His expression held the usual scowl thatirritated her. Would it cost the man a lot to smile occasionally? His constant grumpy attitude was uncalled for.
“Were you born mean?” she said. No one was around, and he was beginning to vex her excessively.
He stiffened.
“Because manners cost very little, and throwing in the occasional smile will not ruin your reputation, Mr. Mungo. It is also good for the children to see it. You are one of the adults they strangely look up to?—”
“Strangely?” The word came out coated in shards of ice.
Maintain strict formality with all senior members of the household. No undue familiarity, casual speech, or over-familiar conversation, and above all, never raise your voice.
Eliza rarely lost her temper or felt a need to yell at someone. This man had made her feel the need for both of those things constantly since she’d come into this household.
She stared into those blue eyes and wondered what lay behind the angry expression. Everyone was the way they were for a reason. What had turned this man into the rude person that stood before her today?
“Look,” Eliza gritted out, attempting to stay calm. “Clearly you don’t like me, for whatever reason, but all I am attempting to say is, would a smile or kind word cause you distress?”
“Are you questioning my behavior toward the young ones in this household?”
The words had come out with more than mere heat behind them. It was not how someone spoke when simply angered. Mungo was clearly outraged, Eliza thought. He didn’t like her taking him to task.
“I know those children better than anyone, so you’ll not tell me how to behave around them,” he growled, leaning in so close that she could see the small dark flecks in thebottom of his right eye and the faint white scar down the center of his forehead.
They stared at each other for long seconds. Eliza could run a finger down one weathered cheek to test the texture.
Absolutely not! Dear God, what am I thinking?
She saw him inhale deeply, and then he stepped back.
“You keep to your own business while you are here in this household and leave me to mine. These people are my concern, my family, and as such, I’ll watch over them.”
“I wish them no harm,” Eliza said, raising her chin.
“It’s an insult for you to question my loyalty to them,” he snapped back. “Were you a man, I’d take you to task further for inferring I have anything but love for this family.”
They glared at each other, and she felt something else sizzling in the air. She labeled it rage, but deep inside, Eliza knew there was more to this than that.
“You dare to say I’m insulting you when every word and look you send my way is exactly that?” She wouldn’t be the one to back down—Eliza had done more than enough of that in her lifetime. “You, sir, are a… a....” He raised a dark brow as she stuttered.
“Lost for words, Miss Downing, and you being a governess?” His smile was mocking now.
“You are a knave!” Eliza shot him a last fulminating look and turned but found she couldn’t move. Turning back, she saw he held a handful of her skirts. “Release me at once.”
“Watch how you step, Miss Downing,” he said, climbing onto the step she’d just left. He then said his next words into her right ear. “I’m watching you. One wrong move and you’re gone.”
“I-I should have left you in that cell,” Eliza snapped, hating how his closeness made her feel.
“I will not say the same for you of that day, as no woman should suffer as you nearly did, madam.”
And just like that, all the fight left her. “It was wrong of me to say those words,” she whispered. “But you provoked me. Now please release me, as I am due to meet the girls for a walk.” He did so, and she fled, taking the stairs up as fast as she could.
After plunging her face into the cold water in her basin, Eliza felt calmer. She then pulled on her jacket, scarf—having finally located it down the bottom of her bed—bonnet and gloves. Making her way back down the stairs, she saw no sign of the disturbing Scotsman.
She forced a smile onto her face as she saw the girls all wrapped up and waiting. “Ready?”
They nodded, and were soon stepping outside.
It was a cool day with a stiff breeze that Fred said was invigorating.
