Page 3 of Her Duke to Beguile: Lady Be Wicked
“Are we?” He lifted a brow, mocking her. “I give you a day.”
With that precarious statement, he turned around and strode out of the room. What a little shite… They would see about that. She would gladly give him a lesson in manners first of all. He might not know it yet, but he’d thrown the gauntlet and Eleanor gladly picked it up. No one bested her. Especially not a little bratty boy who should know better…
She turned toward the countess and pasted a smile on her face. “Your son seems lovely.”
She snorted. Actually snorted. “It’s kind of you to say that, but I know he’s a bloody brat. I do hope you can teach him manners. I’ve failed to make him realize how important they are. It is why we’re living at my brother’s home. It is my intention that between you and the duke, he’ll be exposed to how polite society interacts with each other. He won’t last at Eton if he keeps up this rude behavior.”
She expected the duke to help teach her son manners? At least she realized the boy was rude. Some parents thought their child could do nothing wrong. “I believe that can be done. It won’t happen immediately, though. It will take time for the necessity to absorb into that mind of his. He’s too used to having his way, it seems.” She wouldn’t have been so honest if the countess hadn’t done so first. “But once I have a plan in place, I need you to follow it too. It won’t work if you give in to every one of his demands.”
The housekeeper grinned. It was the first time Mrs. Hopson had shown any emotion. “I believe I’ve said as much.”
“Yes, you have.” Lady Craven sighed. “Outline your lessons and we will discuss them. Once we decide on what to do, I will follow them, and I’ll ensure the staff and my brother do as well. Elliot needs consistency more than anything. I grieved for his father too long and now we’re all paying a heavy toll for my lack of discipline.”
“It’s not too late, my lady.” She met her gaze and smiled softly. “He can unlearn undesirable behaviors in much the way he learned them to begin with. We’ll have him on the right path in time. You just need to be patient.”
“I will,” she said. “I have no choice.”
That’s ironic. Eleanor had believed the same thing when she approached Cranbrook Castle. Now she felt a little lighter. This was where she needed to be, and she’d make a wonderful governess. She felt light for the first time in days, no weeks. Finally, fortune smiled upon her. She wouldn’t waste this opportunity. It might be her last chance at creating a life for herself.
Two
Two months later…
The carriage hit a bump in the road and sent George into the side. His head bounced off lightly and he groaned. He hated traveling, but unfortunately this trip was necessary. He was returning home. No, that wasn’t the truth. He was running. His meeting with the Duke of Allister may have wrapped his reasons for returning to Cranbrook Castle into a tidy bow, but he knew the truth. The last thing he wanted to do was return home to escape marriage minded misses from sinking their claws into him.
He didn’t want to be trapped into marriage. If he were to be honest, he didn’t know if he would ever want to marry. Yes, one day he would have to find a wife, but he aimed for that to be on his own terms. He should marry sooner rather than later. Then he would be done with that chore, but he couldn’t find it in himself to bind himself a woman yet. There was nothing convenient about marriage, and if he leapt into one, it would become something unbearable.
The carriage turned and started the long trek down the drive to Cranbrook Castle. Soon it would stop and he’d finally be able to escape the confines of the carriage and he could walk inside his home. His sister had the run of the castle and he had left it willingly in her capable hands. Ever since her husband died, she had come to live at Cranbrook. The eighth Earl of Craven had left his estate nearly destitute. George had taken over overseeing the estate, so when his nephew came of age, he wouldn’t have any funds to take care of his properties. Part of ensuring that meant downsizing the household expenses and therefore eliminating any unnecessary staff. There had only been one solution, and it required his sister and nephew to reside with him.
That had been a year earlier. Now the estate was starting to produce income again, and by the time his nephew was ready to attend Eton, it should be more than prosperous. His sister could stay at Cranbrook or she could return to Craven Abbey. He would leave the decision up to her.
Now, though… He had other considerations to make. If he did marry, where would that leave his sister? She’d had control over the castle for a year now. Would she resent the new duchess once he married? He hoped not. Of course, this all depended on him finding a woman he wanted to marry. That was unlikely to happen soon. Especially since he fully planned on remaining at Cranbrook for a couple of months. The chances of him finding a bride at his own home was quite unlikely. That was the entire reason he’d decided to return to the castle. He needed that very reprieve.
The carriage came to a stop. He took a deep breath, then pushed open the door. He didn’t need the footman to open it for him. George was more than ready to exit, and he didn’t wish to wait a second longer than necessary. The servants would see to his trunks. He strode to the entrance and walked inside. No one was there to greet him, and he wasn’t sure if that bothered him or not. He had sent word he would be returning. Where was everyone?
As if on cue, a boy came barreling through the foyer and collided into him. George groaned, but grabbed his nephew and set him in front of him. “Elliot,” he said sternly. “Are you supposed to be running through the house?”
“I had to,” Elliot insisted. “You don’t understand.”
He closed his eyes briefly and prayed for patience. “Then please explain it to me.”
Elliot was a handful, and he thought his sister had hired a governess that could handle his willful nature. Clearly, that hadn’t been the case. Not if his current actions had anything to recommend the woman. She clearly didn’t know what she was doing.
A few seconds later a woman strode into the foyer, a little out of breath, and a little irritated. Strands of blonde hair framed her face. Not by design, but because they had clearly escaped from the stern bun she had fashioned them into earlier that day. She had high cheekbones and a perfectly bow shaped mouth that had been designed for kisses. Her eyes were a pale blue that would resemble ice on a cold winter day, but sent heat straight through him. A mixture of fire and ice that burned—he had never been so intrigued at first sight. Who was this woman?
She wiped her hands over her dark blue skirt and focused all of her attention on Elliot. “Lord Craven,” she said sternly. “Do I need to remind you that you should not be running in the halls?”
He pushed up his chin defiantly and said, “And do I need to remind you that you are a servant? You do what I say.”
George rolled his eyes. This nonsense had to stop now. Perhaps it was good that he had returned to the castle. Elliot needed to learn more than mere manners. He had to learn how to treat people, servant or not. No one should be disrespected. He cleared his throat. “You must be the new governess.”
Elliot tilted his head to the side and grinned. It was something almost evil and George didn’t like it. “Now you’re going to understand. My uncle is home and you’re going to have to listen. He’s a duke.”
Bloody hell… The pretty governess lifted her gaze to his. His gut clenched, and he lost all ability to breathe. Without saying one word, she said more than he knew possible, and damned if he didn’t want to uncover everything about her.
Eleanor had been the Earl of Craven’s governess for a mere week, and she was failing. She thought she could handle him, and for the most part, she had. That didn’t mean that she didn’t have to fight for every bit of ground she gained or that he listened. He refused to sit still for longer than a few moments and then took off if she was distracted, even for a little bit.
And now the duke was home…
