Chapter 10
Don’t let little things annoy you. Concentrate on the larger issues in your position.
MISSMAMIEFORTESCUE’SDO’SANDDON’TSFORCHAPERONES, GOVERNESSES, TUTORS,ANDNURSES
Esmeralda didn’t understand why she was so delighted to see the duke, when at the same time she wanted to strangle him for making her wait so long—and for other things too! If his sisters weren’t in the room, she would immediately take him to task for not telling them she was coming to be their chaperone, and that would be just the start of what she had to say to him. She would ask him why he hadn’t told her he didn’t live there, and ask why he hadn’t mentioned there were rumors the twins could be subject to some type of trickery, meanness, or revenge against him.
“Griffin,” Lady Sara said, rushing over and giving her brother a quick kiss on his cheek. “We didn’t hear you come in.”
“I arrived before you came below stairs. I’ve been with your aunt since I arrived.”
Lady Vera rushed to his other side and affectionately took hold of his arm. “This lady has come to see you. Sara thought she was here to see us, but she’s not. I have to say she wasn’t very forthcoming about why she wants to see you.”
The duke looked at Esmeralda and said, “That doesn’t surprise me.”
“I want to have a real visitor soon,” Lady Sara complained. “London is full of people, and yet we haven’t had a visit from anyone.”
“You know that is because your aunt is not well,” he said. “After the first week of balls and parties you will have so many visitors you’ll be begging for a rest from all the activities.”
“That’s all she talks about,” Lady Vera complained.
“I’m sorry if it bothers you that I want to see someone other than you all the time.”
The duke left his sisters grumbling with each other and walked over to Esmeralda. He wore a dark blue coat, light blue waistcoat, and fawn-colored riding breeches stuffed into his boots. She’d never seen a more powerful-looking and commanding man. And she had never met one who made her insides feel as if they were melting.
“Good morning, Miss Swift.”
She curtsied. “Your Grace,” she answered, and then under her breath added, “Were you standing outside the door eavesdropping on my conversation again?”
He gave her a mischievous smile. “I might have overheard some of what was said.”
“Were you waiting for your sisters to come down so you could see how I handled them?”
“Why would I want to answer that question and possibly incriminate myself?”
“Why indeed?” she murmured as the twins walked over.
“The truth is,” the duke said, turning to his sisters, “that Miss Swifthascome to see you two, so I hope you made her feel welcome.”
“Of course we did.” Lady Vera glanced at Esmeralda and smiled before looking back to her brother.
“Good, because Miss Swift will be taking your aunt’s place and be your chaperone to all the balls, dinner parties, and afternoon card games. Everything you will attend for the Season.”
The twins looked from Esmeralda to each other, clearly stunned.
“When you said you would employ someone to chaperone us, I didn’t expect anyone quite so young,” Lady Sara said softly.
Esmeralda was sure that their aunt and everyone else in Society would also be expecting the twins’ chaperone to be older. But she wasn’t, and they would just have to get used to that fact. Now that she had accepted this position, she fully intended to see it through to the end and, if all went well, collect the promised bonus as well.
“Me either,” Lady Vera agreed, giving Esmeralda another once-over. “How long have you been a chaperone?”
She looked at the duke. “Not long. And I’m older than I appear.”
“How old are you?”
“Vera, you don’t ask someone’s age.”
“Why not, Sara? It’s not rude. It’s a simple question, and no one minds telling their age. It’s not impertinent.”
