“I brought something better,” Désirée replied, and reached into the carriage for the two treats she’d set aside the day before, while baking for her family. “A piece ofmille feuillefor each of you.”
The twins hesitated.
Belatedly, Désirée realized the household undoubtedly had its own non-porcine chef, who was more than capable of baking the children sugared treats anytime they pleased.
“If you dislike delicious pastries,” she said, “I’ll send these home to the pig.”
“Am I the pig?” Bastien stage-whispered in English. “Please say I’m the pig.”
The twins ran forward and snatched the squares ofmille feuillefrom Désirée’s hands before the treats were gone forever.
Jack sent them a stern look.
“À bientôt, little sister,” Bastien said to Désirée in French. “I love you. We’re here if you need us. If the children misbehave, dunk them in the stream.”
“I will,” she promised.
“They’d like that,” Jack said with a sigh. “That’s where the geese are.”
“I’ll think of something better,” she assured him as her brother climbed back into his carriage and drove away.
The le Ducs always thought of something. They’d once had everything, then nothing, and were clawing their way back toward the top. A temporary post as interim governess was the least of what she’d do to restore her family back in France.
“Now for the tour.” Jack led her up a flight of stairs. “Bedchambers are this way. The guest chamber is here to the left; your trunk is already inside. The children have the chamber opposite. There is an interior door connecting to what was once a separate nursery and is now their schoolroom, and it can also be reached from the end of that hall. My bedchamber is just beyond, and the staff quarters directly underneath.”
He led her back down to the ground floor via a different staircase, taking her past the kitchen and scullery and the exit to the rear garden, on past his private office, to the grand dining room and comfortable parlors in the front of the house.
In one, the children sat before a fire, making quick work of themille feuilleDésirée had brought. The other drawing room was vacant of children, but contained an elegant tea tray set for two.
Jack gestured for Désirée to select the seat of her choice next to the fire.
“I’m told nine in the morning is too early for a visit to the wine cellar, so we’ll save that for another day.” His shameless grin indicated he visited his wine cellar any time he pleased. “I thought we might start lessons tomorrow, and today let you become familiar with your new accommodations and more comfortable around the children.”
“Very thoughtful,” Désirée murmured as she poured herself a cup of tea.
In fact, everything Jack had done so far had been extremely thoughtful. She shouldn’t be surprised. The prescient attention to detail that made him one of the country’s most successful smugglers of French brandy was likely the same characteristic that made him a competent manager of his household and an excellent father.
“Your children don’t seem upset to have a usurper in their midst,” she commented.
“They’re not upsetanymore,” he admitted wryly. “As unimpressed as they originally were, they took the news much better than I had feared, given how violently they oppose the idea of a stepmother.” He widened his eyes. “Perhaps recountingChildren’s Talesfrom the Brothers Grimm was a bad idea.”
She dropped a lump of sugar into her tea. “You speak German?”
“You know the book?” he asked in surprise.
“The castle lending library just received a copy. Virginia translated the title for me, and I returned it to the shelf.”
“Excellent choice.” He nodded approvingly. “Exactly what I should have done. Or at least refrained from calling the twinsHänselandGrethelwhen they misbehave. If ever you come across a lovely cottage made of gingerbread and spun sugar…Run.”
“Sage advice.” She pantomimed taking notes in a journal. “I shall add that to the list, right after ‘spiders’ and ‘warm ratafia.’”
He gasped in horror. “Who doesn’t like spiders?”
“Everyone.” She shivered daintily. “If your children do not already possess a solid phobia, that will become our first lesson.”
“Then it sounds like you have the curriculum well in hand. Let’s discuss the timetable. How about lessons from nine to noon, then again from two to six, breaking once for tea? You would be encouraged, but not required, to join us in the dining room for meals. Sundays would be yours to do as you please.”
“That is more than fair.” Désirée wasn’t certain whether to be thrilled at the unexpected day off every week, or disappointed at the commensurate loss in income. Then again, she had been thinking of her stay in terms of days rather than weeks. “How long do you suppose it will take to find a proper governess?”
