Page 18 of One Night of Surrender
“That’s incredibly short-sighted of them.We shall simply find you a better position.There are far more influential families than Lord Barkley’s.My grandmother will ensure you have the finest appointment—”
She cut him off.“No.I do not require, nor do I desire, your grandmother’s assistance.It was clear to me she found I lacked certain skills.I highly doubt she’d recommend me as a governess.”
He frowned.“Perhaps it’s wrong to call you a governess, then.You are a tutor.You could be teaching young men in addition to women.”
She didn’t disagree, but that wasn’t possible.“No one will hire me to teach their sons.”
“Have you considered teaching at a school?It’s bloody ridiculous you can’t teach at Oxford.You’re smarter than many of the dons,” he added.
She’d done more than consider.She wanted to be headmistress of her own school, and she’d saved nearly enough money to either buy one or start her own within the next year or two.The loss of her employment would set her back, unless she could find another position immediately.Perhaps she ought to accept the dowager’s help—if she was willing to offer.Isabelle wasn’t as certain as Val, but then she didn’t know his grandmother like he did.
And yet, she hated to take another governess position when she’d only plan to leave it in the near future.She’d wondered how she would be able to say goodbye to Beatrice and Caroline, had dreaded it, in fact.Now that the moment was here, she was overcome with sadness.Did she really want to endure that again?
“I can see you’re thinking rather deeply,” Val said softly.“This must be a blow.”
She lifted her gaze to his.“It is what happens, I’m afraid.I do appreciate you dispatching my correspondence.”
He exhaled.“I’m glad you’ll let me.I am going to offer you something else, and you can’t refuse it.You’ll move to one of the guest rooms on the second floor.”
She wanted to refuse it.Sheshouldrefuse it.“What happens if I decline?”
“As I said, you can’t.I’m going to instruct Mrs.Watkins to move your things right now.”There was his arrogant streak.
“I should decline.”
“You can’t.I don’t have enough room, and unless you want to share your closet with your replacement, you’ll stay in a guest room.”
Put like that, he was right.“No, I can’t decline,” she murmured.She hated not having choices, but then one would think she’d be used to that by now.
He stood.“Help yourself to parchment and quill.The latter is on the desk, and the paper is in the topmost drawer on the left.Just move my documents aside.”
“What are they?”she asked, eyeing the desk.
“It’s a draft proposal regarding weights and measures.My friend Colehaven is going to present it.His betrothed helped write it.”
Isabelle stood and went to the desk.“A woman?”
“She’s rather brilliant.In fact, the two of you would get along famously.”
Too bad they would never meet.Unless she needed to hire a governess, which she obviously did not since she was not even married yet.
“You remember Cole?”Val asked.
She looked over at him, recalling the two wicked dukes who’d set Oxford on its ear for a time.Some had found them beyond infuriating, but Isabelle’s father had liked them both.And of course Isabelle had been utterly captivated by Val.“I do.He’s getting married?”
“Yes, soon.”
She couldn’t help but think of Val’s marriage.She’d read about his wedding in the paper right around the time her husband had died.Her relief at being free had been eclipsed by her sadness at learning Val was not.Had she thought she’d had a chance to become his duchess?No, that was absurd.She’d known it then just as she’d known it ten years ago.Just as she knew it now.
“I shall pray that his marriage knows more happiness than either of ours.”
Val stepped toward the desk, his gaze dark.“Was your marriage unhappy?”
Yes, but she wasn’t going to say so.“I only meant that we lost our spouses rather quickly.That’s not a very happy ending.”
He stared at her a moment, his eyes intent, before his shoulders relaxed and the tension in his jaw released.Had his marriage been unhappy?She recalled his reaction when she’d first mentioned the death of his wife and longed to ask but didn’t dare.Those were intimacies they mustn’t indulge.
“I’ll see you to your room.”He turned to go, then hesitated and pivoted back toward her.“Will you be leaving with Lord and Lady Barkley when their town house is ready?”
