and she was going to cry again if he did not do something to ease her distress.
But she hurried out of the inn before he could utter another word.
Daire stared at her as she climbed back into her Uncle Simon’s wagon.
“Your Grace,” Thaddius said, his expression one of concern. “Do you really believe Professor Swanson was the culprit?”
“Who else would have reason?” Daire said. “He’s offered to marry her. She has been putting him off. How better to cut her off at the knees and give her no option but to accept him?”
“It is a dastardly scheme, Your Grace. But I suppose if he loves her, he would be desperate to win her consent, even if it is by unsavory means.”
“Thaddius, I do not see how he loves her. Your cousin is as pure as a newborn lamb. He has never even kissed her.”
The young innkeeper’s eyebrows shot up. “He hasn’t? How do you know?”
“Do not take out your shotgun. I respect Brenna and would never use her badly.” Which Daire had upon their first meeting and his giving her that scorching kiss. But was he not reforming? Had he not promised to do her no harm? “However, I am an experienced hound and understand such things. It is obvious Brenna has never been kissed, and this has me even more concerned.”
“What do you mean?”
“Any man with functioning eyeballs can see how beautiful she is. And yet this man has not eventriedto kiss her. So, why is he determined to marry her?”
Thaddius stared at him blankly for a long moment. “Well, he’s a respectable professor and must hold to a certain standard of comportment.”
Daire dismissed the remark. “He’s a man, Thaddius. Yet not a kiss. Not a touch. I doubt they have exchanged tender words. Well, you and I are not going to resolve anything by standing here. I’ll try to talk to her while we are up at the manor house.”
