One corner of the duke’s mouth lifted a touch. “Take it however you wish. It won’t change the fact you were stern, sensible, but somehow managed to be quite nice about it at the same time. That let me know while you will be thorough with my sisters and their behavior, you will also be kind and fair. So see, when I said someone recommended you to me, it was you, Miss Swift. You recommended yourself without knowing it.”
His words of praise covered her like a warm blanket on a snowy night. She shouldn’t be susceptible to his compliments. They were simply a device to get what he wanted from her.
The duke pulled his gloves from his coat pocket and gave her a half smile. “And I’ve decided to give you until next Monday to be at my house with Napoleon, Josephine, and your new wardrobe in tow. That gives you a week to settle all your affairs. I’ll send a carriage for you at eight.”
With that he turned and walked out, the tail of his black cloak flaring out behind him.
Chapter 4
Don’t back down when you are right, but if you must, do find a way to back down nicely.
MISSMAMIEFORTESCUE’SDO’SANDDON’TSFORCHAPERONES, GOVERNESSES, TUTORS,ANDNURSES
Esmeralda watched the broad-backed man quietly close the door behind him.
She didn’t know how long she stared after him before relaxing her tense shoulders and letting out a long sigh of relief. For an instant she wondered if there was any possibility she’d imagined the entire conversation that had just happened. A quick glance over to the desk behind her assured her it was no flight-of-fancy that the Duke of Griffin had just walked into her life and talked her into chaperoning his twin sisters. The brown velvet purse was proof the handsome, determined gentleman had been there.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head, still in awe of what had transpired between them. If only she’d spoken up right from the beginning and been truthful with the duke about her sister, the dog, and the fact she didn’t have sufficient clothing appropriate for the position, she could have saved herself from a lot of nervous frustration. But then she would have denied herself all the new and wonderful feelings he’d stirred up inside her.
Their exchange had been an absolutely grueling tit for tat, and in the end, she didn’t know who had won.
But she must have.
For some reason though, she wasn’t feeling much like a winner right now.
A breathy laugh passed her lips. She’d had to say yes to the duke. What else could she have done? She’d desperately tried to say no and he wouldn’t let her—even when she made outrageous demands she never expected him to accept.
Her luck had been so bad for so long, she was still reeling from the fact she might actually earn enough money to pay her debts and have a little left over for next winter. Being in service to the duke during the few weeks of the Season, she could possibly make more money than her agency had brought in for an entire year.
That thought was exhilarating and definitely making her begin to feel more like the winner. First, because she would be earning the entire amount of the payment rather than only the small percentage of the money paid by the earnings of the ladies assigned to the agency. Second, because Josephine and Napoleon would go with her. And a new wardrobe, too.
Yet, some apprehension still assailed her. As she’d told His Grace, she knew the duties of a chaperone, but she’d never been one. What if she did something wrong? What if the duke was unhappy with her? What if he turned her off after the first day? What if Society didn’t accept her as a chaperone and shunned her? Or the twins because of her? She would have bought the new gowns for no reason and with no possibility to repay the duke.
There were other things she had to consider. The last she’d heard, Viscount Mayeworth was in poor health. She doubted he’d attend the Season, but what if he did? Would he recognize her as his cousin? If he did, would he do what his father promised her mother, and pretend he didn’t know her? Pretend there was no blood between them?
That would suit Esmeralda just fine.
She rubbed her forehead and sighed heavily again. The possibilities of things going wrong were endless. If she kept thinking that way, she’d be ready for the insane asylum. One of Miss Fortescue’s rules was “Don’t borrow trouble.” Esmeralda had to hold to that one right now. She would go back and rereadMiss Mamie Fortescue’s Do’s and Don’ts for Chaperones, Governesses, Tutors, and Nurses.Brushing up on the woman’s rules would help her feel more confident when she arrived at the duke’s house next week.
She would be ready.
Esmeralda would make sure she didn’t give the Duke of Griffin reason to be unhappy he chose her. For now, she would simply be grateful for the employment and not think about failing or how attractive the man was.
Now that she had the position, she didn’t intend to lose it.
Since her mother’s brother had disowned her mother, Esmeralda had had resentment in her heart for all peers. The duke had done nothing to change her feelings and a lot to substantiate them by his firm insistence she must be the one to help him. Most of the titled few got what they wanted. Peers were difficult to please and expected to be obeyed. Their expectations were high and their tolerance low. If a family member could be dismissed on a whim, so could an employee.
A pang of sadness tried to settle over her as was often the case when she thought about how mercilessly her mother was treated by her own brother. And as usual, she managed to brush it away. It didn’t matter that she was once destined to have a chaperone and attend the Season as a diamond of the first water. Those dreams were shattered when she was fifteen and her mother went against her family and married the young and handsome but penniless Irishman, Myles Graham. Now, Esmeralda was to be a chaperone instead of having one.
Just as she’d had to do when her mother died, and when Josephine’s father had died, she would take on this new task and find a way to be good at it. She would adapt to this new role. She had to. Her sister had no one else to take care of her.
Esmeralda looked at the coin purse again. Though she was reluctant to spend money on clothing she may never wear again, she would swallow her pride, take the duke’s money, and purchase new gowns. When the Season was over, if she failed to gain another position as a chaperone, perhaps she could sell them. Or maybe she would save the gowns and have them remade for Josephine. It wouldn’t be too many more years before her sister would be old enough to catch the eye of a handsome young man.
“No,” she whispered aloud. Thinking about Josephine old enough to marry was a worry she didn’t need right now. She would take one day at a time. The duke thought her capable to chaperone his sisters. That was enough to accept right now. She would prove to him and to herself that she was.
Her stomach did a slow tumble when she picked up the velvet purse. It was heavier than she expected. She untied the short drawstring and looked inside. There were more than enough coins inside for a few gowns, capes, gloves, hats, and other necessary items as well as some new clothing for Josephine too. Esmeralda would count it and know exactly how much was in the bag, so she could repay him.
Whether or not the duke wanted her to do it.
