Page 6 of The Earl's Disguised Governess
Her voice was tinged with a hint of melancholy as she said it, and Ernest couldn’t help wondering what Miss Gundry’s full story was. He hadn’t pried much, only eager to hire a governess for Florence’s last year before debuting.
“We shall continue our lessons tomorrow,” Miss Gundry told her.
“Thank you, Miss Gundry.” Florence’s voice also reflected that melancholy, and Ernest could not help wondering if it wasat being alone once again upon her governess’s departure. Or perhaps it was at the music? Ernest should have known these things offered support for the girl, but even now, he could not convince himself to take one step into the room.
But he was too busy focusing on that, and he did not notice when the governess packed up her books and bid his ward goodbye, walking out of the music room. He could not hide quick enough, and the young woman collided with him.
She let out a harsh noise as her books tumbled to the floor.
“My Lord!” she cried out, rushing to pick up her books as he did. “I am sorry. I did not see you there.”
She paused, looking up, and her eyes caught his. A faint blush rose to her cheeks at his attention, but he could not look away until he realized how long he had been gazing at her.
“Oh—of course. Right. No, do forgive me. I should not have been lingering.” He reached for one of her strewn books at the same time as her. Their hands brushed, and he pulled back sharply, clearing his throat. Claire still reached for the book, picking it up herself. Awkwardly, he stood back up.
“I—well—apologies for … knocking your books to the ground, Miss Gundry.”
“It is my own fault, My Lord. I should have been looking where I was going.”
“No, no, do not trouble yourself with blame.”
Stop going in circles, you fool! he chided himself. Why am I here? Ah, yes, to ask about Florence’s progress and to see how I might get involved more.
“I—” As soon as he opened his mouth to ask, a call echoed down the hall, a shrill beckoning that shivered down his spine unpleasantly. Lady Katherine came walking towards him, having taken to her position and place in Little Harkwell House very well. Of course she would, he thought. She was a former lady of the Ton.
And yet her husband, a physician, remained back in London, noticeably without his wife. Lady Katherine’s eyes darted between Ernest and Claire, and a slight frown marred her forehead.
“What are you doing?” she barked.
“I was simply checking on Lady Florence’s progress. I, unfortunately, was in the way of Miss Gundry’s exit and—”
“Well, do not loiter, boy. It is rather unbecoming of you. You are an earl now, Ernest. I require your presence in my solar and make haste.”
He met Claire’s gaze, humiliated by his mother’s speech. She only fought a smile, ducking her head. She curtsied once to him before curtsying to his mother.
“Lord Bannerdown,” she said. “Lady Katherine.”
Katherine returned a tight smile as Claire turned and fled down the hallway, clutching her books. Ernest could not take his eyes off the sway of her blue skirt around her ankles or how her white blouse puffed at the sleeves but emphasized her slender neck. And the way she had not waited for him to pick up her books but had done it herself …
He rather liked that. Other women feigned dropping their fans at balls just so a gentleman would pick it up, and while Ernest would be a gentleman and help, Claire’s independence had her swooping right down immediately.
A strand of Claire’s hair came loose as she hurried away. At the end of the hallway, before she turned out of sight, she glanced back at him. He flushed with warmth at being caught watching yet again. She disappeared around the corner, and Ernest returned to focus on the clearing of his mother’s throat.
“I requested you make haste, dear,” she said.
“Of course, Mother,” he said.
I shall enquire about Lady Florence’s progress later, he vowed.
Chapter 2
Claire rushed down the hallway as quickly as she could without completely running away from the earl. For three weeks, ever since the housekeeper had hired her, she had kept a respectful distance from the Earl of Bannerdown, as had been instructed.
He was a quiet man, she had noticed, who often kept to himself deep within the confines of his study and did not emerge very often. Claire knew it wasn’t her place to question but she was not even sure he asked Lady Florence how her day was at any given dinnertime.
Was it nerves or arrogance?
But as she ducked around the corner of the hallway to catch her breath, she could not deny that she thought it was not arrogance. For there had been a kindness in the earl’s eyes. A mysterious look to him, as though they held depths she could not understand. His chestnut-coloured hair was curly, atop his head in thick lengths that was cut neatly around his ears. Word had it her employer had been in the king’s army, but Claire heard so much gossip she did not know what rumour was and what was true.
