“Their mother either doesn’t know or doesn’t care how to help them, and I am the clueless, derelict uncle they’ve only just met. You have a way with them; it was obvious from the first moment.”
“But, Your Grace—”
“It’s all settled. I’ll have one of the family rooms made ready.”
“Your Grace—”
“I’ll double your salary. You’ll have copious days off, a pension, letters of reference—whatever you require.”
His tone did not ask her so much as inform her. She let out a little laugh.
“What? You are occupied with other demanding clients?” he guessed.
“No, it’s not—”
“You are needed at home to care for an aging grandmother? A maidan aunt? A beloved family hound?”
“No.”
“But what is it? You’ve said you are unmarried and you live with a sister. Do you find the house unsuitable?” He glanced around the dim cloakroom. “Please do not take this particular room into consideration when you answer.”
She laughed again. “No, it’s none of those. It’s merely that I’d not thought of... living in. For this, you’d want a proper governess, wouldn’t you? I fancy myself a stylist, as I’ve said. A sort of... consultant. If you need help beyond this, perhaps a—”
He was shaking his head. “I don’t want anyone but you.”
Drew paused. She felt a chip fall from the shell around her heart.
She cleared her throat. “I’d hoped to veer away from the designation of governess. It’s fine work but not my area of interest. I am in the business of finishing girls, not bringing them up.”
“Unfortunately, T.O.E. seems to have done the work of bringing them up.” He made a face. “Finishing is exactly what they require. Only, a very great amount of it. If you labored from morning till night—nay, if you put in anunlimitedamount of labor, it still might not be enough. I wish to hire you an unlimited amount. Surely you can manage this?”
It was a ridiculous question, and his expression said he knew this. He did not look entitled, only desperate.
“Please?” he finished.
Another flake of eggshell popped from her heart. Drew closed her eyes, bolstering herself. She opened them again.
“You speak as if refusal is not an option,” she observed. It had to be said.
“But how could you refuse?”
“Well, I could say,No, thank you, and see myself out, couldn’t I?”
“You cannot go.”
She laughed again. Of course she could go and they both knew it.
Lachlan frowned at her laughter, and for whatever reason, this made her laugh even more. His face was no less handsome when he frowned—lucky thing, because he frowned rather a lot. It wasn’t a sad frown or an angry frown, but a look of frustrated irritation. He didn’t appear irritated at her, but athimself, perhaps? At fate?
“Oh yes, go on then. Laugh,” he urged. “It’s not your nieces who’ve been abducted by the religious zealots of T.O.E. these last five years. Beaten by ‘Proctor’ and ‘Matron’ and God only knows who else.”
“Forgive me,” she said, covering her mouth with her fingertips. “I was thinking of yesterday. Rememberyesterday? When I was the amateur instructor with no clients and no prospects, and you only agreed to take me on because the prince commanded it—”
“Just to be perfectly clear,” he corrected, “I agreed to you because I wanted you. Adolphus was the indulged partyin this, not you. I do as I please. Forgive me for allowing you to think otherwise. I am uncomfortable with surprises, and you were, quite literally, a very great surprise. It was to thesurpriseaspect that I... objected—not to you. And you’re no surprise now, you’re—Well, you seem suddenly essential. If ever there was an indulgence, I’m askingyouto indulgeme.”
He took a deep breath. “I need help, Miss Trelayne.”
“Yes,” she heard herself whisper. “Yes, you do.”
