When the nanny tried to change him for bed, the child shook his head, running to hide behind Jane.
“It seems Lord Reuben wants you to do it, Your Grace,” Miss Becker said with a smile.
“Would you like me to, Reuben?” Jane asked gently, looking down at him.
The boy looked up at her and slowly nodded, his expression so unbearably adorable, she could barely keep herself from squealing and pinching his cheeks.
“All right then,” she beamed, collecting his clothes.
Jane had quickly learned that Reuben was a delightful little child. He was obedient and smart, which made him very easy to deal with. He kept still as Jane helped him change, moving only when she directed him to do so.
Soon, she tucked him into bed, patting his chest in soothing circles as she waited for him to fall asleep. He did, sooner than she expected him to, with his hand clutching hers tightly.
“It is strange,” she whispered, gently brushing his hair from his face. “Yesterday morning... I knew nothing about you. And now... I want to do everything to make sure you are happy and safe. Sleep well, little Reuben.”
As carefully as she could, Jane pulled her hand away from his, waiting a moment to ensure that he did not wake up, before leaving the room.
She felt tired, but fulfilled as she walked off in search of her room, wondering about what activities she wished to engage the child in the next day. Now that she had built some sort of rapport with him, it was important that she continued to earn his trust and keep him feeling comfortable by her side.
It took Jane about ten minutes of walking around for her to realize she was lost. The housekeeper had taken her straight to her room the day before and today, she had been guided only from her room to the dining, then eventually to Reuben’s room. She had not seen the rest of the house yet and was large as it was... it would definitely take her some time to learn what the rooms were and which purpose they served.
Jane sighed, trying to retrace her steps but she had gone too far to even make it back to Reuben’s room. She turned down another hallway that looked familiar, and she opened the door in hopes that she had found her room.
Instantly, she knew she had made a mistake because it was quite clear she was not in her bed room. The room did not even lookas though it was being used as private chambers, but instead, it seemed to be some sort of gallery.
There were countless paintings around, some hanging on the walls and others leaning against a wall. Jane ventured inside, noticing that there were some tools laying around as well; paint brushes, palette knives, little pots of paint and an easel. Beneath the easel, the floor was covered in a large piece of white fabric that had streaks and splashes of multi-coloured paint all over.
It seemed that someone was using this room to create the pieces of art within it. Curious, Jane stepped towards a wall to study one of the hanging works, freezing as the door opened and the duke walked in.
She turned around to face him, her heart sinking in fear as he realized he was not alone and asked,
“What are you doing here?”
CHAPTER SIX
Jane gasped and stepped back nervously, realizing a moment later that she had nowhere to go and now had her back quite literally against a wall.
From where she stood, she could not see his face clearly, which made him look even more intimidating than usual and she was worried that he might be furious that she had entered a private room without permission.
“I'm sorry... I was looking for my room after putting Reuben to sleep and I got lost. I only intended to find someone to help me, but I found this room instead. I did not mean to intrude.” She explained nervously, bowing her head.
The air was silent for a moment, then he said,
“Oh. I see.”
But... his voice was not angry, merely intrigued.
“I thought perhaps you came in to... do you like art?”
The question caught her off guard, but she nodded slowly.
“Y-Yes. I do. I think these are quire remarkable.”
Thomas scoffed, glancing around as he walked in and shut the door behind him.
“Hardly. This room is mine. I made every one of these pieces.”
Jane felt her mouth fall open in shock and she blinked rapidly, willing herself ton come to her senses and ask the question on her mind.
