Page 69 of The Moonstone Governess
“You’ve been toiling in the sun too long.” Daire cut short their discussion, for he was irritated by everyone’s meddling in his business.
Wasn’t he already lecturing himself? And resisting the obvious conclusion—he had to marry Brenna or get out of her life completely.
But life without this lovely girl would be a barren existence for him.
Daire and Jax rode over to Westgate Hall in the early evening. Brenna, Juliana, and Matthew were there, all of them having a wonderful time. Matthew’s cheeks were pink from the sun, and his shirt was pulled out of his breeches as he played spillikins in a quiet corner of the parlor with the girls.
Daire decided to leave the boy to his friends. In truth, he was worried Matthew would withdraw inside himself the moment he noticed his uncle had arrived. But the lad was lost in the game with Ella and Imogen, who were fussing over him like a pair of mother hens.
Was this not exactly what the boy needed?
Daire greeted Burness and his wife warmly and introduced them to Jax.
To Daire’s relief, the children were to be taken upstairs to the nursery quarters and fed there, along with Burness’s twin boys, who the marquess claimed were little terrors and could not be set loose in decent company.
Phoebe laughed. “It is not so. They are wonderful boys. They helped Matthew, Ella, and Imogen build sandcastles on the beach until it was time for their nap. They all had a wonderful afternoon.”
“We will happily return the invitation as soon as Stoningham Manor is put in order,” Daire said. “Bringing Matthew to Moonstone Landing is the best thing I could have done.”
Brenna agreed and then excused herself to follow the children out, but Daire stopped her. “Are you not dining with us?”
Lady Phoebe nodded. “Yes, Brenna. Do not be ridiculous.”
“But I am the boy’s governess. Is it not right that I should attend to him?” The blush on Brenna’s cheeks said it all. She was the only one present without a title, and obviously felt the class difference acutely.
Daire growled. “He will be fine with Burness’s nieces and his little boys.”
Burness nodded. “We have two governesses up there already. Not to mention Ella and Imogen are going to fuss over him, too. He will not even notice your absence.”
Daire smiled. “So you see, it is all in order. Join us, Miss Angel.”
He knew it was brazen of him to demand it, especially after all the protestations he’d made when pressed on the matter of his feelings for Brenna by Jax and Juliana. He would not have said anything were it not obvious Burness and his wife felt the same and wanted her at their table.
Lady Phoebe took her by the arm and led her into the dining room. “As you can see, we included you in our count. I am not having the place setting taken away. Besides, you will completely throw off our numbers if you take your meal in the nursery. With you, we are a balanced table. Three men. Three ladies.”
Brenna blushed, her discomfort still obvious. “All right.”
Juliana cast Daire a disapproving look. It wasn’t that she disapproved of Brenna. She disapproved of his stalling to do what was right.
Bollocks.
Was no one ever going to let up on him? No matter what anyone said, he was not about to bare his heart to a girl he’d known less than a week. It did not matter that he felt as though he had known her forever. Time was important. Actual days, weeks, months.
Why was Juliana rushing him? Was there something going on with her that he ought to know about? She had looked a little wan. Perhaps it was more than travel fatigue.
He would pursue the matter later.
Since they were only six in the party, the Burnesses had chosen to use what they called their winter dining room, which was small and cozy. Brenna was seated across from him and beside Jax. The marquess and his wife sat at opposite ends of the table, while Juliana was seated beside Daire.
By the time the soup course was served, everyone was on a first-name basis.
“Daire,” Cormac, the marquess, said, “give the boy time to heal. He will come around to it, especially with Brenna’s guidance.”
Phoebe nodded. “It took Cormac three years after he lost his arm, and he was a grown man. Although I think children heal much faster. I noticed that horrid welt on his chest. He told Brenna that his former governess had hit him.”
“Those on his back were done by his father and mother,” Juliana added, pain etched in her features. “The boy was so badly bruised when Daire found him and brought him home. I do not understand how people can be so cruel.”
“Nor do I,” Jax said. “But we three men faced barbarity almost daily on the battlefield. Perhaps life is meant to be cruel and we must grab our happiness wherever we can find it.”
