Page 18 of Cinderella's Charade With the Duke
She sat quietly. ‘You mean to say that people might guess as to your lies, but not say them?’
‘Exactly.’
She shook her head. ‘Why would they be willing to do that?’
‘Because it suits them…and in my case because they do not wish to lose favour with a duke like me.’ He shrugged. It sounded deplorable when he said it aloud.
He hoped he was right. There were several truths he hoped never came out and this ruse was one of them.
‘It is a confusing world you live in,’ she replied.
‘You are not wrong.’
She continued to contemplate in silence. ‘And what about Lady Millie? Will it not confuse her to have me as her governess and this Lady Penelope?’
He smiled. ‘I have given this some thought. Before she fell into silence…’ he paused ‘…she loved to play dress up and make believe she was a princess.’
‘I often did the same, your Grace, when I was her age and lived in the orphanage. Not a princess, perhaps, but I pretended I had another life. I venture she loved playing dress up with your wife and all her finery. I know I would have.’
The joy on her face and belief in the goodness of Cecily was not something he dared dispute. Cecily had never had time for such trivialities as playing dress up with her daughter, but Miss Potts didn’t need to know that. He swallowed back the truth. ‘Yes, exactly. Millie loved it. I believe she would enjoy our scheme. We can tell her you will be playing pretend on the night of the ball.’
She nodded, but her smile faded and she shifted in her chair.
‘What can I do to sway you?’ he asked. His pulse quickened. He had to secure her in this. He was determined she say yes, now more than ever. For himself, for his daughter and for her,now. He wanted to help her to build belief and confidence and somehow this seemed the way to do it.
She thought quietly for a moment. ‘If you can promise me some starting money and a recommendation letter for my future employment and one for my two friends, so that we can begin a new life outside Stow if this plan does not work out or you no longer wish for me to be your governess if it fails. I cannot be blamed if it does not fool everyone. I have doubts about how believable I will be in such a role and I do not wish to risk losing everything. My success is too important to me. But another chance such as this may never come along for someone…like me, Your Grace.’
‘Will you promise to dedicate yourself to its success and not sabotage our plan?’ he asked.
She baulked, pressing a hand to her collarbone. ‘I would never sabotage anything, Your Grace. I always put forth my best,’ she stated, sitting up straight and pulling back her shoulders, wincing when her sore shoulder touched the chair back. ‘I just doubt that I can learn to look like or act like a lady of such breeding, especially with only a few days to prepare.’
The woman had pride and a strong will. He sat back, studied her once more, then cast caution aside by telling her the words on his heart. ‘Perhaps not yet, but you could, Miss Potts. I believe in you.’
‘I am honoured by your belief in me,’ she said quietly, colour flushing her throat and cheeks. It was apparent she was not used to kindness or compliments. He would have to tread carefully.
‘I will agree to those terms, Miss Potts. Take the night to think upon what we have discussed before you make your final decision. You have had a horrible day and I have overwhelmed you with my request. My apologies for my poor timing. I can only say that Dr Kemplar has thrust me into urgency on the matter.’ He rose and brought her the Brothers Grimm book hehad been reading that had inspired his offer. ‘Take this book and have a think about it. Come and see me in the morning to let me know what you have decided.’
‘Thank you, Your Grace. I will.’ She accepted the book. He didn’t let go, but took their proximity to say what was now in his heart.
‘And, Miss Potts, I believe you could do anything you set your mind upon based on what I have seen today. Thank you again for what you did for Millie. It was…extraordinary.’
Her eyes widened and she flushed a beautiful, deep-rose pink before she gifted him a timid smile and nodded. ‘Of course, Your Grace.’ He let go of the book and she clutched it to her chest before turning to leave. He smiled. Who would have thought this little brown mouse of a woman from Stow might be his saving grace?
He returned to his study and gazed upon his father’s portrait. He knew his father would find humour in what that little book had brought about. Perhaps his library was a lovely place of respite and where solutions to all of his problems resided after all.
Chapter Eight
Hattie left the room and headed to her chambers. To say she was stunned was an understatement. She couldn’t have been more shocked if he’d confessed to this being an academy as Ophelia and Trudy had teased her about before she’d left to start her adventure here as governess. How she longed for their counsel now. They would know what to do. She didn’t.
Her mind was racing, her thoughts colliding with one another, and her uncertainty was as big as the Manor itself. She sealed herself safely into her chambers, pressed her body against the back of the door to ensure she was indeed awake and not dreaming, and closed her eyes. She couldn’t possibly pretend to be some Lady Penelope Denning.
Could she?
She opened her eyes and moved away from the door and allowed herself to soak in the calm beauty of her room. She set aside the book the Duke had given her on her nightstand and walked to the large, gilded dressing mirror. Standing before it, she tried to imagine herself with the trappings of a fine silk gown, sparkling jewels, a fancy bandeau woven through her tresses and pristine gloves matching her dress. She gathered up her hair in a twist with her good arm and couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of such an idea.
Trudy would have pursed her lips at her and Ophelia would have cheered on her foolishness as she had when they were little. On rainy days, the trio of them could while away a whole afternoon pretending to be anything other than where they were or what they were: orphans alone in the world. Their favourite game they nicknamed ‘the day’. It wasthe daythey would be adopted all together by a fancy, wealthy family that loved them instantly. They used old ribbons to tie back their hair and a sheet from their beds as a long train as one of them pretended to be their new mother, a regal yet kind woman eager to love them just as they were.
Hattie’s chest tightened. That day had never come. No one had ever adopted any of them. No wealthy family had saved them. They had aged out of the orphanage and saved themselves. Together. She tugged up the cuff sleeve of her dress and ran her fingertips over the worn string bracelet with three purple glass beads around her wrist. Hers was identical to the ones Ophelia and Trudy had and the three of them had worn them for years as wish bracelets. Once broken, their wishes were supposed to come true. While none of them had been worn away and broken just yet, they teased how Ophelia would forcibly break hers so her wish of finding her prince would come true soon, as she had grown restless of waiting.
