“Aha, fair play!” she exclaimed as the game drew to a close. She had willingly let them win. The smiles on their faces had made it worth it. “You both did so well, good job.”
Christopher had been quietly observing their interactions from the corner of the room, looking impressed.
“I haven’t gotten them to smile even once,” he admitted when Frances went to discard the sheet of paper.
“I suppose one of us is better at handling children than the other,” Frances replied and then tore her gaze away from him immediately.
Something about the intensity of his gaze made it difficult for her to string together coherent sentences, and it was best if she did not look at him directly for too long.
Christopher was about to retort when the maid came back into the room with the plate of cut-up pears.
“Very good, Rosaria. Now, let us see if they like what this mysterious knower of children has suggested,” he mused before taking the plate from her hands and putting it on the bedside table.
“It’s your favorite.” Frances smiled. “A win like that deserves a fair reward.”
Ernest was the first to pick up a piece, followed by Edwin, who was much more shy. But soon, they were digging into the fruit eagerly, famished from not having eaten properly for days.
“Well, I’ll bedamned,” she heard Christopher mutter under his breath.
Riding on the wave of confidence, Frances turned to Rosaria once again. “They look like they require a change of clothes and a bath. Make sure that the water is lukewarm. Oh, and as for their diet, boiled mutton is an absolute no. But they will eat boiled eggs in the morning, and potato stew for their meals. I’ll draw up a list for you.”
“I’ll draw the bath now.” Rosaria nodded. The poor woman looked positively enthused that something was finally working.
“Excellent.” Frances smiled and then turned to the twins. “A belly full of food, and a nice bath will do you right. And then it’s time for a nap.”
She touched their little hands lightly, and they did not flinch away. She was beginning to build trust with them only because she was saying all the things that they were already familiarwith. It was a first step, but she felt pleased with what she had accomplished today.
“Will you come back?” Ernest asked quietly.
“Of course. I am not going anywhere,” she promised them.
To what degree could she keep that promise, she was not certain yet.
If she told Christopher the truth, would he let her visit? She knew that Peter’s family was not accepting of her friend Lydia at all. For a second, she considered the possibility of pretending to be their governess if only it meant that she got to spend time with them. But it was no good. What would she tell her family?
She was still lost in her thoughts when Christopher tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
“A word? Inprivate.”
“Oh, right. Of course.”
She had almost forgotten that he was even there.
He led her back to his study, where he began pacing back and forth, scratching the back of his head.
“What a masterclass that was!Bravo!You seem to have done the impossible and gotten through to the children. You’re hired immediately. Surely, a woman with your skills must demand a great price, but rest assured, money is no problem. I will cover every?—”
“Your Grace,” Frances interrupted his rather enthusiastic monologue.
“What?” he asked, confused. “Now, do not say that you cannot commit full-time. Whatever your previous employer is paying, I am willing to pay double.”
She shook her head lightly. “I am afraid that you have this all wrong. When I told your butler that I was here to see the children, he must have misconstrued the reason for my visit. I am not here to become their governess.”
Christopher was looking at her with suspicion now. “But you handled them with such expertise. What other explanation could there be?”
“Their mother, Lydia, was a close friend of mine. I came right after I heard the news,” she admitted.
“Oh… I suppose I had not considered that.” He took a seat, scratching the back of his head.
