“There you are!”
“What is it, love?” asked the duke, looking up from his newspaper. Emrys glanced up from the book he was reading—or attempting to read. Thoughts of Annis kept intruding. He had been in a worry about her the instant he heard she wasn’t well and was keeping to her room.Have I made her ill, or is it a female malady that ails her?
The duchess came in and very improperly perched on the arm of her husband’s chair. Emrys hid a smile. The buttoned-up duke would never have tolerated anything so casual prior to marrying Sarah. But the Watsons’ friendly ways had rubbed off on him to good effect.
“I just discovered that Miss Pringle has left for Bath at some ungodly hour this morning—on foot, for goodness’ sake! I cannot understand why she would do this. Surely, she knew we would lend her the carriage?”
Emrys dropped his book, leaning forward in shock. “Bath! Why would she go to Bath?”
“Her aunt who raised her is dying apparently,” said the duchess. “But why she wouldn’t wait and asked for the carriage I cannot fathom. Surely, she wouldn’t think we would refuse to let her go.”
“Of course not!” said Robert. “This is a most distempered freak. Why would she do such a thing?”
“Oh, God!” said Emrys. “I think I may know. You have to let me go after her.”
“Emrys what are you on about? If it’s anyone’s responsibility to go after her it is mine. I’m her employer, after all!” said the duke rising.
Emrys shot to his feet. “No, Robert. I need to go. She—I—” He stopped, flushing crimson.
The duke and duchess goggled at him, and he rubbed his head, tousling his hair. “I asked her to marry me yesterday,” he said somewhat sheepishly. “I fear that may be why she has fled.”
“Good God, man, have you taken leave of your senses? She’s the bloody governess!” said the duke explosively.
The duchess was grinning hugely and said, “What has that to do with anything? She is perfectly delightful, and the children adore her.” She bounced off the chair arm and gave Emrys a hug, with a defiant look over her shoulder at her indignant spouse. “Of course you must go after her, Emrys!”
“You mean this nonsense about an aunt in Bath may be a fudge?” said Robert, very heroically ignoring his wife’s provocation. “No, wait a minute though, didn’t she come from some seminary in Bath?” He turned toward his desk and began pulling out drawers. “I’m sure I’ve got her papers here somewhere.”
“I believe she does have an aunt in Bath,” said the viscount. “I’m sure she mentioned her at some point. Though I got the impression she was already dead. However, I suppose I must be mistaken if she really has gone to Bath to attend her on herdeathbed.” He frowned.Perhaps I am jumping to conclusions, blaming her exodus on my proposal. Bit of a coxcomb aren’t I, to think my attentions might have driven her from the house?
“Whether she has gone to attend her aunt or not is irrelevant!” said the duchess impatiently. “The thing is she should not be allowed to continue all the way to Bath on the stage. It will take days and be vastly uncomfortable.”
“Ah! Here it is!” exclaimed the duke, pulling out a sheet of paper. “Queen Square, Bath, the Pringle Academy for Young Ladies!” he said triumphantly. He raised his eyes from the paper and smiled at his audience. “Yes, my love, you are perfectly correct. We cannot allow Miss Pringle to journey all the way to Bath on the humble stagecoach.”
“In that case,” said Emrys, “I had best make haste. If I take a horse I will make much better time, and with this weather, the stage will be moving cursed slowly anyway. With any luck, I’ll catch her before nightfall.”
“Aye, well, don’t catch your death in this wet!” said Robert. Emrys waved in acknowledgment, passing out the door to the sound of the duke saying, “Well, I’d never have thought it of Emrys. What was he thinking? The governess!”
“Don’t be so stuffy, Robert! I think it’s romantic!” said the duchess.
Emrys found the butler and requested him to find his valet and get the man to pack him an overnight bag and to send to the stables and get his horse, Inigo, saddled. He then ran up two flights of stairs to find his children. Mrs. Green had all the small fry on the rug reading them a story.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Green. Might I borrow my three for a moment?”
She nodded, and he beckoned them over. Crouching down, he said, “Miss Pringle has had to leave on an urgent personal matter, but she has gone without an escort, and that is notproper. I am going to fetch her, make sure she is safe, you understand? I may be gone a couple of days. Will you be all right?”
Lizzie stiffened, and he watched her struggle. Ewen, who had recovered now from his dunking in the lake, eyed him somberly. Charlie screwed her face up and said tearfully, “You can’t leave us, Papa!” She wrapped her arms round him.
He hugged her close. “It won’t be for long, poppet. I promise.”
“It’s all right, Papa. I understand,” said Lizzie, manfully trying not to sniffle. “Charlie, he’s going to get Miss Pringle. You want Miss Pringle to come back, don’t you?”
Charlie sniffed and nodded.
“Well then,” said Lizzie.
“Miss Pingle?” said Ewen.
“Yes, Miss Pingle,” said Emrys with a smile, despite the ache in his throat.
