Page 26 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

That bothered him. But what troubled him more was whatever these two had done to make the childless couple give up on their dream of having children. Especially since Win would have paid them quite a bit extra for the boys’ care.

He nodded to his coachman, who returned to the carriage, and Win took each boy by the hand. He walked them to the vehicle and helped them inside before joining them.

On the way home, he had spoken to them in serious tones, saying they had done a disservice to the Birdwells, who had been willing to take them on, telling them how disappointed their parents would have been. Both boys appeared visibly contrite.

He decided they must be hurting and perhaps he should keep them with him. He could make them his wards. It wasn’t as if they could inherit since they were bastards but he could educate them and they could be trained to work on the estate and make themselves useful.

Truth be told, Win saw much of himself in the two orphans. They never knew their father. His had ignored him to the point where Win didn’t truly know a single thing about his father. Their mother had grown too ill to see to their needs. His mother had barely acknowledged him. In some ways, he was almost an orphan himself. That sealed his decision. He would keep Freddie and Charlie at Woodbridge and do what he could to make them feel special.

Of course, that meant finding someone to care for them. They were too old for a nursery governess and neither knew how to read or write, which a tutor would expect. Win decided the best course of action would be to hire a governess, who could see to their educational and physical needs and be a companion to them. Once the governess caught them up, they could be sent to school at a later date.

He had now been through two governesses in two weeks.

Farmwell had suggested writing to the agency which had represented him and Mrs. Farmwell. They could fill any number of positions, from butlers to cooks to governesses. Knowing the situation was dire, Win had gone into London the next morning, bringing the boys along with him because he was too afraid of what they might do in his absence. They were thrilled to travel with him, having enjoyed the carriage ride from London to Essex earlier that week. Charlie asked if they would be able to have more meat pies. He promised them they could.

Win had met with the head of the agency, briefing him on the boys’ background in rather vague terms. He simply said the boys were distant relatives who had grown up in abject poverty and had no schooling. Both parents were dead and they were to become his wards. He needed a governess with a firm hand to take them under her wing and care for them since they had a propensity for getting into trouble.

The agency’s owner had sung the praises of a particular governess, who had recently completed an assignment and was free to take up a new position. While the man sent word to her, Win took the boys to a bookstore, allowing them to pick out several books filled with pictures. Both Freddie and Charlie had been well-behaved. They stopped for meat pies at a stall and also drank a cup of lemonade before returning to the agency. He couldn’t for the life of him see what the Birdwells had to complain about because the boys were the picture of sweetness. They continued to be little angels the entire ride back to Essex, the new governess in tow.

She came to him three days later, looking a good ten years older, and announced she was returning to London due to her frayed nerves. Once again, she refused to give any specific instances of what was driving her away. Win accompanied her to town, leaving the boys in Larson’s hands. His valet was a man never ruffled and Win assumed watching two six year olds for an entire day would not trouble the servant.

He deposited the governess at the agency and demanded another one be sent immediately. He specifically asked for one capable of disciplining unruly children. The new governess, sour-faced and in her mid-forties, accompanied him back to London. She asked a few questions about her charges and then fell silent the rest of the day.

She lasted a little more than a week.

When she came to Win, he was already expecting it. Actually, dreading it. Larson had begged him never to force him to watch the children again. When he passed whispering servants, they immediately fell silent. No one would tell him what was going on in his own household. By God, he was a duke!

This time, the governess described in great detail what she found wrong with the boys. In his mind, he viewed what she revealed as mere pranks. Of course, that many in a row for a good week would be hard to bear. She told Win of toads placed in her shoes and spiders in her bed. Salt poured into her tea. Honey matted in her hair while she slept. She demanded to be conveyed to London that very minute, saying Freddie and Charlie were hellions of the worst kind and she wouldn’t remain under this roof a minute longer.

He acquiesced to her demand and, this time, did not journey with her to the employment agency. Instead, he called Freddie and Charlie to his study.

Both boys entered with solemn looks on their faces, knowing they were in trouble. He came from behind his desk and sat in a chair across from the settee he ordered them to sit upon.

In his sternest voice, Win asked, “Why were you so mean and spiteful to your governess?”

Freddie harumphed as well as any duke. “Well, she was mean and spiteful to us first.”

Win lectured them but saw they quickly grew bored. Frustration filled him. No one wanted these two. He couldn’t cut them loose. They carried his family’s blood.

He decided to consult Percy. His cousin had a unique way of viewing situations, perhaps because he was so quiet and observed others with interest. If anyone might know what to do about Freddie and Charlie, it would be Percy.

Besides, he had been thinking about Sera Nicholls ever since he had left London. This would give him an excuse to see her, as well. Perhaps the auburn-haired beauty might even have a suggestion to help make the boys behave.

Ringing for Farmwell, Mrs. Farmwell, and Larson, he left Freddie and Charlie in his study so he could speak to the servants in private. Win told the trio he would be gone to his cousin’s for several hours and that they needed to manage the boys. He ignored the looks they exchanged with one another.

“Do whatever it takes. Assign every servant in the house to watch them if you must. Ply them with cake if that will keep them quiet. Let them run outside until exhaustion sets in. Just see that they don’t trouble any of my tenants and don’t burn the house down while I am gone. Is that understood?”

The three nodded glumly and he ordered, “Follow me,” before opening the door and stepping inside the study again.

Win looked at the boys, who actually had remained sitting on the settee. “I must visit my cousin, Lord Kingston. He lives on the next estate over. I will be gone several hours. You are to behave and not be destructive in any way. No pranks will be tolerated. Is that understood?” he thundered.

“Yes, Your Grace,” the pair meekly said in unison.

Looking at them, he saw two forlorn orphans. But he had learned over the course of the past two weeks that looks were terribly deceiving.

He went to the stables and realized his carriage was on the road, conveying the mean, spiteful governess back to town. He really didn’t want to ride by horseback the six miles to Kingwood and arrive hot and sweaty. Thank goodness he recalled seeing another carriage when he first arrived at Woodbridge several months ago. It had been the one his father had used. The head groom had mentioned that the former duke had found it lacking, ordering the present coach.

Win had the second carriage readied and the head groom himself volunteered to drive the team to Kingwood.

Climbing inside the vehicle, he leaned his head against the velvet cushion and closed his eyes. Weariness filled him. Yet the closer he came to Kingwood, anticipation began building within him. He wondered if he would be as taken with Sera Nicholls this time as he was at their first meeting. He had longed to kiss her. Had even thought about making her his duchess, which was a foolish idea. He decided it was pure lust he had felt for her. He hadn’t been with a woman in a good while and she was a remarkable beauty. She was Minta’s sister, for goodness’ sake, not a woman to be dallied with.

Win resolved to seek out Percy and speak only to him regarding his problems. Seeing Miss Nicholls was a poor idea. He would see enough of her at that blasted house party coming up in late August. By then, he better have found a solution to the little terrors under his roof.

Else he’d have to break his promise to Miss Nicholls and skip the party altogether.

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