Blast! He never had trouble speaking with his nieces, but they were children.
“In London...” he began. “Hyde Park. That day…”
She smiled at him. “I enjoyed our stroll very much.”
“I, as well.”
She glanced back at the mail coach. A few of the passengers had emerged from the coffee house. He needed to speak quickly, or she’d be on her way.
“You should be our governess,” Winifred blurted out. “Uncle Preston says we are in need of one.”
“Or three,” added Lila.
“But he doesn’t know how to go about getting one,” explained Theodora.
Miss Claywell laughed. “All young misses should have a governess, but I’m certain that only one is necessary.”
“It should be you,” Winifred dictated as if she held the power to make such decisions.
Governess!
That was it. The girls liked her. In the few moments that he was away, she’d gotten them to sit properly, and they were attentive. Normally he’d not offer such a position to one of Miss Claywell’s standing, but he also knew her current circumstances.
If she were in his house, it would afford them the opportunity to come to know one another, then he could court her as he’d planned to do in London. He’d been called home before he’d gotten the chance.
“She’s right,” Preston said. “They would…that is…” She was going to think him mad for even making such a suggestion, and hopefully, she wasn’t insulted. “I’m certain you have grander plans.”
He anticipated her rejection to his offer and when it came, he’d need to confess the truth behind the marriage proposal.
Althea’s only immediate plan was to avoid her uncle for as long as possible.
If she were to become a governess for Lord Melcombe’s nieces, she could hide in his home.Hishome.
It would provide an opportunity denied when he’d been called from London. She’d been so hopeful that he’d court her, but he left within only a few days of their walk in Hyde Park. Perhaps Lord Melcombe had no intention of courting her then, but Althea wasn’t willing to give up hope, even if it required that she be retained as a governess for his nieces. The waltzes and the stroll may have had no effect on him, but they had on her. So much so that she’d judged and compared every gentleman to Lord Melcombe.
Yet, it was a risk. If she took the position, her infatuation may grow and if he failed to notice that she could be more, it would be crushing.
Did she protect her heart and continue her journey? Or did she hope for more and stay?
Yet, that wasn’t her only concern. “Your uncle, Mr. Smith, is a close friend to my uncle.”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Does he visit or write to you often?” Her uncle may not think to look for her here, but if Mr. Smith were to write or even visit, she may be forced to marry him.
“My uncle rarely travels to Willanton. We hardly correspond.”
Lord Melcombe had always been a gentleman of few words and she appreciated that he delivered information quite succinctly. Though the lack of warmth in his tone was rather disconcerting. It wasn’t that he was cold, but it was something else. He was more formal than when they last spoke.
However, what brought her comfort was the knowledge that his uncle might not learn where she was, thus becoming Melcombe’s governess would allow Althea time to decide what she would do next, and also come to know the gentleman who had haunted her thoughts and dreams.
Althea looked up into his warm blue eyes and knew that she wished to remain. She also prayed that he never learned of the marriage offer from his uncle because that would ruin everything.
“Actually, Lord Melcombe, I’ve nothing pressing that requires my attention. Further, my family is not expecting me. I decided to travel on a whim, so they’d not notice when I don’t arrive.”
“You’ll take the position?” He pulled back as if shocked.
If she were him, she’d be surprised as well. Melcombe knew of her family. Governesses were usually misses from gentry who were educated, but without funds, or had been placed on the shelf, or otherwise unmarriageable.
