Page 19 of One Night of Surrender
“Presumably.He said I could stay as long as necessary, but Lady Barkley strongly suggested I would be able to find something within a fortnight.I took that to mean that I should be gone from their household by then.”Perhaps Isabelle’s outrage and hurt were also behind her interpretation, but whatever the reason, she planned to exit their household as soon as possible.She’d use her savings to rent lodgings if she had to.
Val’s mouth turned down, and his eyes narrowed.“They won’t expel you if you don’t have a new situation.”
“No, I can’t imagine they would.”That had been true until today.Until she’d seen the triumph in Lady Barkley’s eyes.Then Isabelle had known that the woman wanted Isabelle gone.
“You are welcome to stay here as long as you need.”
She stared at him.“And that wouldn’t cause a scandal.”Her wry tone nearly made him smile.
“I’m sure I can come up with a reason for needing an exceptionally intelligent woman on my staff.Perhaps I’ll hire you as my secretary.”
“Don’t you already have a secretary?”
“I do, but surely I can justify two.”He winked at her, and her heart fluttered.For a brief moment, she was tempted to let him take care of her, to fix the wrongs in her world.
But she wouldn’t.If she’d learned anything, it was that there was just one person who could be counted on to take care of her: herself.
CHAPTER 7
“Eastleigh!”
Tonight, Val merely raised his hand in greeting before depositing himself between Cole and Cole’s soon-to-be-relative, Thad Middleton.When Doyle brought him his tankard, Val swallowed the contents, then wordlessly handed the empty tankard back to him.
“I haven’t seen you drink an ale like that since Oxford.”Though Cole’s tone was heavy with humor, Val detected the edge of concern.
“Suffice it to say I am dealing with issues I haven’t had since Oxford.”
Cole’s brows lifted for a brief moment before he sipped his beer.Then he rose from his chair.“Pardon us for a bit, Middleton, Eastleigh and I have some Wicked Duke business to discuss.”He looked at Val and inclined his head toward the private salon.
Val got up and followed him to the corner table, accepting his refilled tankard from Doyle along the way.
“Now what’s wrong?”Cole asked as soon as he was seated.
“Barkley hired a new governess to replace Isabelle.”
Cole winced.“That’s bloody awkward.He couldn’t have waited until he was out of your house?”
“Apparently not.As you can imagine, we are full to the brim with all of them and the staff they traveled with.Isabelle is now ensconced in a guest room next to my chamber.”Val peered at Cole over the rim of his mug before he took a drink.
“That sounds…convenient.”
“It was that or cram the new governess into her tiny room along with her.What would have been uncomfortable in a normal circumstance would then have been utterly disagreeable.Can you imagine having to share a closet-sized chamber with the person who’d stolen your job?”
“I presume she didn’tstealit—”
Val glowered at him and was satisfied when Cole didn’t finish his ridiculous and unnecessary observation.
“You are quite upset by this,” Cole said.
“Shouldn’t I be?Isabelle is the smartest woman I know.If there’s a better governess out there, on second thought, no, there isn’t a better governess out there.There are just different kinds.So she doesn’t play an instrument or teach them other…lady stuff.Barkley could have hired this new governess in addition to Isabelle.”
“Have you pointed that out to him?”
Val snapped his gaze to Cole’s.“No.Should I?”He waved a hand.“Never mind.It’s probably curious enough that I am lodging her in a guest room.If I speak to Barkley on her behalf, I am confident she would not appreciate it.As it was, I had to force her to move into the guest room, and if she hadn’t been faced with having to share with her replacement, I’m not sure she would have agreed.”
“Force her?I hope you’re not being an arrogant ass.”
“I am not.I am simply trying to help a friend in need.”
