to work for a succession of employers until she retired. This young woman did not look a day over four and twenty and she had a confident manner beyond her years, which was strangely at odds with her calling. Something about her did not ring true.
‘I understand you have been employed by Lady Mary Winters for some years?’
‘Yes, sir. I was her daughter June’s governess until recently. Miss June has gone to Bath for a visit with her mother and aunt. She no longer requires a governess, which meant that I was free to take this position.’ He noticed that her eyes seemed to be fixed on a spot beyond his left shoulder.
‘Fortunately so was I.’ Rupert smiled. ‘We must try to keep these young rascals in order. They have been allowed to run free, I fear, and their last tutor and governess left at rather short notice.’
‘I was told they might be a little difficult at times?’
‘I do hope you are not frightened of frogs? John apparently has a habit of putting them in the governess’s bed.’
‘Ah, I see.’ She smiled. Rupert caught his breath. There was something very engaging about this young woman, a way she had of holding her head and of sometimes looking straight at you. ‘Thank you for the warning. I do not dislike the creatures, but would not wish to find one in my bed. I shall make sure to inspect it each night before getting in.’
‘If you find something unpleasant, let me know. I’ll deal with the culprit.’
‘Oh, I dare say I can manage,’ she said. ‘My cousin was forever playing such tricks when we were both children. Uncle William was glad to pack him off to E … to school.’ A hint of pink touched her cheeks. She drew breath, lifted her head and met his curious gaze. ‘Do you wish me to prepare a curriculum for you to inspect, sir?’
‘Good grief, no. I shall leave Francesa’s lessons to you. However, I think we should arrange for her to have dancing lessons—perhaps someone will know of a local man who could come in once or twice a week.’
‘I would be happy to play the pianoforte. If there is no master to be found, you might supply the lack. I can teach her the steps if you would practise with her.’
‘Is there no end to your talents?’
‘I … have an interest in music and dancing, also deportment. I think I may be able to teach Francesca how to enter a drawing room in society and how to conduct herself, to engage others in conversation … enough so that she does not feel strange when she meets her chaperon next spring.’
‘Indeed? I would not have thought you would have had much experience in the drawing rooms of society hostesses?’
Rupert saw her colour deepen and knew he’d scored a hit. It was perhaps a little unfair of him to say such a thing to her, but he had not been able to resist it. This confident young woman had aroused his curiosity. He was quite certain that she was not what she was pretending to be. Governesses did not meet the eyes of their employer so boldly nor did they have much experience of society.
‘I have acted as companion to a lady of quality,’ she replied, her head up. ‘Besides, one is accustomed to being with ladies and young women of … breeding.’
‘Tell me, Miss Goodrum—where were you educated?’
‘I … my father employed a governess for me and I went to Miss Hale’s school in Newcastle for young ladies for a period of two years. It was a highly respectable academy, I assure you.’
‘What manner of man is your father?’
Her body stiffened. ‘My references are all in order, sir. I have them to hand if you wish to see them.’
‘I am not your employer.’ Rupert’s gaze moved over her. ‘It was just idle curiosity. You are not obliged to answer me.’
‘My father ran a mine, sir. We were respectable and he was able to give me benefits that not all girls of my class receive. He died a few years ago and … I was obliged to earn my living.’
‘The manager of a mine and from the North of England, I think?’ Rupert nodded, pleased because he’d detected the slight inflection in her voice, especially when she was disturbed. ‘You are an unusual governess, Miss Goodrum. I believe we shall rub along well enough—providing that I do not discover you have lied to your employer and to me.’
Her head came up at that and her eyes flashed with temper. Rupert was tempted to laugh. He’d thought her merely attractive at the start, but he was beginning to see that there was much more to Miss Hester Goodrum than met the eye. He would swear that there was fire banked just beneath the surface.
‘Was there anything else, sir?’
‘Oh, yes,’ Rupert replied with a smile. ‘I believe we’ve only just begun, Miss Goodrum. However, we shall leave it for the moment. You will do me the honour of dining with me this evening, I hope?’
For a moment she hesitated, then she gave him a straight look that took the wind out of his sails. ‘As I am sure you know, that would not be appropriate, Lord Myers. A governess may be asked to dine with the family on occasion, but only when the mistress of the house is present—and certainly not alone with a gentleman.’
‘How disappointing. Now you are being a proper governess. I had hoped we might get to know each other better. Besides, Francesca and John will be dining with me. Did you really imagine I was asking you to dine intimately, Miss Goodrum? I assure you I would only do that if I had seduction in mind.’
Now the colour was high in her cheeks. She took a moment to control herself, as if afraid of speaking too quickly and betraying herself into unwise words.
‘I think you like to mock, sir. I am certain you had no such thing in mind. Why should you?’ She hesitated, then, ‘If Francesca is to dine with you, perhaps I should also be present. You may be here as John’s mentor, but you are a single gentleman and Francesca is an impressionable young girl. I think I must act as her chaperon.’
‘How wise of you to change your mind,’ he murmured softly, adding, as she left, in a voice she could not catch, ‘And who, I wonder, will chaperon you, Miss Goodrum?’
Chapter Three
Sarah went straight up to her room. Mrs Brancaster had asked her to return to her sitting room after the interview, but she needed a little time alone to calm her nerves. When she’d suggested that she change places with Hester Goodrum she had not dreamed she would have to run the gauntlet of those steel-grey eyes and that razor-sharp mind. Lord Myers was a man of the world and very intelligent. As herself, Sarah would have felt his equal, well able to parry any darts he fired at her, but she was at a disadvantage because she was here under false pretences. Lord Myers had warned her that he would not take kindly to lies on her part and she could imagine what he would think and say if he discovered the truth.
Cold chills ran down her spine. What on earth would she do if she were exposed as an impostor? It would be so very embarrassing and could ruin her reputation. For a moment she was tempted to turn tail and run away now before she was dragged into something beyond her control, but pride would not let her.
No, she was doing nothing wrong … not terribly wrong anyway. Having embarked on her masquerade, she could at least stay to greet the children. If the challenge became
